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Chapter 2:

Marital Status

The majority of accessions are young high school graduates and the military is often their first full-time job. Thus, very few are married. In FY 2000, 8 percent of male and 11 percent of female recruits were married, compared to 51 and 41 percent of male and female enlisted members, respectively. Table 2.6 compares marriage rates of accessions in the Services with 18- to 24-year-old civilians in the labor force. Civilians are more likely to be married than accessions (15 versus 9 percent). Within the Services, Army recruits are most likely to be married (13 percent) and Marine Corps recruits are least likely (3 percent). Figure 2.4 shows marital status trends for FYs 1976–2000 by Service.

Table 2.6. FY 2000 Active Component NPS Accessions Who Are Married,
by Gender and Service, and Civilians 18–24 Years Old (Percent)

Gender

Army

Navy

Marine
Corps

Air
Force

DoD

18- to 24-Year-Old Civilians

Males

12.3

5.8

3.1

8.4

8.1

10.8

Females

16.3

7.0

5.7

8.9

11.3

19.1

Total

13.2

6.0

3.3

8.6

8.7

14.9

Also see Appendix Table B-2 (Marital Status by Age and Gender).
Source: Civilian data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey File, October 1999 – September 2000.


Research shows that marriage is important to a member’s long-term career and can enhance individual readiness. [footnote 27] This is true if the member is in a strong marriage to a supportive but independent spouse. However, combining marriage and a military career can create challenges for younger Servicemembers as well as for the Service. Entering into marriage just prior to or soon after enlisting can place extra burdens on the recruit, the family, and the military, particularly when frequent or unexpected deployments separate the "new" family. Thus, marital status trends of accessions (and members) are an important characteristic to monitor.

Appendix Table D-10. Marital Status by Service and Fiscal Year

Figure 2.4. Marital status trends of Active Component NPS accessions, by Service, FYs 1976–2000.

[footnote 27] Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness), Family Status and Initial Term of Service, Volume I - Summary (Washington, DC: Author, December 1993). [back to paragraph]

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