Military marriages face many challenges that can negatively impact your relationship. Unfortunately, the divorce rate among military couples is higher than in the civilian population. The good news is, a study published in 2017 in the Journal of Family Issues found that the divorce rate among military couples declined between 2005 and 2011. So how can we keep up with that popular trend?

In this episode, Vicki Cody, an expert military spouse and author, breaks down how to keep your marriage vibrant during and after military service, mistakes to avoid, and the resources available to military couples.

Vicki knows a thing or two about military marriage, she has been an Army wife for 33 years. Her husband is Richard Arthur "Dick" Cody, a retired decorated four-star general who served as the 31st Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army. In 1991, then Col. Cody's Apache battalion fired the first shots of Operation Desert Storm.

Vicki is the author of Army Wife: A Story of Love and Family in the Heart of the Army and Fly Safe: Letters from the Gulf War and Reflections from Back Home.

She is also now an Army mom, with two sons active in the service as Apache helicopter pilots. In our interview, Mrs. Cody shares that one of her sons is the commander of the 101st Airborne Division's combat aviation brigade at Fort Campbell. His unit suffered a devastating loss on March 29, 2023, during a training mission when two HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed, killing all 9 soldiers aboard the Black Hawks. You'll her tell the story and how it impacted everyone.

The show notes can be found here: https://laceylangford.com/podcast/Military-Marriage-Strong-and-Vibrant