Single Active duty Navy mom...

Question

I recently recieved orders to Japan on sea duty unaccompanied. I have 1 child 8 mos currently, but she will be 13 mos when i leave. My question is, if i go on this tour, would father be able to get full custody for the time being, or would the family care plan take presidence? He is active duty navy as well, and is up for orders in '09. Has anyone had something like this or similar happen to them or a shipmate?

Answer 1

strictly up to the local judge who hears the case.  all the Navy cares about is that you don't try and weasel out of anything due to lack of a FCP.  it won't stop your ex from trying to get custody(permanent or otherwise).  

Answer 2

More than likely you will have to use your family care plan or make arrangments with your ex to keep the child until he gets orders and then use his family care plan if it is different than yours.

I hope you are on good terms with them so it goes smoothly.

Answer 3

I wish I could answer your question.  I do have a comment.  A father who doesn't want to give his child financial support is not a father.  I'll keep what I feel about a person (Not a man) to myself to keep from getting a violation notice.

My father paid child support via an allotment from 1955 until my youngest brother was 18...1968.  And he didn't lower it as I and my sister reached 18.  He had to pay a certain amount for all three of us, but it never changed until my youngest brother turned 18 and joined the Army.  What ever else he was, he did care about us.

Answer 4

Im interested, sign me up.

Answer 5

The court will take the family care plan into consideration.

I have not see a court yet take a child away because the parent was on the deployment or overseas, and the child was being taken care of just fine.

If I was betting money, I would say that you are just fine and your prior court order will stand.

Of course, judges are people and they have personalities so you might get a judge that feels otherwise or is having a bad day or got cut off on the freeway by someone with military stickers on the way in...

Answer 6

Good luck - I'd talk with a Chaplain - they deal with these problems way too many times to count.