On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Military Family Law on Wednesday, August 22, 2012.
As many Missouri military personnel and their families know, emotions run high when deployment orders are given. Anxiety, stress, and the overwhelming sense of ‘what if?’ consumes everyone involved.
For soldiers, duty to their country outweighs the duties they once had at home. Spouses, on the other hand, must endure months, sometimes even years, of constant worry and the feeling of abandonment.
These realities became all too real for one couple when the soldier, a married father of two young children, came home from work one day with a “report for duty” notice.
During the course of his 18-month deployment he earned a Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars, but no amount of awards could make him forget the painful memories of fallen friends and injured civilians. His wife knew he had changed, but so had she.
Though the couple fought heavily against the statistics and sought couples counseling, for many, divorce becomes the only option. Beating the odds is tough; couples dealing with deployments are twice as likely to get divorced.
Separation or divorce can be a painful process including property division, military pension distribution, and sometimes child custody. This can leave people feeling overwhelmed and helpless.
Anyone going through a divorce, though, should remember that you don’t have to go through the process alone. Seeking advice and guidance from an attorney with experience in military divorce is important to protecting both parties’ rights and coming to a fair outcome for both parties. With the right help, couples can begin their new lives apart from one another in a timely manner.
Source: ABC News, “Couples therapy cuts PTSD, improves relationships,” Katie Moisse, Aug. 15, 2012
