Augusta Military Divorce Attorney - Peter Andre Doesn't Want Any Money from Katie Price Divorce
Katie Price aka Jordan can rest assured that her soon to be ex husband Peter Andre won't be taking her to the cleaners.
The couple, who just announced their divorce, are splitting after almost five years together. And Peter wants to make sure everyone knows he's not going to take a dime from her.
According to UK reports, Peter said, “I wouldn’t get a penny if we broke up because I signed a pre nuptial – and it was my idea to do it. I insisted on it.”
Peter was the one who called it quits and has no intention of reuniting with Katie. She already released a statement saying it was his decision to end the marriage and that she's very upset about it. Apparently he is ending the marriage because of her alleged drinking problem.
A source close to Katie told Britain’s The Sun newspaper: “Katie has been honest with Pete now. She knows she was in the wrong and she's begging him to return.
"She's told him that she feels she's been punished enough and pleaded with him to give her one more chance.”
We were actually pretty surprised to hear the news of their breakup, so hopefully they'll give their marriage another chance--at least for the sake of their kids.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Georgia Military Divorce Attorney - Rockey’s wife files for divorce
Georgia Military Divorce Attorney - Rockey’s wife files for divorce
By Tim Hudson E-E County Reporter
David Rockey may be coming back to Bartlesville sooner than expected due to a petition for divorce filed Monday by his wife of 33 years.
Rockey was 51 when he seemingly disappeared in August 2002 after telling his family he was going to Skiatook for a job interview. He was reportedly last seen at a business in south Bartlesville and never arrived for the interview. His vehicle was found the next day in the Tulsa International Airport parking lot.
The case made national news when Rockey was found — nearly seven years after his disappearance — to be residing in South Dakota. Rockey reportedly attempted to obtain a driver’s license at the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, alerting authorities there to his whereabouts.
Rockey later spoke with BPD investigators on May 7, saying he left Bartlesville due to personal reasons.
In Peggy Rockey’s petition, abandonment is listed as grounds for the divorce, saying that David abandoned Peggy “for a period of six years and nine months” and “grossly neglected his duties toward Peggy.” It further states that David Rockey is guilty of “extreme marital cruelty” and that a “state of complete and irreconcilable incompatibility” has arisen between the two.
Additionally, by a separate application, the petition also sought and received a temporary restraining order which barred David Rockey access to mutual bank accounts, and insurance policies.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
By Tim Hudson E-E County Reporter
David Rockey may be coming back to Bartlesville sooner than expected due to a petition for divorce filed Monday by his wife of 33 years.
Rockey was 51 when he seemingly disappeared in August 2002 after telling his family he was going to Skiatook for a job interview. He was reportedly last seen at a business in south Bartlesville and never arrived for the interview. His vehicle was found the next day in the Tulsa International Airport parking lot.
The case made national news when Rockey was found — nearly seven years after his disappearance — to be residing in South Dakota. Rockey reportedly attempted to obtain a driver’s license at the South Dakota Department of Public Safety, alerting authorities there to his whereabouts.
Rockey later spoke with BPD investigators on May 7, saying he left Bartlesville due to personal reasons.
In Peggy Rockey’s petition, abandonment is listed as grounds for the divorce, saying that David abandoned Peggy “for a period of six years and nine months” and “grossly neglected his duties toward Peggy.” It further states that David Rockey is guilty of “extreme marital cruelty” and that a “state of complete and irreconcilable incompatibility” has arisen between the two.
Additionally, by a separate application, the petition also sought and received a temporary restraining order which barred David Rockey access to mutual bank accounts, and insurance policies.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Augusta Military Divorce Attorney - Drew Peterson's divorce battle with Kathleen Savio investigated
Augusta Military Divorce Attorney - Drew Peterson's divorce battle with Kathleen Savio investigated
Peterson stood to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars, court documents say
By Steve Schmadeke, Erika Slife and Art Barnum
Tribune reporters
Six days before Kathleen Savio's lifeless body was found in an empty bathtub in her Bolingbrook home, Drew Peterson's lawyer prepared papers telling his client he had been subpoenaed and was to be deposed in his ongoing divorce battle.
Peterson, indicted last week on murder charges in Savio's 2004 drowning, stood to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in the divorce from the sale of the couple's home and Sud's Pub, his Montgomery bar, according to court documents reviewed by the Tribune. Savio was also going after half of his police pension, which pays $6,000 a month.
Instead of losing a bundle, Peterson got just about everything after Savio's death, including custody of their two children.
The Tribune has learned the Will County state's attorney's office is conducting a closer examination of the divorce and what was at stake as it prepares for the prosecution of Peterson, scheduled to be arraigned Monday.
