Soldiers often marry young, and for good reasons
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – The military forces people to grow up fast – especially when it comes to marriage.
That’s what military wife Wesley Ann Wade said when talking about marrying young in the military.
Wade and other military couples said the “young marriage complex” has existed for years when star-crossed lovers eloped just before deployments. This still exists today, according to several Clarksville couples, but sometimes for reasons that are much different.
Almost 43 percent of active duty members are 25 or younger and 23 percent range from 26 to 30 years old, according to the Department of Defense Demographics Report. Over half (56.1 percent) on active duty are married.
Add to those statistics the fact that the Army has the highest percentage of married members at almost 60 percent.
