The US military has long recognized the value of the family, even as it applies directly to the military mission.  For that reason the military services have had a variety of programs to not only counter divorce, but also to help make marriages and families stronger.  An Air Force Times article notes budget cuts have apparently not eliminated the marriage enrichment programs in the Air Force.

The Army’s long-running program is Strong Bonds, a chaplain-led retreat which gets husbands and wives away from the day-to-day toils to focus on their relationship:

It’s a chance to really look at marriage with some time away from the normal hustle and bustle of married life, and to really spend time with each other as a couple – learning new things, getting with other couples and learning from them, and really improving the way we talk to each other, the way we solve problems and the way we think about each other,” explained Chap. (Col.) Mark Sachs

The stress of frequent and repeated deployments may lead to issues such as divorce and domestic violence, but research shows that training in communication, intimacy and conflict management – the types of training offered through Strong Bonds – increases marriage satisfaction and reduces rates of family violence.

Chaplain Sachs noted that Strong Bonds is intended for every Soldier; its not inherently a “troubled marriage” program.

It is worth taking the time to note that this is but one way the US military actively works against failed marriages and divorce, because it recognizes the negative impact on the servicemember and the mission when those events occur.  By the same token, there is no indication the military treats those who go through divorce any differently than those who do not.

The Strong Bonds program has also been a target of Michael Weinstein and his assistant, Chris Rodda, who have claimed it is an “unconstitutional scandal and an outrage.”  MRFF allies within the military have also talked about plans to secretly record a Strong Bonds event with the intent of trying to end the family support program that’s helping their fellow Soldiers.

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