The US military has been fighting in Afghanistan for nearly 10 years, and most military families have endured multiple deployments in that time. Many Army and Marine families have had either mom or dad deployed for four or five years, while some Air Force families have experienced 15 or more 4 month deployments since 9/11.  Although modern technology may ease some of the pain of separation through e-mails, phone calls or Skype video conferencing, these repeated deployments are taking a heavy toll on military families.  More than half of returning troops experience the effects of combat trauma, and military suicide rates have more than doubled since 9/11.  

In addition, family members with a parent deployed may often experience significant psychological problems, sometimes resulting in suicide or the murder of other family members.  Modern medicine may make horrific combat injuries survivable, but wounded warriors and their families face not only the disruption of an extensive rehabilitation, but also the difficult adjustment to the "new normal" in their lives.  All these factors have placed increasing stress on military marriages.

 Since September 2001, one in five married service members has filed for divorce, a 38% increase while civilian divorce rates are decreasing. An Air Force chaplain recently reported that 67% of young enlisted marriages require counseling, because couples are separated by deployment at a time when they should be developing their relationship together.The military services, as well as many churches and para-church military ministries are actively working to relieve these pressures on military families. Christian Military Wives (CMW) is one such group, and was started a couple of years ago by a few military wives for web based mutual support while their husbands were deployed.  CMW now has thousands of members offering ministry support to military families through personal encouragement, practical advice, and education in spiritual, emotional, social, and financial matters. In addition to online connections like Facebook and their "Digizine" "Wives in Bloom," CMW members lead support groups at military bases, and provide classes on coping with deployment, and family reintegration afterwards.  They also educate the public about the challenges facing our armed forces and their families and organize Christian retreats for military families.