The Single Service Member: Substance Use, Stress, and Mental Health Issues

This chapter examines health behaviors of singles service members in relation to married service members residing with their spouses and married service members who have deployed without their spouses. Findings drawn from the 2005 Department of Defense (DoD) Survey of Health Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Military Personnel (HRB Survey) show that single service members are at highest risk for substance use and mental health issues. In addition, married service members stationed in locations where they are not able to be accompanied by their spouses (e.g., deployments to combat locations, unaccompanied tours) being to behave like single service members with regards to higher levels of alcohol, drug, and tobacco use and show similar mental health issues including rates of depression, posttraumatic stress, and suicidal behaviors. Policy implications for addressing these issues are also discussed.