Thousands of men and women of the U.S. military and Reserve protect the freedoms of American citizens at home and abroad. About 55 percent, or over 754,000 active duty military personnel, are married. This represents a sizable population that merits attention from the marriage and relationship education field. Some of the strengths often associated with a family military lifestyle include the family being provided for by the military (i.e., stable income, housing, and health insurance) and built in support systems (i.e., Family Readiness Groups, variety of free support groups, and parenting education). Military families are frequently self-reliant and resourceful; they have a keen appreciation for diversity and global communities and a commitment to a national mission (Rodriguez, 1984; cited in Hall, 2008). A service member's desire to return to his or her romantic partner and/or family is often times the sustaining factor in his or her deployment. While the honor and benefits of service are formidable, military personnel face circumstances that challenge their ability to maintain happy and healthy marriages and families. Married military personnel encounter unique and formidable challenges to maintaining their relationships. One, or sometimes both spouses, face deployment overseas and a significant number return home suffering from combat stress.
This collection includes research and resources that describe the unique relationship strengths and challenges facing military couples and their families. In sum, this collection offers demographic information on marriage and divorce trends in the military; information on how deployment, reunion, and combat stress affect relationship quality; and strategies and resources for coping with these issues. Further, research and resources are provided on financial challenges facing military couples, relationship issues specific to the National Guard, and relationship education programs for military personnel. This is not meant to be a comprehensive collection, but rather a selection of publications that will be of general interest. Whenever possible, we have selected items and resources available online. Additional publications and resources will be posted periodically as they come to our attention.
The NHMRC would like to thank Dana Foney, a Lewin Group Senior Associate; Emily Rosenberg, a former Lewin Group Research Assistant; Jane Koppelman, a Lewin Group Senior Manager; and Sharrie McIntosh, a Lewin Group Managing Director. This is a product of the NHMRC, led by co-directors Mary Myrick, APR, and Jeanette Hercik, PhD, and project manager Rich Batten, ThM, MEd, CFLE.
Table of Contents:
- Marriage and Divorce Trends in the Military
- Couple Stressors:
- Relationship Education Programs for Military Personnel
- Additional Resources
Marriage and Divorce Trends in the Military
The rate of military marriages increased substantially from the early 1950s to the present. More recently, however, the percentage of married men and women in the military has decreased. Despite these trends, more than one-half (55 percent) of current active-duty military personnel and over one-half of Selected Reserve members are married. During the 2009 fiscal year, however, the Pentagon estimated 27,312 divorces among the 765,000 married active-duty Armed Forces members (an increase of 0.2% from the previous fiscal year). According to the Pentagon, between fiscal years 2007 and 2008 the Marine Corps experienced the biggest increase in divorce rates, followed by the Army. Divorce rates dropped between fiscal year 2007 and 2008 for service members in the Navy and remained stable for the Air Force.
The following resources include statistics and information on marital status and trends in the military, including the percentage of married and divorced service members in each branch of the military. Also provided are data on children of military families.
Adler-Baeder, F., Pittman, J., &Taylor, L. (2006). The Prevalence of Marital Transitions among Military Families. Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 44(1). 91-106.
Department of Defense surveys were examined to develop a demographic profile of military families affected by divorce and remarriage. It appears that a substantial portion of military personnel have experienced divorce, are in remarriages, and have nonresidential children, particularly given the young average age of military personnel. Compared to the U.S. population, service members marry, divorce, and remarry earlier.
Booth, B., Segal, M.W., Bell, D. B., (2007). What We Know about Army Families: 2007 Update. Prepared for the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command by Caliber, an ICF International Company.
This report gives details on Army family demographics, family impacts on soldier readiness and retention, adaptation of families to Army life, and families' sense of community and partnership. This report has chapters on deployments, separations, and reunions; issues confronting Reserve Component (RC) Soldiers and families; well-being within Army families; children; informal and formal support for families; and a 21st century model of Army family support.
Bowen, G. L., Orthner, D. K., Zimmerman, L. I., & Meehan, T. (1992). Family patterns and adaptation in the U.S. Army (Technical Report No. 966). Alexandria, VA: U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences.
