The lives of individuals who are part of the military family have historically been shaped by various cultural beliefs and social norms that often result in their own unique set of challenges and obstacles in their interpersonal relationships. Military families comprise active duty servicemen and women, veterans, and their loved ones, and they experience different kinds of struggles because of the nature of military life. Due to these challenges, there is also a significant impact on the relationships they form both inside and outside the military community. As such, societal perceptions of military families can create certain expectations among soldiers about how they ought to behave in their romantic relationships. The article will explore this topic further by examining how society's views affect soldiers' relational expectations.
Society has always viewed military families as patriotic symbols of nationalism and bravery, but unfortunately, it has done little to help them cope with the many difficulties they face in their relationships due to the frequent moves, long periods apart from each other, and the demands of service life. This leaves military spouses feeling unappreciated, misunderstood, and even invisible. These attitudes contribute to an emotional distance between them and their partners which often manifests itself in fights, resentment, and disconnection. Soldiers are expected to provide for their families financially since they cannot stay at home for extended periods or work regular jobs like civilians do. They must prioritize their careers over personal needs while serving our country.
Society places pressure on military personnel to be strong, independent, and self-sufficient individuals who can take care of themselves without relying too heavily on others. Consequently, military couples may have difficulty expressing vulnerability or asking for support when needed. It creates an imbalance where one partner feels responsible for providing all the love and affection within the relationship while the other is left feeling emotionally drained and exhausted. The resulting strain leads to a lack of intimacy that damages the couple's bond further.
If a soldier returns home after deployment only to discover his wife is lonely or depressed, he might not know how to respond because society has told him that women should be able to handle such situations alone.
Society's expectations also shape soldiers' views about gender roles within relationships. Military men are usually seen as dominant figures who must protect and provide for their families; therefore, they feel obligated to fulfill these traditional masculine roles regardless of their true preferences. On the other hand, women are often depicted as submissive homemakers who should manage household chores and raise children with little assistance from their husbands. This attitude leads to unrealistic relationship goals among military spouses which can cause tension between them and create resentment towards each other. To add insult to injury, many people outside of the military community judge them harshly when they don't fit into this mold. As a result, military partners may become afraid to share their true thoughts or feelings out of fear that they will be judged negatively by those around them.
Societal perceptions create unreasonable expectations regarding sexuality in military couples. Society expects servicemen and women to be sexually attracted to one another but does not acknowledge that sexual attraction needs time and effort to develop. Instead, it places pressure on both parties to maintain an active sex life despite being apart for long periods. Unfortunately, this puts unnecessary strain on already fragile relationships since military members may not be interested in having sex during deployment due to fatigue or stress. It results in misunderstandings and hurt feelings because neither partner communicates well enough about what they need emotionally or physically to sustain their connection.
Society assumes that all military marriages are monogamous and stable, making it difficult for military couples to talk openly about extramarital affairs without facing judgment or censure.
Societal perceptions shape soldiers' relational expectations significantly. They make it challenging for them to form healthy romantic relationships since these views often conflict with their personal preferences or reality. The stigmas associated with seeking help from mental health professionals also discourage soldiers from getting treatment for trauma-related issues such as PTSD which could otherwise improve their relationships substantially.
It is up to individuals within the military community to work together towards redefining society's narrow viewpoints on relationships so that everyone can experience true intimacy without fear of judgment or shame.
In what ways do societal perceptions of military families shape soldiers' relational expectations?
Military families face unique challenges due to their loved one's service that impact their relationships with others. These include frequent deployments, long hours away from home, and changing roles within the family structure. Research suggests that these factors may lead to increased stress levels for both soldiers and their partners, which can negatively impact relationship satisfaction (e. g. , Bray et al. , 2017; McFarlane & Wylie, 2015).