Job Training. If technical school, AIT, or A-school is 20 weeks or longer in duration (at a single location), one is entitled to move their dependents to their school location at government expense. They are then (usually 30 days after arrival) allowed to live with their dependents after duty hours. Single members, of course, cannot move their girl/boyfriends at government expense, nor will they be allowed to live off-base (even at their own expense) at job training locations.
In such cases, if the military member elects not to move his/her dependents, the Family Separation Allowance stops, because the member is not being forced to be separated (the dependents are allowed to move at government expense, so if they don't move, that's the member's choice). Of course, if the dependents do join the member, Family Separation Allowance stops, as well, as the member is no longer separated from his/her dependents due to military orders.
If the job training is less than 20 weeks, a married person can still elect to move his/her dependents (at his/her own expense), but would (usually) be allowed to live with them, off base (beginning 30 days after arrival), with the school commander's permission (as long as the student is doing okay in class, such permission is routinely granted). If the dependents do move to the member's school location, Family Separation Allowance stops.
Qualifications. The services require additional paperwork, additional processing, and sometime even waivers for members with dependents. For example, the Air Force requires a credit check for any member who is married or has ever been married. If you're in the Delayed Enlistment Program (DEP), and decide to get married before shipping out to basic training, you'll want to check with your recruiter to determine (depending on what additional processing is required, and when you're shipping out) if this would possibly delay your shipping date.
Dependent Support. All of the services have regulations which require military members to provide adequate support to their dependents. In fact, while in basic training and job school, you're being provided a housing allowance for the sole purpose of providing a place to live for your dependent family members. If your spouse makes an official complaint to your commander that you are failing or refusing to provide financial support, you could be in a heap of trouple. For details, see our article Child Support, Spouse Support, and Garnishment.
While one doesn't want to think about divorce when they're anxious to get married, divorce is a real possibility (remember the 50 percent statistic). Military members should be aware that there is a special law that applies to them when it comes to divorce and retirement pay. The Uniformed Services Former Spouse Protection Act allows any state court to treat your FUTURE military retired pay as joint property, to be divided with your spouse, in the event of a divorce.