Analyses on 7,524 soldiers living in one of four family patterns: civilian wife marriage, civilian husband marriage, dual military marriage, and single parenthood are provided. The report compares the stresses, strengths and adaptations of soldiers in each of these types of family relationships, and across gender and pay grades.
Lundquist, J. H., & Smith, H. L. (2005). Family formation among women in the U.S. military: Evidence from the NLSY. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 67, 1-13.
Fertility rates between civilian women and enlisted women using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth are compared; the only data set that measures the fertility of both populations. Analysis shows that the fertility effect of enlisted women having higher fertility rates than civilian women derives primarily from early marriage in the military. This suggests that specific organizational and economic incentives in the military may offset the more widespread contemporary social and economic factors that otherwise depress marriage and fertility.
Military OneSource, 2007 Demographics Report: Active Duty Members.
Statistics and information on marital status in the military are included in this report. It also discusses the percentage of married service members in each branch of the Armed Forces.
National Healthy Marriage Resource Center (2010), Marriage and Divorce in the National Guard and Reserves: A Fact Sheet.
Marriage and divorce rates for members of the National Guard and Reserves are highlighted along with reasons for divorce and a summary of available supports.
National Healthy Marriage Resource Center, Military Service and Marriage: A Review of the Research.
An in-depth review of research literature available on topics pertaining to military families, including demographics on marriage and divorce rates and trends, is provided.
Sloan Work and Family Research Network. (2009). Questions and Answers about Military Families: A Fact Sheet.
Statistics about the marriage and family formation rates of U.S. military personnel, as well as survey and research data on marital satisfaction among military couples, the impact of deployment on relationships, and ways in which people cope with the deployment of a spouse are provided. The network, sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, provides a range of research, surveys, and reports on work-family issues.
Spiegel, A. (2005). Military Combats High Divorce Rate. Audio Clip. National Public Radio.
Long deployments make marriage especially difficult for military couples. In an effort to reverse the high divorce rate in the armed services, the Army has created a marriage-counseling program that teaches military couples basic relationship skills.
Stanley, S. M., Allen, E. S., Markman, H. J., Rhoades, G. K., Prentice, D. L. (2010). Decreasing Divorce in U.S. Army Couples: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial Using PREP for Strong Bonds. Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy. Volume 9, Issue 2, p. 149.
Married couples who received PREP for Strong Bonds had one-third the rate of divorce of the control group. These findings suggest that couple education can reduce the risk of divorce, at least in the short run with military couples.
Worland, D. (2005). Military Couples Fight to Preserve Home Front. Fox News.
In the three years after Sept. 11, the Army's divorce rate doubled from about 5,600 divorces in 2001 to 10,477 in fiscal 2004. The upward trend in the Army in particular speaks to soldiers' unique set of problems, especially those presented by the current stepped-up deployment cycle.
Couple Stressors
Deployment and Reunion with Family
Research has found that military deployment (i.e., being called to active-duty) can be an emotional and stressful experience for married military personnel as well as for their families and children. The separation can cause stress due to the loss of emotional support, disconnected relationships, and increased caretaking and household responsibilities for the civilian spouse. It can also cause spouses to experience loneliness, anger, depression and anxiety. In addition, research indicates that spouses focus on dealing with their children's reactions to deployment (often times more than on their own feelings) and for deployed personnel, they experience feelings of guilt for leaving their families. Further, deployment has been linked to increased rates of spousal abuse.
Reunion is the stage of deployment that many families anticipate with hopefulness. Similar to the adjustment required during deployment, however, reunion can be challenging for military personnel and their families. Research shows that the non-deployed spouse often carries certain expectations about the reunion (e.g., anticipated relief from demands and loneliness) and may feel let down if his or her partner is withdrawn and depressed upon return. The returning spouse may also face health/mental health conditions (e.g., post traumatic stress disorder, etc.) that make reintegration challenging. Further, following deployment, the non-deployed spouse may feel irritated at relinquishing the independent roles they have established during their partner's absence, while the returning spouse may wonder why he/she cannot simply resume pre-deployment roles. In reality, it may take several months before couples adjust to living together again. This process often involves a reexamination and renegotiation of the marriage, family roles, and family structure.
