How Marine Corps Officer, Single Father Juggles Parenthood, Military Duties

Marine Corps officer Juan Arce understands the challenges and joys of balancing fatherhood with service.

Arce’s and potentially thousands of other single parents can be overlooked in the military community. Author Sacra Durandisse found a way to highlight Arce’s story and bring awareness to other single-parent military households in her children’s book, My Dad Is a Marine: Home Is Where the Hero Lives, released in December 2025.

Like most Marines, Arce’s humble nature didn’t lead him to Durandisse. Rather, the author was captivated by his story and approached him as the genesis for the book.

“I thought [that] this isn’t just my family’s story; it’s the story of so many military single-parent families,” Arce told Military.com. “My next thought was about my older daughters when they were little, and my youngest daughter now.

“I liked the idea of them seeing our story through a different perspective and being able to relate to it in their own way. If it helps other children and families feel seen, understood and represented too, then that’s even better.”

While the number of single-parent military families remains unknown (the Army estimated the number of single military fathers at roughly 29,000 in 2022), they are a large and growing contingent of the service community. Single-parent families are common, mostly due to early marriages, multiple relocations, and other demands of military life such as deployments that can sometimes lead to separation.

The author also wanted to highlight Arce’s Hispanic heritage. Hispanics account for more than 314,000 service members and compose roughly 28% of all Marines.

How to Overcome Challenges

Arce, who this August will celebrate 23 years in the Marine Corps, said support from his commanders has been vital to help juggle two distinctly different worlds: single parenthood and military duties.

“There have been times when it has been very difficult,” he said. “The demands of military service can be challenging, especially when deployments, long hours and family responsibilities all compete for your attention.”

He also credits the Marine Corps community for rallying around him and his family. His job as a maintenance aircraft engineer officer often keeps him busy ensuring that aircraft are safe and ready to operate, along with supporting the Marines and sailors who maintain the Marine Corps’ most essential aviation assets.

“At every duty station, I was blessed with good people who helped create a village for my girls,” he said. “From fellow Marine families, teachers, friends and our extended family, there were always people willing to step up and help. I truly could not have done it without them, seriously.”

His advice to other single parents in the military is to prioritize. That translates to focusing on daily tasks rather than long-term, big-picture goals.

“I take care of work, school routines, appointments and everything else that comes with being a father,” he said. “I try not to get overwhelmed by looking too far ahead.

“Instead, I stay focused on the task in front of me, whether that’s taking care of Marines or taking care of my daughters. One day at a time has served me well.”

‘Heroes at Home’

Durandisse’s book focuses on the universal themes of love, family, sacrifice, resilience and service, themes prevalent in many single-parent military families.

“It highlights how a child sees their parent not simply as a service member, but as a hero, protector and loving father,” Durandisse told Military.com, noting the story focuses on the emotional side of military life.

Durandisse, who interviewed Arce and his children for the book, said that while many children take pride in their fathers’ military service, deployments can take a toll on young families, causing sadness and loneliness.

Durandisse, a family and marriage counselor who’s worked in behavioral health for nearly 30 years, has counseled many military families. But Arce’s story was particularly unique.

“Too often, we hear stories about military heroes on the battlefield,” she said. “But we do not hear enough about the heroes at home. I wanted children, especially those from military families, to understand that heroes do not just wear uniforms.

“They read bedtime stories, help with homework, comfort their children, make sacrifices every day, and show up for their families no matter the circumstances. Juan’s story provided the opportunity to honor military service, fatherhood and the importance of positive male role models and engaged fathers while highlighting the strength and resilience of military families everywhere.”

In sharing Arce’s story, Durandisse hopes to raise $50,000 for the “My Dad Is a Marine Family Scholarship Initiative,” providing 50 military families with $1,000 scholarships to support and honor those who serve.