Increased Divorce Rates Illustrate Strain on Deployed Troops

Pentagon Reveals Higher Divorce Rates among Active-Duty Soldiers and Marines
Numbers Reflect the Burden of Multiple Tours, Importance of Addressing the Mental Health Injuries of Returning Veterans

NEW YORK- Today, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation's first and largest nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, issued the following statement on the newly released Department of Defense figures, as recently reported by the Associated Press, which show an increase in the divorce rates among active-duty soldiers and Marines in the previous fiscal year.

"In Iraq and Afghanistan, our servicemembers aren't the only ones making a sacrifice; military families are bearing the burden as well. Already, more than 600,000 troops have served more than one tour in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. These servicemembers are missing Christmases, birthdays, and wedding anniversaries, sometimes years in a row. As we approach the holidays, we must keep in mind both the emotional and financial toll of multiple deployments on our military families, especially during these increasingly bleak economic times.

The stress of combat is also exacting a significant strain on our military families. Nearly 20 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans report symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder or major depression. The new divorce data just confirms what we've known for years; until we address the issue of multiple deployments, and give our returning servicemembers adequate resources to transition home, military families will be struggling. This will be one of the most urgent challenges of the new administration, ensuring that our returning troops get the help they need and that military families are really taken care of, and we look forward to seeing decisive action from President-elect Obama on this critical issue."

Recognizing the challenges that military families are facing, IAVA recently partnered with the Ad Council on a groundbreaking Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign to ease the transition for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Through this campaign, we seek to alleviate the obstacles veterans face when they come home and ensure that spouses and families have the information and resources they need. For more information on IAVA and the Ad Council's new PSA Campaign for returning veterans, please visit: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/adcouncil/34661/.

To arrange an interview with IAVA Executive Director Paul Rieckhoff or any other IAVA member veteran, please contact Chrissy Stevens at (212) 982-9699 or Chrissy@iava.org.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (www.IAVA.org) is the country's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has more than 125,000 veteran members and civilian supporters nationwide. Its mission is to improve the lives of this country's newest generation of veterans and their families.

###