What is Military Spousal Support?

Military spousal support mainly refers to a collection of benefits given to a spouse whose partner is employed by the military. These benefits may come in various forms, such as in finances, services, or career assistance. In the US, the law stipulates that every military member should supply sufficient support to family members while the former is on duty.

One type of military spousal support is a spouse scholarship. Many military spouses chose to forgo their education to support their servicing partners. One of the best times to continue their education is when their military partners are away on duty. The military provides exclusive grants and scholarships to spouses such as internship finances, student loads, living allowances, and even a full-tuition scholarship. Spouses can even choose different educational goals. Sometimes, the military may increase the amount of assistance if the spouse has a form of disability.

Spousal career development is another form of military spousal support. One of the greatest challenges of being married to a servicing partner is the frequency of relocation, which can affect the stability of employment. The military can help a military spouse by referring her to “spouse-friendly” companies and employers. It can even organize a job fair exclusively for military spouses. In some cases, the military can even provide childcare assistance to help a military spouse balance her work and home responsibilities.

Aside from education and careers, medical military spousal support can also be granted to a dependent spouse. Some health care assistance can cover free annual medical and dental check-ups, confinement subsidies, and rehabilitation. Health and life insurances can also be given to dependent spouses, as well as the children.

In some cases where a military divorce occurs between the married couple, the military spousal support can still be continued, but categorized under “former spouse military benefits.” One form of military support in this situation is providing legal assistance. Many cases of military divorces do not take away any existing military benefits, such as health and financial assistance. This is especially true if the former spouse has children under her care or is suffering a preexisting illness.

Usually, a former servicing partner would divide the amount of financial support accordingly. For example, 50 percent of the amount would go to the former spouse, while the other half is named under the child. This policy can prevent a former spouse from taking advantage of her military benefits for her own interests.