Any divorce can include a variety of issues that need to be addressed. Each household has different structures. Some people have kids, while others do not. But when a member of the military, or spouse of a service member, contemplates divorce the rules can be somewhat different.



The rate of divorce among female active-duty military personnel has seen a decline in recent years, while the divorce rate among male active-duty military service members has been fairly steady (with slight variations since 2005). Commentators say that women in the military traditionally have had higher divorce rates than male service members.

The military divorce rate among females dropped from 7.9 percent last year to 7.2 percent this year. The male divorce rate is 2.9 percent. Overall, the divorce rate among service members is 3.4 percent. Among civilians, the divorce rate is about 3.6 percent, based upon data compiled a couple years ago—but commentators say that the way the numbers are tracked, comparisons may be difficult. Still, the difference is not necessarily significant.

While statistics may provide some insight into an overall picture (on any subject matter), a person seeking dissolution of marriage is not just a statistic. Real issues may be involved in each and every individual divorce. When a marriage involves one or two members of the military, special rules and issues may arise. For instance, when a divorce can be filed is a potential issue in a military divorce.

While the general issues that are usually important for people may not necessarily be any different between civilian and military divorces (the kids, support or property division issues are generally important in any family law setting)–rules that apply to military divorces can be complicated. The rules for dividing a military pension are different from civilian retirement plan issues in family court. Parenting plans may need special attention.

Source: Miltary.com, &ldquoFemale Military Divorce Rates Continue Decline,” Amy Bushatz, Dec. 18, 2013