Divorced Military Veterans Targeted and Discriminated against by U.S. Government

Divorced Military Members Are Being Discriminated Against
by an anonymous veteran

Many of our nation’s military members are being targeted by a domestic terrorist. This terrorist targets specific members of our military that have had additional strife over their other comrades. They have suffered the same deployments, wars, hardships and injuries, with one more added to the mix they were divorced.

After they survived the bullets, weather, deployments, injuries and divorce, they forge on towards retirement like their comrades, for one half of the benefits.

Divorced military members are being targeted and discriminated against by our own government. The federal government hides behind the guise that they are not giving away the retirement benefits of their retirees, but point at the states and say it is their decision to treat us so unfairlyBut who authorized this atrocity? The Federal Governmentvia a very destructive weapon known as the UNIFORMED SERVICES FORMER SPOUSE PROTECTION ACT.

This law targets the Uniformed Services not only by its title, but by comparison with other retirement systems that cease payments to former spouses upon remarriage and an age factor; assuming that one could suppose it is now the new husband’s responsibility to support his wife…

For one reason or other payments stop with the CIA, Foreign Service, Survivor benefits and Social security.

The (UNIFORMED SERVICES FORMER SPOUSE PROTECTION ACT) by its very title is discriminatory, if the law makers thought this was such a good law, it amazes me, why it was not called (UNITED STATES) FORMER SPOUSE PROTECTION ACT, to protect all divorcees and include every ones retired pay to former spouses, civilian and military?

With women playing a much greater role in the military today and in the future this law is affecting a great deal more women now than it has in the past. In the event of a divorce uniformed women who retire must also share 1/2 their retainer with a remarried former husband.

In recent years the country’s support for our nations military peaked for the first time in years. National pride has skyrocketed and public shows of affection towards the military are not uncommon. It is no surprise for a member of the military to be in a public place to have a perfect stranger walk up, shake their hand and thank them for the sacrifices they are making to keep our country safe. Many vehicles sport bumper stickers and little yellow ribbons proclaiming their thanks and support for the military. Flags flap in the wind in untold numbers up and down the streets of urban neighborhoods. Peoples pride in our nation is on public display daily, and is made possible by promises written in blood by our nations military.

As a member of the military, if you are making it a career, you are a gambler you are betting that you are not going to catch a bullet, fall from a plane uncontrollably, be shot from the sky, sent to the bottom of the ocean, be captured and tortured to death, or just be so crippled physically or mentally so as to not be able to enjoy the rest of your lifejust for a retirement to help make our later years easier.

Our minds, bodies and lives are our investment in our future. Why should we make the gamble??? If we win the bet, we lose one half of our return to someone that did not have to put up anything How can the military expect to retain soldiers that they have invested thousands of dollars in if the soldier knows that if they make it a career they had better not ever get divorced or they can start watching their retirement dwindle away?

It is just after 9-11, I am standing in snow just over my anklesThe snow is still falling, and so is the temperature, it is miserable weather not fit for man or beast, but I must guard my post

The wind is slowly increasing as I stare across the desert… I am on guard duty, watching for the enemy now the wind starts to howl and the sand is cutting into any exposed skin… Visibility is low, hopefully it will impair the enemy’s ability to find and attack me as it impairs mine to spot them

The rain is falling in torrents… the gullies running through the desert are over running their banks… we are sand bagging our tents to hold them down, the stakes alone are insufficient… we are also trenching the tents so that our sleeping area is not flooded in the morning

Where is my ex-wife now?? Probably sitting in her home, warm and comfortable, already done with a hot meal… sitting at her computer chatting with her friends in another 8 years, when I retire, she is going to get half of my retirement??? How fair is that??? What sacrifices will she make over the next decade that I need to survive, so that she can receive what I have worked towards for 20 years???

We are moving this equipment oh no, it is collapsing too late, I am under it. I can feel the broken bone as they grind inside of my leg… it is an injury I will suffer from for the rest of my life

We need to get this tent in the back of the truck, I don’t have time to wait for help my back will pay dearly for this one

I am standing in the door, waiting for the Green light to jump Will I walk away from this jump?? Or will this be the one that cripples me for life??

