Staying together
Officer divorce rate drops after sharp rise
By Kelly Kennedy
Times staff writer
Army officer divorce rates in fiscal 2005 abruptly retreated from the previous year, when a sharp spike in marital split-ups grabbed national headlines and fueled speculation that the war in Iraq was tearing families apart.
The dramatic increase, then decrease, in divorce statistics from 6 percent of all active-duty officers, or about 60,000 total, in 2004 to 2.3 percent in 2005 had statisticians double-checking their numbers.
“This is a hard thing to get a handle on because it’s handled in civilian courts,” said Army spokeswoman Martha Rudd.
The nose dive in divorces led to concern that perhaps the 2004 statistics were erroneous, but the numbers held on a recount. Nevertheless, the stats appear to be less than scientific. One chaplain speculated that the run-up in divorces came as the first war deployments tested the strength of marriages: The shaky ones failed, explaining the 2004 spike, and stronger unions were left, as reflected in the fact that the 2005 divorce rate is closer to prewar rates.
“If it came back down, it could be that the increased rate ... [in fiscal 2004] essentially sorted troubled couples out of the equation for 2005,” said Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Peter J. Frederich, director of the Fort Benning (Ga.) Chaplain Family Life Center. “The couples that came in 2005 were a little stronger.”
Although the Army released only percentages as statistics for 2005, the difference is about 1,300 fewer officer divorces, based on previous years’ numbers. Enlisted divorce rates inched up, from 3.5 percent in 2004 to 3.6 percent in 2005. The Army calculated the numbers by comparing the number of people who said they were married in 2004 with the number who say they are married in 2005. There was no indication whether the statistics factored for divorces between married soldiers.
In fiscal 2003, 3.3 percent of married officers — or 1,866 people — untied the knot, as did 2.8 percent — or 5,587 people — of enlisted soldiers.
In fiscal 2004, as soldiers completed their first tours in Iraq or Afghanistan, 6 percent of married officers — or 3,325 people — and 3.5 percent of enlisted soldiers — or 7,152 people — got a divorce.
Army officials also are wondering what made the officer divorce numbers go down and why the enlisted numbers stayed about the same.
“Without sophisticated analyses, it’s only conjecture,” Frederich said, then took a guess. “In times of stress, the burden may fall more heavily on an officer. Fortunately, the junior officers come in knowing what to expect more.”
Chaplain (1st Lt.) John Barkemeyer returned from Camp Bucca, Iraq, last month, where he served with the 344th Medical Command. He had another theory about the differences in divorce rates between officers and enlisted soldiers.
“The shock of how many divorces have taken place,” he said, “may have caused some people to say, ‘We have to look at some things before we deploy.’”
The lifestyle differences between officers and enlisted troops also may have played a part in the initial rise in numbers.
“For officers, it’s a 24/7 lifestyle,” Barkemeyer said. “And there are probably fewer venues to relax or unwind when they’re deployed because of rules about fraternization.”
The turnaround in 2005 for officers may be because they have already dealt with stress and time away from their spouses.
Soldiers are still heading off to war, but this time their marriages have already withstood the stress of one or more previous missions in Iraq or Afghanistan.
“A first deployment is different from subsequent deployments,” said Kathy Ammerman. Her husband, Lt. Col. Dan Ammerman, commander of the 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion out of Green Bay, Wis., has served in Bosnia and Iraq. “Mother Nature seems to give bonus points for that experience.”
Frederich said other possibilities for the lower divorce rate could be a longer distance from the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the beginning of the war, meaning soldiers know what to expect even if they haven’t deployed. And, he said, the Army “has been paying very close attention.”
Since Vietnam, when soldiers began recognizing that they needed to talk after redeployment, and Desert Storm, when the military realized that outside stress — marital, family, financial — is bad for morale, the Army has worked to help soldiers leaving for war or returning home from it.
In 2005, the service spent $2 million on programs designed to make families stronger.
Frederich said 23,000 people have gone through a marriage retreat program offered on posts throughout the military. The retreat helps couples brush up on communication skills and reaffirm their commitment to each other, as well as offering a mini-vacation.
Commanders are also making sure families understand the deployment process through preparation and reintegration training, Frederich said.
“There’s a million things going on to support these families in relationships,” he said.
Frederich said he was a chaplain during Desert Storm, and although many of the same programs were in place a decade ago, they have grown and are more available. The military offers more resources and emphasizes family readiness groups.
Still, statistics show divorces remain higher than in peacetime years.
“We’re never done with this,” Frederich said. “The soldiers and families are under incredible stress, and there’s all kinds of signs of wear and tear. But I think we’re on the right track.”