An Investigation of Marriage and Dependency Rates for Enlisted Marines

Abstract

Abstract : This research memorandum analyzes the factors underlying the recent growth in the proportion of enlisted Marines that are married or that have dependents. A methodology is applied to partition the increase in marriage and dependency rates into the part that is due to changes in the characteristics of enlisted Marines, particulary an increase in the average age, and the part that is unexplained in changes in characteristics The results show that the current trend cannot be explained by changes in the mix of characteristics (mostly an older force) alone; At least about half of the changes in marriage and dependency rates of enlisted males since September 1983 can be attributed to changes in behavior. This is another way of saying that there were significant increases in the likelihood of marriage within specific age groups. There was a similar finding for enlisted female Marines. Unlike civilian males of comparable age groups, enlisted Marines were more likely to be married at the end than at the beginning of the 1980s. The falling marriage rate among civilians between 20 and 29 years old in figure IV is actually a reflection of a decline in marriage rates in the general population since the late 1950s.