Premarital Guidance in Military Pastoral Care

Clergymen are in an advantageous position to give premarital counseling. Some young people take part in family life education if it is offered. Others do not formally study family living before they make definite marriage plans. In preparation for their wedding they do make themselves available to the clergyman whom they have selected to perform their ceremony. The clergyman can use the opportunity to educate the couple to deal with the stresses of family living. He can help the partners prepare themselves for their roles as husband and wife and for the demands which will accompany their marriage. He can involve the couple in a learning process, have them participate in discussions, encourage them to take the initiative in getting the understanding they need to help them build strong marriages. Even ·those who seem to have the basic attitudes which will help them be good marriage partners and parents need to learn techniques for resolving conflicts and using those conflicts as well as their agreements to build a rich family unit. It is the intention that this study contribute towards the establishment of programs of premarital guidance and education within the military establishment