Confronting the Costs of First -Term Marine Marriages: A Plan for Coping with Reality
Abstract
Over 60 percent of first-term enlisted Marine marriages end in divorce. Married first-term Marines (corporals and below) encompass two-thirds of the enlisted population and command over 500 million per year in associated costs. Ultimately, cognitive immaturity of the pre-frontal cortex is the root culprit which is underdeveloped until age 25. Consequently, Marines under age 25 lack advanced skills in cause and effect relationships and critical thinking to properly maintain a successful marriage in addition to the rigors of initial assimilation into the Marine Corps. This paper advocates command notification and mandatory pre-marriage counseling for first-term Marines in order to promote good decisions and reduce divorces.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 31, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1176080
Entities
People
- Jason T. Barnes