Military spouses in Texas know that marrying into the military is akin to embracing an entire culture, one that endures throughout a spouse’s time in the service and even beyond. The sense of support and belonging that comes with a military marriage may be of great comfort to some. However, it might also play a role in the reluctance to seek a military divorce when that option is the one that makes the most sense.
A recent survey looked at the reasons that spouses give when asked why they are reluctant to move forward with a divorce, even when their marriage is not working. The most common response was that there is simply too much to lose. While this is a fairly non-specific complaint, it is easy for military spouses to understand.
Ending a marriage to a member of the service will lead to a great deal of change, and many spouses are simply fearful of moving through those changes. In some cases, housing will need to be altered, and many families who live on a military base enjoy the security that such an arrangement brings. Others are concerned about making ends meet on one income, and stay married due to the financial security that the union brings. Still others are worried about the impact that a divorce might have on shared children.
While all of these concerns are valid, it is also important to realize that each and every one of them can be overcome. The first step in addressing such concerns is to learn more about how a military divorce works, and what the likely outcome would be. In many cases, the property division and child custody issues within a divorce will yield a far more favorable outcome than Texas spouses believe.
Source: The Huffington Post, “The Top 10 Reasons People Stay In Unhappy Marriages“, Brittany Wong, Dec. 15, 2014