The following resources provide information on the effects of deployment on relationship quality, stability, and satisfaction and offer strategies for navigating the reunion/reintegration process.
Armed Forces Crossroads. Section on Family Separations.
This webpage includes information on how to rebuild, reunite and rekindle a marriage and relationship, and how to prepare for the reunion of a family after a separation.
Bell, D. B., Stevens, M. L., & Segal, M. W. (1996). How to support families during overseas deployments: A sourcebook for service providers. (ARI Research Report No. 1687). Alexandria, VA: U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences.
Lessons learned from prior deployments of Active and Reserve Component soldiers are provided that can be used during future deployments to improve family support systems for installations and for battalion and company-size units.
Johnson, S. J. et al. (2007). The psychological needs of US military service members and their families: A preliminary report. American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Military Deployment Services for Youth, Families and Service Members.
The impact of deployment on service members and their families is described. It also provides recommendations for improving psychological care that is provided to this population.
MacDermid, S. M. (2006). Multiple transitions of deployment and reunion for military families. Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University.
Findings from two studies are discussed. One is focused on service members in the Reserve and the other on active duty military members. The two studies examine deployment and reunion challenges for each group.
Military OneSource. (2004).Becoming a Couple Again: How to Create a Shared Sense of Purpose After Deployment. Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
This Fact Sheet describes common relationship problems couples experience when a spouse returns from deployment, and how to best deal with them.
Military OneSource. (2008).Coping with a Deployment Extension.
Feelings, family coping mechanisms, and resources for dealing with news of a deployment extension are addressed.
My Army OneSource. Coping with Deployment.
A section of particular interest provides information on an array of issues soldiers, their spouses and children confront during and after deployment.
National Healthy Marriage Resource Center, Military Service and Marriage: A Review of the Research.
An in-depth research review of literature available on topics pertaining to military families, including deployment.
Orthner, D. & Roderick, R. (2005). Deployment and Separation Adjustment among Army Civilian Spouses. Army Family Deployment Report.
Survey data collected by The U.S. Army Community and Family Support Center, in conjunction with the U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences, is analyzed to understand how well Army civilian spouses are adjusting to deployment and separation demands, and how well the assistance provided to these families is supporting these adjustments. Among the findings are that families with strong marriages and friendships adjust well to Army demands. The report contains key recommendations for facilitating spouses' adjustment.
Spera, C.(2009). Spouses' Ability to Cope with Deployment and Adjust to Air Force Family Demands. Identification of Risk and Protective Factors Armed Forces & Society 35: 286–306.
Using data from 34,381 Air Force active-duty members, active-duty members' perceptions of their partners' ability to cope with deployment of unknown length and adjust to demands of being an Air Force family are examined. Protective factors-unit relationship quality, leadership effectiveness, and social support from community members-were positively related to members' reports of spousal adjustment ability.
Swan, R. et al. (2002). Deployment and Family Separation: An Annotated Bibliography. West Lafayette, IN: Military Family Research Institute.
A bibliography that provides research on a variety of topics related to deployment and family separation. It includes such relevant topics as child outcomes and marital relationships.
Huebner, A. J., Mancini, J. A., Bowen, G. L. and Orthner, D. K. (2009), Shadowed by War: Building Community Capacity to Support Military Families. Family Relations, 58: 216-228.
This article looks at the deployment of service members to active war zones, which involves the issues of separation, time away from home, and eventual reunion. These issues increase the vulnerability of their families to multiple, negative short-term and long-term effects. This article suggests a new approach to building support systems to support these military families. To this end, a capacity-building framework is introduced, and 4 diverse and innovative social action programs consistent with this approach are highlighted.
