In a little over four months, the 3,500 Iowa troops deployed to Afghanistan will be coming back to the states. That's great news. What isn't so great, is some of the struggles that will take place as each of those soldiers seeks to connect back with the "norm". The two weeks of deprocessing when they arrive home will go a long way in offering solutions. Sadly, it won't be the cure all.
 |
| Could it be this simple...Sharing? |
"Failed marriages were the cost of war for Sgt. Jennifer Schobey.
The breaking point in her first marriage came when her husband deployed to Afghanistan, the last in a long line of separations they had endured as they juggled two military careers. Schobey married another combat veteran, but eventually that union failed under the weight of two cases of post-traumatic stress disorder — his and hers. They are now getting divorced.
Separations. Injuries. Mental health issues. All are added weights to the normal strains of marriage.
For women in the military, there's a cold, hard reality: Their marriages are more than twice as likely to end in divorce as those of their male comrades — and up to three times as likely for enlisted women. And military women get divorced at higher rates than their peers outside the military, while military men divorce at lower rates than their civilian peers."
The story provides some cold, hard facts....and truths to the world our military lives in. And it does offer some hope for continued education.
My wife, Joanne, insightful person that she is, added these remarks to the discussion. Why is reuniting difficult? The average person would think that it's just because marriage partners have grown apart. That is the least of the problems in many cases. It's the PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Coming down off of being in nothing but HIGH ALERT MODE for a year. Trying not to react to noises, people, garbage in the road, the lack of constant activity, not being with the guys you've come to be so close with, not having the spouse understand what you have experienced because they have not walked in your boots. Not to mention the temptation to try and settle the emotions down with alcohol/drug use...
"Each of the military services today offers a variety of programs focused on strengthening or enriching marriage. The Army, for example, offers a program called "Strong Bonds," which provides relationship help to married couples as well as single soldiers and "resiliency" classes for spouses of both sexes."
One can only hope that these programs ARE effective. When you think about the sacrifice one makes when committing to the military, a failed marriage should not be part of the equation.
Mark 10:6-9
"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.'' For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
To read the entire article you can click on the link I've provided.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/03/08/female-gis-struggle-higher-rate-divorce/?test=latestnews
YGG,
John
No comments:
Post a Comment