Since that fateful day in 2001 when the Twin Towers fell, military personnel and their families have experienced hardships that few civilians can understand or relate to. Lengthy deployments, traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder and other battle scars have stretched military families to the breaking point. In light of this, it came as little surprise that the military divorce rate increased during this time.

In 2011, the military divorce rate peaked at 3.7 percent. The good news is that since that time, it has been declining steadily. Last year was no exception. According to statistics released by the Department of Defense, the military divorce rate was down to 3.1 percent in 2014, which is its lowest rate since 2005.

A study by the RAND Corp. shows that the most significant drops in recent years have been among female servicemembers, including officers and enlisted personnel. Divorce rates have been seemingly dropping across all branches and across both genders, however.

While the declining divorce rate is certainly good news, many military families are still struggling. And divorce and child custody issues tend to be much more complicated for military families than for civilians.

If you are stationed at Scott Air Force Base or any other military facility throughout Illinois, please don’t entrust your family law case to just any attorney. Seek the help of an attorney who understands the challenges associated with military family law and has extensive experience serving the men and women who bravely serve our country.

Source: Military.com, “Military Divorce Rate Hits Lowest Level in 10 Years,” Amy Bushatz, Feb. 25, 2015