Effects of Combat on Marriage and Family Life
Combat experience has been found to be associated with subsequent mental and behavioral health issues which, in turn, can lead to marital problems and an increased divorce risk for military couples. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and combat stress reaction (CSR) are two psychological problems resulting from combat exposure. Soldiers with CSR often return home with feelings of vulnerability, disconnection and distrust, while PTSD victims may feel detached and estranged from others, anxious, or preoccupied with their memories. Both conditions have the potential to negatively affect soldiers' interpersonal relationships, including their marriages. Further, studies show that wives of veterans with PTSD frequently experience chronic distress, depression, and anxiety as a result of their husband's disorder.
The following resources provide information about PTSD and other non-PTSD related mental disorders and physical injuries associated with combat. Resources also discuss military spousal abuse as well as the impacts of combat on children.
Armed Forces Crossroads. Stress Management, War and Terrorism, PTSD and Trauma, Veterans.
This webpage includes a variety of resources on how service members can best deal with PTSD and other combat-related challenges, including an anonymous helpline for PTSD victims and their spouses.
Heshmati, R., Hoseinifar, J., Rezaeinejad, S., & Miri, M. (2010). Sensation Seeking and Marital Adjustment in Handicapped Veterans Suffering from PTSD. Social and Behavioral Sciences, Volume 5, p. 1783-1787.
Results of this study showed a negative relationship between sensation seeking and marital satisfaction in handicapped veterans suffering from PTSD and also in their wives. A test for comparing marital satisfaction in matched and non-matched couples in sensation seeking showed that there was a significant difference between the two groups.
National Healthy Marriage Resource Center,Military Service and Marriage: A Review of the Research.
An in-depth research review of literature available on topics pertaining to military families, including the effects of combat stress on relationships and families, is provided.
National Healthy Marriage Resource Center, (2010). Managing your Marriage after Deployment.
Strategies for connecting with a spouse upon return from deployment are offered in this Tip Sheet. Ways to cope with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury are also reviewed.
National Healthy Marriage Resource Center. (2010). When one Spouse Returns from Deployment : Tips for MRE Practitioners Working with Military Couples.
Tips include ways to make the skills learned in marriage and relationship education programs relevant to military couples. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury and their effects on a romantic relationship are discussed.
Renshaw, K. D., Rodrigues, C. S., & Jones, D. H. (2008). Psychological Symptoms and Marital Satisfaction in Spouses of Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans: Relationships with Spouses' Perceptions of Veterans' Experiences and Symptoms. Department of Psychology, University of Utah.
The current study examined spouses of National Guard soldiers recently returned from deployments in Iraq. The authors found that spouses experienced greater symptom severity when they perceived high levels of symptoms in soldiers but the soldiers endorsed low levels of symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of interpersonal perceptions in intimate relationships and are consistent with the notion that uncontrollable attributions for a relative's mental health problems may provide a buffer against relationship distress.
Renshaw, K. D., Rodrigues, C. S., & Jones, D. H. (2009). Combat Exposure, Psychological Symptoms, and Marital Satisfaction in National Guard soldiers who Served in Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2005 to 2006. Department of Psychology, University of Utah.
This study investigated the extent of combat exposure, severity of post-deployment psychological symptoms, and general interpersonal functioning, as well as the interrelationships of these variables, in 50 National Guard soldiers. The results indicate that combat exposure and post-deployment post-traumatic stress symptoms in this sample are greater than those in National Guard veterans of past military operations, and similar to those of full-time soldiers in current operations.
Schwarz, R. L., et al. (2007). Family Adjustment of Wounded Military Members: An Annotated Bibliography. West Lafayette, IN: Military Family Research Institute.
A bibliography of research related to specific mental and physical injuries that result from combat and military service are provided. Categories covered include PTSD, reservist family healthcare, and other health-related topics.
U.S.Department of Veterans Affairs. (2002). Iraq War Clinician Guide, 2nd Edition.
Developed by the National Center for PTSD (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) and the Department of Defense, this guide is written for clinicians and addresses the unique needs of veterans of the Iraq war, such as the impact of deployment on families and how to handle issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, sexual trauma during combat, returning amputees, grief, and substance abuse.
