Last updated on April 8, 2021
While divorce is always complicated and challenging, the situation is made much worse when one or both spouses are in the military. There are numerous added complications in divorce for military members that civilians never have to face.
These challenges can arise a great deal of fear for many military members considering divorce. Some might even delay divorce for fear of losing out on some of their basic rights. Losing custody or losing out on a fair deal when dividing retirement benefits are very real fears for those in the military. However, with an understanding of the challenges and the help of an experienced lawyer, your rights are secure.
What Challenges Do Military Members Face in Divorce?
There are two main aspects of divorce that pose unique challenges for military divorces. The first challenge is the physical reality of being stationed or deployed outside of the state in which the divorce occurs. Obviously, if your divorce can proceed while you are out of state, you would not have the opportunity to have your voice heard and to fight to protect those things you hold most dear in your divorce.
Fortunately, the laws in Georgia have been amended to protect military members. In an article on our website, we discuss in more detail how the Georgia Military Parents Rights Act can protect you in divorce if your military duties require you to be out of state.
The second challenge involves the division of property. While division of property can be complex in any divorce, military divorce has uniquely complicated regulations that make it almost impossible to understand without significant knowledge and experience.