Clear, Hold and Build: Strengthening Marriages to Preserve the Force

摘要

The 'Long War' on terror has required multiple deployments of Army forces and generated a tremendous amount of increased stress on Army Families, and marriages in particular. I analyze this stress on the Army marriages, its impact on readiness and retention, and provide suggested improvements to preserve the All-Volunteer Force. I will analyze stress on Army marriages from deployments, separations, relocations, etc. and use indicators of impact on marriages, such as divorce trends, domestic violence or abuse. I consider what policies and programs the Army institution can adjust to enable marriages to grow stronger during the RESET and TRAIN phases of ARFORGEN. I also explore ways for installations and communities to strengthen marriages. Finally, I end with an analysis of what commanders and Soldiers can do to intentionally strengthen their marriage cords to prepare for success in an Army career with expected frequent deployments.