Financial and Employment Challenges
Research shows a link between marital stability and a couple's economic situation, with financial disagreements increasing the likelihood of relationship distress. Money management is a common challenge for many service members and their families. Even with the range of services and programs offered by the military around financial education, service members face similar issues to those of civilians.
The following resources provide information pertaining to financial readiness (e.g., family subsistence supplemental allowance, credit and money management, retirement planning), financial education and budget assistance for couples, as well as research examining the impact of financial stress on military couples. The resources were designed to offer a practical approach to financial management to assist service members in gaining control over finances and managing their money more effectively. Resources also discuss workplace challenges for service members and military spouses.
Berr, J. (2010). Military families struggle with mounting debts. Daily Finance.
The financial challenges military families face are discussed. The article also describes organizations designed to help military families with their finances (e.g., reducing debt load, saving money).
MacDermid, S., et al.The Financial Landscape for Military Parents of Young Children, Military Families Research Institute, Purdue University
This report examines the income and expenditure patterns of military parents of children younger than six. Four questions are addressed with accompanying recommendations: (1) What are the characteristics of military families who are at high financial risk? (2) How do expenditures of military families compare to those of civilians? (3) How do the income and expenditures of military families compare to those of self-sufficiency standards? (4) Why might military families experience financial risk?
National Healthy Marriage Resource Center. Military Service and Marriage: A Review of the Research.
An in-depth research review of literature available on topics pertaining to military families, including how finances relate to the couple relationship, are provided.
Relationship / Family Issues Specific to National Guard / Reserve
The National Guard and Army Reserve are an important source of manpower, support, and expertise for the military. These service members and their families face challenges that are similar and unique to those confronting active military personnel, such as the need to balance their marital commitment with their military obligations. National Guard/Reserve families are geographically dispersed over more than five thousand communities across the Nation. Consequently, these service members may not live near military bases where support services are readily available; they may not know what services are actually available; and they may encounter difficulties when attempting to access services.
The following resources are intended to provide information to enhance the quality of life for National Guard/Reserve members and their families. Resources describe issues relating to living off base (e.g., limited sense of community) including ways to balance civilian life with military obligations. Information specific to National Guard and Reserve families is also given.
Bannerman, S. (2006). When the War Came Home: The Inside Story of Reservists and the Families They Leave Behind. The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc. New York, NY.
In the ongoing war on terror, record numbers of Army National Guard reservists are being deployed overseas; more than 400,000 to date have been ordered into action. This book is the author's personal account of the emotional impact and oft-unreported realities of her home front experience during that time, something shared by thousands of reservists' spouses and partners.
Faber, A. J., Willerton, E., Clymer, S. R., MacDermid, S. M., & Weiss, H. M. (2008). Ambiguous absence, ambiguous presence: A qualitative study of military reserve families in wartime. Journal of Family Psychology, 22(2), 222-230.
Boundary ambiguity in military reserve families over time is examined. Boundary ambiguity isa state in which family members are uncertain in their perception about who is in or out of the family and who is performing various roles and tasks within the family.
Kim P. Y., Thomas J. L., Wilk J. E., Castro C. A., & Hoge C. W. (2010). Stigma, barriers to care, and use of mental health services among active duty and National Guard soldiers after combat. Psychiatric Services, 61(6), 582-8.
Rates of utilization of mental health care among active duty and National Guard soldiers with mental health problems 3 and 12 months after they returned from combat in Iraq are examined. Stigma and barriers to care were also reported for each component (active duty and National Guard).
MacDermid, S. M. (2006). Multiple transitions of deployment and reunion for military families. Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University.
This presentation describes findings from two studies. One is focused on service members in the Reserve and the other on active duty military members. The two studies examine deployment and reunion challenges for each group.
Miles, D. (2005). Programs Aim to Reduce Military Divorce Rates.
Divorce rates among service members and factors contributing to military divorces are discussed. It also describes outreach programs that aim to help military families address the hardships that military life can present.
