How Do You Get A Divorce In The Army?
Getting divorced in the Army presents unique challenges for the couples involved. The USFSPA, Uniformed Services Former Spouse’s Protection Act, was put in place by the government to protect the faithful spouses left behind by their military husbands or wives. However, many things have changed in recent times without the USFSPA being altered to accommodate the changes. Military pay, separation pay, retirement and disability pay all come into scrutiny during an Army divorce. It is therefore essential that an Army member being faced with a divorce have an attorney on his or her side that understands military divorce. Get an attorney. The Army appoints counsel, called a Judge Advocate General, or JAG, who is required to provide the member with legal support free of charge. However, the counsel is only required by law to provide a minimum of counsel. Hire a civilian attorney with extensive knowledge of military divorce if you believe the JAG isn’t providing the service you’re looking for.
