Military divorces are slightly higher than the average population. Why do you think this is so?

I would say from my experience I would say it was the lack of family support. Now with me saying that let me explain. I myself am lucky to be married to my wife for 13 years and have been with her for 16. What I am talking about is when I was a kid and I saw my father be married and divorced a few times and lose other relationships because of the military lifestyle at the time. Family support programs really didn't exist at the time. This was a different time and era I will admit it is different now for sure. The last piece of advice I can share on this is Marriage is the toughest job you will ever have it is a balancing act at best.

Stress, distance, youth, money or lack thereof.

combat deployment affect Family members just as I do soldiers.

All the above. A military career destroys the dream of a career for the spouse. That one seems to be forgotten to people who do not marry other military people.

very true, the military prepares the individual to become a soldier, marine, sailor, airman, but the system does not prepared the other half to become the spouse of a service man. Depending on the mos and age of the individual, the experience has the potential to be overwhelming with a divorce as the end result.

The military is an all demanding career,odd hours and deployments,the psychological adjustment esp if an NCO and above of giving orders and instructions all day and coming home to a family that is'nt as compliant as your troops.

They either marry for the extra money or they marry each other shortly after joining(dual mil couples) or shortly after one of the finishes boot camp(mil-civ couple). I usually tell them to wait after the first deployment before ultimately deciding to get married. Also, if there's any doubt in your mind, don't do it.

Let's see, optempo, long hours, family separation, deployments...

I think that it is a combination platter of all the factors listed, on the whole, more than most civilian marriages ever have to face.

Marrying the wrong person for the wrong reasons and marrying someone and not fully bringing them online with all it takes to be a military spouse. It probably took two or three years of marriage for my wife to fully understand what all it takes to be a military spouse but almost 20 years later she still puts up with me. Thank goodness.