Renshaw, K. D., Rodrigues, C. S., & Jones, D. H. (2009). Combat Exposure, Psychological Symptoms, and Marital Satisfaction in National Guard soldiers who Served in Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2005 to 2006. Department of Psychology, University of Utah.
This study investigated the extent of combat exposure, severity of post-deployment psychological symptoms, and general interpersonal functioning, as well as the interrelationships of these variables, in 50 National Guard soldiers. The results indicate that combat exposure and post-deployment post-traumatic stress symptoms in this sample are greater than those in National Guard veterans of past military operations, and similar to those of full-time soldiers in current operations.
Schwarz, R. L., et al. (2007). Family Adjustment of Wounded Military Members: An Annotated Bibliography. West Lafayette, IN: Military Family Research Institute.
A bibliography of research related to specific mental and physical injuries that result from combat and military service. Categories covered include PTSD, reservist family healthcare, and other health-related topics.
Shea, M. T., Vujanovic, A. A., Mansfield, A. K., Sevin, E., & Liu F. (2010). Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and functional impairment among OEF and OIF National Guard and Reserve Veterans. Journal of Trauma Stress, 23, 100-107.
An experiment aimed at examining PTSD and its associated psychosocial functioning and distress measures is discussed. The experiment focused on Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom National Guard and Reserve Veterans.
Relationship Education Programs and Premarital Counseling for Military Personnel
Military relationship education programs enhance skills and provide resources for individuals and couples to increase their chances of having healthy and lasting relationships, while preventing relationship distress and breakdown. Research demonstrates the benefits of such programs, particularly for military personnel, in areas of improved communication and conflict management, and better relationship quality. An association between a healthy, stable family and a reduction in child abuse and domestic violence is also shown. The following citations include both resources and effectiveness research on relationship education programs for military personnel as well as military studies on the effectiveness of premarital counseling.
National Healthy Marriage Resource Center. Military Service and Marriage: A Review of the Research.
An in-depth research review of literature available on topics pertaining to military families, including research on the effectiveness of relationship education programs for military personnel is provided.
Orthner, D. K., Rose, R. (2005). Reunion Adjustment among Army Civilian Spouses with Returned Soldiers. Army Family Reunion Report.
Army spouses and families function best when they live in an environment that is socially supportive. Research has consistently demonstrated that family well-being and relational adjustment are much higher when family members have other people in their lives that encourage them and to whom they can go for practical and emotional support. The objective of this report is to provide an analysis of how well Army civilian spouses adjust during reunions after deployments and how well the assistance provided to these families is supporting these adjustments. The level of family adjustment to reunion is examined from the perspective of how well Army families take advantage of the personal, social and organizational assets they can use to help them adapt to the stresses of reunions.
Schumm, W. R., Resnick, G., Silliman, B., & Bell, D. B. (1998). Premarital counseling and marital satisfaction among civilian wives of military service members. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 24, 21-28.
Wives' marital satisfaction was evaluated as a function of premarital counseling in an analysis of data from several thousand military couples surveyed in 1992. Among couples who jointly reported participating in premarital counseling, results indicated that receiving premarital counseling and reporting higher satisfaction with the counseling experience were associated with higher levels of marital satisfaction. Among couples who disagreed about having received premarital counseling, results were still favorable but less consistent.
Schumm, W. R., Silliman, B., & Bell, D. B. (2000). Perceived premarital counseling outcomes among recently married Army personnel. Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, 26, 177-186.
Data from 1,285 recently married soldiers who participated in the 1989 Army Family Research Program survey indicated that premarital counseling by itself had little effect on subsequent marital satisfaction. However, those who had premarital counseling were more likely to use marital and family therapy services than others who had not had such counseling before marriage.
Sprenkle, D., MacDermid, S., & Ko, M. Military OneSource Counseling: First Armored Division Pilot Counseling Program, Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University.
This document reports on a program that created new non-medical counseling resources for military families at multiple Army installations in Germany and one in Italy. Data came from 45 counselors regarding 1,800 contacts; the majority of cases were not "at risk." Interventions included listening/rapport building/support,and education/information/ consultation.
