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Last updated 3:50AM ET
May 26, 2012
KPLU Local News
KPLU Local News
TLC for Military Marriages
Tom Banse (2009-05-26)
USAF courtesy photo
OLYMPIA, WA (KPLU) - The U.S. spends billions on hardware to protect our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. What you may not know is how many millions the Pentagon is spending to protect a softer target here at home. This year, the Army alone has budgeted 40 million dollars to strengthen the defenses of military marriages. Divorce rates in the U.S. Army and Marines jumped sharply - by more than a third - after the start of the Iraq war. Marriage retreats are a centerpiece of the military's response. KPLU's Tom Banse sat in when a McChord Air Force Base squadron learned how to preserve marriages under fire.

For more information:
Strong Bonds marriage retreat program - A separate track of the Strong Bonds program helps single soldiers choose mates wisely and build lifelong relationships.
Department of Defense - 2008 military divorce rates © Copyright 2012, KPLU