"I am convinced that teaching people the basics of our legal system will lead to more community involvement, which will in turn benefit not just the students, but their children and their entire community."
--Amanda DuBois
Returning Soldiers Need Legal Education about Divorce and Child Custody Issues
A 2002 study by a Brigham Young University professor Sven Wilson found that combat veterans' first marriages are 62 percent more likely to end in separation or divorce than the marriages of veterans who have not engaged in combat. Many of these veterans drop out of community college to deal with family law issues.
In 2009, an estimated 27,312 divorces occurred among the nearly 765,000 married members of the active-duty Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps (and bear in mind, this number does not include discharged military personnel or active and retired reserve personnel.)
Veterans and their families, like most American adults, have no clear idea of the legal issues involved in divorce and child custody issues. Add to that special rules for military families, and basic legal education for veterans becomes a necessary part of veteran services and support.
Civil Survival can provide legal education materials for programs supporting veterans and their families. Our book series and online education sites can help military personnel understand basic legal rights and responsibilities.