Stanley, S. M., Allen, E. S., Markman, H. J., Saiz, C. C., Bloomstrom, G., Thomas, R., Schumm, W. R., & Baily, A. E. (2005). Dissemination and evaluation of marriage education in the Army. Family Process, 44, 187-201.
This study evaluated the effectiveness of marriage education in two separate samples of Army couples. The intervention was delivered by Army chaplains. The study demonstrated that marriage education was well received by this population and resulted in improvements in relationship functioning. There were no significant differences in changes over time (i.e., from pre- to post-marriage education) among males and females or among couples of different ethnicities.
Additional Resources
Armed Forces Crossroads. Information on the Armed Forces Spouse Network and information about DoD installations are provided. There are also separate pages for topics such as assessing and managing combat stress.
Armed Forces Crossroads Financial Readiness Information. Information on financial readiness assistance and employment is included on this website.
Armed Services Crossroads Medical and Dental Resources. Resources are provided, including links to other websites that provide information on medical and dental care and stress management. The resource also includes resources for suicide prevention and PTSD.
Armed Forces Crossroads Website Pre-deployment Guide. This guide provides tips and strategies for how to prepare spouses and children for deployment of their family member. Included are helpful tips written from a military spouse's viewpoint.
Army Reserve Family Programs. A variety of resources for Army Reservists and their families, such as Army Family Team Building (AFTB).
Blue Star Families. This website has information for military families and is a lobbying organization.
Center for Deployment Psychology. The Center trains military and civilian behavioral health professionals to provide high-quality deployment-related behavioral health services to military personnel and their families. Offers on-line courses and trainings.
Fleet and Family Support Programs. Information and resources designed for service members in the Navy and their families are provided. The site includes information on topics such as families dealing with deployment and caring for children with special needs while one spouse is deployed.
Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University. The Military Family Research Institute based at Purdue University conducts studies that provide insight into the experiences of military members and their families, and designs and implements outreach activities that assist military families in Indiana and beyond. Information and resources on deployment-related issues can be found on this website.
Military Family Research Institute, Purdue University.Educator's Guide to the Military Child during Deployment. Information regarding the psychological and emotional effects that parental deployment has on children is provided. Also presented is how educators can help children cope during and after a military deployment. Guidelines and techniques for teachers, counselors and other school employees are also offered in order to help them become better prepared to assist the military child.
Military Family Research Institute, Purdue University.Helping Children Cope When a Loved One Is on Military Deployment. Strategies and techniques that teachers can use to help children and families of deployed service men and women are outlined in this article. It offers suggested ways of providing emotional and academic support to children. Also offered are strategies for supporting the deployed parent as well as the caregiver at home.
Military HomeFRONT websiteDeployment Calendars. These printable calendars include activities and reminders that were intended to ease stress and improve communication during the deployment of a loved one. There are separate calendars for pre-deployment, deployment, and reunion. See below.
Military OneSource. The website is a one-stop shop for all resources aimed at helping service members and their families. It covers topics such as dealing with and preparing for deployment.
My Army OneSource. A wealth of information for service members and their families is provided in this resource. A section of particular interest, entitled "Coping with Deployment," provides information on life after deployment and helping children cope with a deployed parent.
The National Military Families Association. This website is a one-stop shop of resources for military families.
The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Alliance is a group of professional and advocacy organizations that have joined forces to provide educational resources to individuals diagnosed with PTSD and their loved ones; those at risk for developing PTSD; and medical, healthcare and other frontline professionals.
U.S.Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. This website provides a range of resources to help veterans and the general public answer questions about PTSD, and offers mental health providers and researchers materials on the psychological effect of trauma and tools to help them assess and treat PTSD.
U.S.Department of Veterans Affairs, War-Related Illness and Injury Study Center.
Expertise for veterans and their health care providers through clinical evaluation, research, education and risk communication are provided at the Center. Clinical services focus on environmental exposure assessments and comprehensive medical evaluations for combat veterans who have chronic and difficult to diagnose symptoms. The Center also provides education and clinical information to families and loved ones of deployed soldiers.