By Amy Miller, AFC®
Last week we broke down the results from this year’s MFAN survey that were recently released. The survey highlighted how overall family well-being is affected by many factors – one being family life & relationships.
We all know that Military life causes hardships that can negatively impact marriages. In 2019 Military One Source reported that over 30,000 military marriages ended in divorce and according to a study conducted at the University of Florida, long deployments are cited as the most common reason. This was confirmed by Bluestar Families’ recent Military Family Lifestyle Survey that was conducted earlier this year.
These results led me to do some research and while doing so, I found that Military Marriage Day is now being recognized on August 14th each year and since a stable marriage is the core of family life, I thought I would pass the information about this week’s events on to all of you.
Military Marriage Day, August 14th
Founded in 2020 by Bree Carroll, the 2020-Armed Forces Insurance Air Force Spouse of the year, Military Marriage Day is a day to recognize marriage and to celebrate the commitment made to service and to each other.
The date is set for August 14th of each year – picked because it is exactly 6 months after Valentine’s Day – and falls on a Sunday this year.
Through the work of many ambassadors, the day has gained national attention and 14 states have recognized it with an official proclamation. The goal for this year is to gain recognition in all 50 states and from the President.
The 2022 Event
Along with a few partners, Carroll set out to build events to strengthen marriages by focusing on four key areas:
Connecting – kindling or re-kindling the fire in your marriage
Growing – growing your relationship and giving it what it needs
Celebrating – nurturing and honoring your commitment to each other
Building – thriving together
This year’s celebration will feature an array of speakers and experts covering topics like “Putting in the Work”, “Happy House, Happy Spouse”, “A+ for You & Us”, and “Igniting Excitement Together” that you can attend virtually throughout the week, building up the main event, Military Marriage Day on Sunday, August 14th, 2022. The main “live” event will be held at the Paradise Theatre Margaritaville in Bossier City, LA, and is free for military couples. (ID will be checked at the door). Additionally, there is a local celebration in almost every state.
For a full schedule of this year’s speakers and topics and a list of in-person locations, visit https://militarymarriageday.com/celebrate
You can register using this link:
https://whova.com/portal/registration/amth_202205/
*Registering enters you to win some giveaways that they say will be awesome!
Beyond 2022
Military Marriage Day is working to launch a free resource hub in 2023. The goal is to become a one-stop shop for all things related to military marriage, providing vetted resources to help, inform and set military marriages up for success. To read more on what is to come, visit: https://militarymarriageday.com/resources
Carrol also hosts Hearts & Stripes, a podcast advocating for military marriages. You can listen here:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hearts-stripes/id1489210212
For more information or to volunteer or become an ambassador, visit Military Marriage Day