A letter of gratitude to our military service members
Thank you for your service: On this 4th of July, I would like to take a moment to thank all of my fellow servicemen and servicewomen for their part in preserving our country’s freedoms. The efforts of those men and women, whether they served in the past, are currently serving, or have paid the ultimate sacrifice, are incredibly important. They allow us to celebrate a country that provides an abundance of opportunities and freedoms. So, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
We all know military service requires sacrifice and putting those around us first, but military members still experience the same regular trials and tribulations, pains and hard times as civilians. The family unit is critically important to the success of the military mission. A military member needs a strong front at home to execute his/her duties to the fullest extent.
So, what do military members face when confronted with a life event such as divorce? Is it the same as a civilian divorce? Does the military handle divorces? The answers to these questions are often dependent upon facts specific to each individual case. Some answers are uniform though. For instance, a suit for divorce is governed by state law. (Find out how likely you are to get divorced here). All military members’ divorces go through a civilian court, not a military court. Military members are represented by private attorneys, not a military attorney, or Judge Advocate General (JAG) Officer. However, each military installation has a legal division or office that can provide military members and their spouses with insight into the divorce process and contact information for local attorneys who can assist.
What is the divorce process?
To be clear, each state is different. This article discusses Texas law. Traditionally, one spouse “serves” divorce papers on the other spouse. The receiving spouse is then required to file a formal response, called an “Answer,” in Texas. The “Answer” must be filed within 20 days from the date of service. The next step depends on the specific circumstances of your case. For example, you might need to request “Temporary Orders.” These are commonly referred to as the “Rules of Engagement” during the pending divorce case as they provide, on a temporary basis, the terms for:
- conservatorship of the children of the marriage;
- parental rights related to the children;
- possession of and access to the children;
- designation of the primary residence of the children;
- temporary child support;
- medical/dental care for the children;
- temporary use of property; and
- temporary injunctions related to the parties or to property.
- Military Pensions
- Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
- Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)
- Continued Health Care Benefit Program (CHCBP)