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VA program hopes to prevent military divorce

On Behalf of | Dec 10, 2019 | Military Divorce

The men and women who serve in the armed forces often do so at a great personal cost. As grateful as the nation should be for their service, it doesn’t change the fact that combat missions can leave service members with problems like post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD and other stressors can impact the relationships that service members have with their family. Some couples eventually make the decision to divorce. Military divorce is sadly quite common, but the Department of Veterans Affairs is hoping to change that with a new initiative that recently helped several Texas military couples.

The program is called Warrior2Soulmate and was developed by the VA with the hopes of fostering skills to build intimacy between couples in which at least one spouse served in the military. Some studies suggest that veterans are 60% more likely to experience separation or divorce than civilians. The VA wants to prevent divorce in military families by giving people the tools to communicate and cope with the aftermath of war. The participants have served in many different military conflicts, including World War II and Vietnam.

The VA has also trained more staff to help provide couples counseling for those who need it. Psychologists, chaplains, social workers and more will help families deal with issues like PTSD, injuries and multiple deployments. Some experts point out that many of the skills that military personnel learn as part of their combat training often run counter to communication skills they need for relationships. Happily, many couples report that Warrior2Soulmate is helping to strengthen their relationships.

Even with an abundance of professional help, some military couples may still decide to get a divorce. When this happens here in Texas, an attorney with experience handling military divorce cases can guide a person through the entire process. A legal professional of this type will keep in mind some of the unique circumstances that those who have served in the armed forces may encounter.

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