Expert: Rod Powers - 5/15/2007

Question
My boyfriend and I are planning to get married this summer. Can you be married and still join the Rangers?

Answer
Hi Tina,

Sure, you can. Why would you think not?

There are only two prohibitions against marriage in the U.S. Military (any of the branches).

First, to attend any of the U.S. Military Academies (West Point, Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, or Coast Guard Academy), one must be unmarried.

Second, in order to marry a foreign national (non-U.S. citizen), while overseas, one must get permission first from their commanding officer (which generally requires lots of paperwork, counseling sessions, and running around).

Other than the above, Military members can get married whenever they want. They don't even have to have permission. There are *no* military jobs which require a member to be single (unmarried).

Whether or not you should get married before he joins the Army, after basic training, or after job training, is an individual decision. I explain all of this in my article at: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/milmarriage.htm

One final point that you need to be aware of. Army Rangers, because of the nature of their jobs, deploy *a lot*. Something you need to understand, down to your bones. If you marry this man, and he joins the Army and becomes a Ranger, you need to understand that he very well may be gone 6 to 8 months out of every year. That's the nature of the job.

So, if he's hell-bent on becoming an Army Ranger, and you're hell-bent on marrying him, make sure you understand this. It would be unfair to marry him, and then complain two years later because "he's never home." Just understand that Army Rangers spend *lots* of time away from their home station, doing special missions.

Good luck!

For more information about the United States Military, feel free to visit my U.S. Military Information Site at: http://usmilitary.about.com

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com