"If we can overcome those things, then there is
nothing we cannot overcome."
Mary Bell, Military Wife

Mission Accomplished
    
The divorce rate for military members has increased from 2.6 percent in 2001 at the start of Operation Enduring Freedom to 3.6 percent in 2010. (www.racsb.state.va.us)

WHY THEY FAIL: Military families have the added difficulties of combat stress, extended periods of separation, social isolation and physical injuries to deal with. Add those things to the normal arguments over money, child-rearing or changes in personal priorities, and it's easy to see why veterans, their spouses and families are likely to face relationship trouble and divorce. (WWW.NEWS.VCU.EDU)

THE RETREAT: A weekend away may be what veteran families need to get them on the right track. The 2011 retreat was held in Fredericksburg, Virginia, in partnership with the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board (RACSB). The couples retreat addresses the impact of deployment and military service on their relationship, work to strengthen family bonds and mitigate stresses.
(www.racsb.state.va.us)

KAREN ROTABI: In 1991 she joined the Peace Corps working as program coordinator for the National Organization for the Prevention of Child Abuse in Belize, Central America. Returning to the US in 1993, she completed her MSW and MPH degrees. She also worked for the US Air Force for which she managed child abuse, neglect and domestic violence prevention programs. After, she pursued a doctorate in social work. Currently, she is a faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work where she teaches social work and conducts research on families impacted by violence. She provides workshops on a variety of subjects including "Supporting Military Families During Deployment," "Ethical Practice with Children and Families," and the "Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption." Her most recent endeavor to support military families is development of the MISSION: Healthy Relationships program.