Although it is hard to pinpoint precisely the number of military service members in Florida who are either serving within the state or on deployment elsewhere, it is a certainty that the bottom line is impressively high. Army, Navy, Marine and Air Force installations dot the state from north to south, and reliable estimates say that there are about 51,000 active duty members. Coupled with at least that amount of reservists from the various branches, the overall total is posited at more than 100,000 soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen.
The number of those personnel who have been on deployments — in many instances, multiple deployments — in recent years has brought about a highly noted residual effect in many Florida and other states’ military families: separation anxiety, coupled with problems after a service member returns home that ultimately lead to divorce in many instances.
Military officials blame much of that on the Middle East conflict that has engulfed the nation over the past decade. Divorce rates within the military, they say, are at their highest levels since 1999, and much of that can be attributed to the multiple times that service dads and moms are taken away from their families for overseas deployments.
When they return home, their family in many instances has to start anew, with adjustment issues that sometimes turn out to be insuperable.
All of the branches are actively working to address this problem. Workshops for reunited couples stress communication and building on past successes. Educators stress that reconnecting is a process that takes time.
Still, with continuing conflict overseas and some of the psychological and physical challenges that veterans face upon returning home, the military divorce rate promises to stay comparatively high.
Source: NBC San Diego, “Navy pushes resources amid rising military divorce rate,” Mark Mullen, Sept. 11, 2012
- Our firm routinely provides knowledgeable, caring and legally effective advice on divorce matters to military personnel and their families in Florida. For information on our diligent representation, please visit our Miami, Florida, Military Divorce page.