Its 0530, we are running another 5 miler, the air is frigid, the cartilage in my knees is pretty well shot and the shin splints are getting unbearable Am I going to make it to retirement?? Are all of my sacrifices going to be for nothing???

Rounds are coming from all directions, I am running for the 50 cal to cover the soldiers six, my ankle catches between two pipes and shatters my ankle the medic says it is only a bad sprain no X-rays, just keep going.. it is eight months later, and now I am on the operating table getting a cadaver tendon to subsidize the steel pins and plastic joints they have put in today What injuries has my ex-wife received to earn what It takes me 20 years to receive?? When she is old, what old injuries will keep her awake at night that she has received in the service of her country??

Bullets and mortars are coming from all sides… air support is inbound, will they make it in time?? Will I live through the day?? Will I ever see my children again??

OH MY GOD!!!!!! Mike is down!!!!! I hold him in my arms as the life slips from him. It is a moment I will relive in my dreams forever

One is coming over the hill, I shoot him in the head, brain matter sprays out in slow motion he was trying to kill me, and did he have kidsI don’t think I want to know

We are convoying down a secured highway. There are still charred bodies laying to the left and rightAn IED explodes under the vehicle right in front of me. My friends are lying on the ground, mangled, dead, dieing, and screaming in pain… I have to help pick up what body parts I can; maybe they can help some of my friends Will I ever be able to forget this day??

We are watching a video feed on the internet from the command center One of the terrorist groups is transmitting their demands, and that is one of my soldiers that they have on display NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! They have just slowly and barbarically cut his head off, with less remorse than a butcher would feel for one of the animals he is preparing for marketThat could have been me What horrors will my ex-wife relive for the rest of her life??? How many friends has she watched slaughtered and mangled?? Oh I forgot, she is at the movies with my kids today 

I am in Korea, I have been here for 6 months so far, I cannot afford a plane ticket yet hopefully in a couple more months I can have enough money saved up so I can fly home to see my family I will get to see them two weeks this year…

I am in Bosnia, it has been 9 months and I still have no clue as to when I will get leave to see my children she gets to see them everyday I have been in Iraq for 15 months now; I was only supposed to be here for 6 months When will I see my children again, will I ever see them again?? How much time have I sacrificed away from my children for my country?? And my ex-wife complained because we had to move across the country and now she could not just walk down the street to see her best friend What a sacrifice

I am on a field training exercise, 30 days down, 15 to go, the average temperature is 20 degrees Fahrenheit, today was my son’s birthday, graduation, or a dozen other significant events over the years How many have I had to miss so that my country was safe?? Has she had to miss any of them???  I have had to miss so many over the years that I have lost count Eight more years to miss them, and she gets to see all of them She still gets one half of my retirement 

A soldier in the military works for at least 20 years to reach retirement.

Depending on the state, if he or she is married for ten years, regardless as to whether it is the first 10 years, the last ten, or in the middle, he or she stands to lose one half of his retirement to the ex-spouse. After being in the military for 11 years, and being married for ten years, I get divorced, then work for another nine years or more to reach retirement and my ex-spouse that I have had minimal contact with, if any since the divorce, that has their own life and family by now, gets one half of my life’s work.

How fair is it that a soldier makes so many sacrifices for his or her country, with broken bodies, minds, souls and their ex-spouse gets to reap the benefits? How many other professions lay their lives and bodies on the line for their country, city or state and are forced to surrender one half of their life’s work 10 years after their divorce simply because of their profession?

Many ex-spouses site the sacrifices and hardships they have faced over the years as a military spouse. Do they think they are alone in this country?? They may not be alone, but they receive preferential treatment. They always knew that when they were married that their spouse would be getting a paycheck and that if one of the families was sick that they would be cared for. There was no doubt that a roof would be placed over their head. It is true that they had to move often over the years, and did not have the amount of contact with their family they may have been used to. But they were always safe, secure and confident as to their situation every morning. No lay offs, no fear of a sickness that would bankrupt them for a life time. They may have not had the daily contact with their spouse that they longed for, but duty calls and the military member had to answer. The military member missed their families as much or more than their spouse and suffered hardships that will plague them for the rest of their life. Where is the payoff, what is the motivation to go to retirement?