Posted on Jan 5, 2014
Do you counsel your Soldiers before they get married and if so, what topics do you cover?
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Posted in these groups: 
Counseling
Marriage
Counseling Marriage
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 22
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This is probably not the worst idea. There is merit to it, but you pretty much need to limit yourself to what the Army has to say about marriage. Otherwise, you are dipping into personal opinion about marriage. While that may be ok for you as a counselor...pass that to the train wreck of an NCO in the next platoon. Great NCO, but he's got a freak flag a half mile long. He's the last guy you want talking to someone about marriage.
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I say yes. People forget that not all counseling is negative. By counseling him/her you need to be supportive and educate him/her. I would inform them of the responsibilities associated with the military. Like DEERS enrollment. I would highly recommend that they get educated on Tricare to help him pick the right one for their needs. Maybe toss in some financial counseling. The problem is our leaders have only used this tool for negative things. Counseling is a great tool! This forum is a sort of counseling, anytime a Soldier asks a question or seeks advice they are looking for "Counsel". Remember, it can be verbal or written. But I would write this one so they would have a list of things and regs to refer to.
SGM Smith
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LCpl Johnna Cowell Shutty
As a Marine and military spouse. Everyone talks about budgeting and things the service member has to do like DEERS but premarital counseling should go to both parties. The reposibilties of the spouse need to be very clearly defined. And it needs to be pointed out to the perspective spouse that their actions reflect on the service member and can affect their career adversely
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Although there is not a lot you can interject because it is their business and not ours, when I was a CFNCO I would recommend the couple come to see me, so we could discuss budgets and combined salaries and financial wants over needs. It was a good base of where to begin, and I would always recommend they also have a chat with the chaplain for some possible marriage counseling if they had some concerns or worries, and our chaplain was very modern in the way he talked to younger couples, was the type that would not hold back and tell you like it was and not sugarcoat it, I was a big fan of that man.
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