On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Military Divorce on Thursday, May 30, 2019.
Divorce rates among active-duty U.S. military members living in Illinois and elsewhere declined slightly in 2018, according to data from the U.S. Department of Defense. The dip continues a downward trend that began 10 years ago.
Researchers calculate the annual military divorce rate by comparing the number of active-duty troops who are married at the beginning of a fiscal year with the number who completed divorces by the end the year. Defense Department statistics show that 3% of service members who were married at the beginning of 2018 got divorced at some point during the year. That percentage represents a 0.1% drop from 2017.
While the divorce data is broken down by military branch, gender, and rank, the easiest way for researchers to spot trends is to track data on the military’s largest subgroup, which is enlisted male soldiers. The divorce rate for that group was 3.3% in 2009, but it dipped to 2.7% in 2018. In comparison, the divorce rate for female officers and enlisted soldiers was 6.3% in 2018, but there are fewer female military members than male members. The general U.S. divorce rate was 3.2% in 2016. However, comparing the military divorce rate with the general U.S. divorce rate is difficult because they are tracked using different methods.
Active and retired military members facing the end of their marriage might benefit by seeking the advice of a military family law attorney. An attorney with this type of background could review a client’s case and provide guidance throughout the process. The attorney could also help negotiate favorable agreements on the applicable legal issues.