Harry Smith, the attorney who was representing Savio in her divorce , said this week he has turned over to prosecutors the subpoenas he had issued to Peterson regarding his pension and other financial matters.
Smith, who twice testified before the grand jury investigating Savio's death, said it's his understanding that the county has hired financial experts to determine exactly what the economic loss to Peterson would have been. A state's attorney's spokesman declined to comment.
"I'm sure that's what Peterson feared -- mostly that she was going to take everything from him," said Sue Doman, Savio's sister.
Savio, 40, was found dead March 1, 2004. She and Peterson were already divorced, but the trial to settle the distribution of marital assets and child-custody issues was scheduled for April 6, according to records.
Joel Brodsky, Peterson's attorney, said he wasn't worried about the examination of his client's divorce. "That's a very weak motive because half the people in America get divorced. So that means almost half the people in America have motive to commit murder," he said. "It's not the strongest motive you're ever going to come up with."
Brodsky said he believes the prosecution's case hinges on the state's new hearsay law -- sometimes called Drew's Law -- which allows certain types of hearsay evidence into court.
After Savio drowned, Peterson submitted a handwritten will signed by him and Savio specifying that in death all assets would go to the surviving spouse and appointing Peterson's uncle James Carroll as executor. All proceeds from Savio's estate -- valued at up to $288,000, according to court documents -- were handed to Peterson.
A court-appointed public estate administrator later wrote that Carroll's actions "were not in the best interests of the Estate or its beneficiaries," and noted that almost all of Savio's personal belongings had been removed from the home prior to the administrator's appointment in April, one month after her death.
The fight over personal property began shortly after the two filed for divorce within a day of each other in March 2002. Two months later, Savio was about to leave her home and take her two children to Communion practice at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Bolingbrook when she discovered her 1997 Mercury Mountaineer was missing, according to a court filing.
Peterson called and told her if she didn't let him into the house to retrieve his water bed and other belongings, "she wouldn't be able to find" the Mercury. He broke a court order by removing items from the home, Savio alleged, asking that a judge find him in contempt.
Doman said the fighting over assets wore on her sister. "You could see a big change in her. I can see her face, and she was physically, mentally worn out," Doman said. "It was a long fight for her."
Peterson, a former Bolingbrook police sergeant and 29-year police veteran, was already married to his fourth wife, Stacy, when Savio was killed. Although state police concluded at the time that her death was not suspicious -- Stacy Peterson provided Peterson's alibi, according to police reports -- State's Atty. James Glasgow reopened the investigation after Stacy disappeared in October 2007.
Smith had subpoenaed Peterson regarding his police pension. Doman said Savio was going for half of it.
Several months after Savio died, Peterson replaced his divorce attorney, Alex Beck, with Joseph Mazzone, a former Will County prosecutor who is chief counsel for a police union. Beck, who did not return phone calls for this story, filed paperwork seeking to have his expenses repaid, including for work on the deposition and subpoena shortly before Savio's death.
Drew Peterson and Savio's home sold in November 2004, netting $287,000. Savio was entitled to at least half of it, if not more, her attorney argued, because Peterson had sold the Montgomery bar for $325,000 during their divorce and pocketed the proceeds himself, according to the administrator's report.
According to Savio's divorce petition, she wanted sole custody of the children, child support, alimony and equitable distribution of their marital assets, or whatever the judge deemed just. In Peterson's petition, he simply requested that their shared assets be divided up. She accused him of adultery; he blamed her for extreme and mental cruelty.
Between Savio, Drew Peterson and Stacy Peterson, Bolingbrook police were called 19 times in nearly two years to settle disputes, some of which were physical.
Stacy contacted Smith, Savio's divorce attorney, sometime in late 2007 to discuss filing for divorce from Peterson. Stacy disappeared shortly afterward.
Peterson, the suspect in Stacy's disappearance, is being held in lieu of $20 million bail. He has denied wrongdoing.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Peterson stood to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars, court documents say
By Steve Schmadeke, Erika Slife and Art Barnum
Tribune reporters
Six days before Kathleen Savio's lifeless body was found in an empty bathtub in her Bolingbrook home, Drew Peterson's lawyer prepared papers telling his client he had been subpoenaed and was to be deposed in his ongoing divorce battle.
Peterson, indicted last week on murder charges in Savio's 2004 drowning, stood to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in the divorce from the sale of the couple's home and Sud's Pub, his Montgomery bar, according to court documents reviewed by the Tribune. Savio was also going after half of his police pension, which pays $6,000 a month.
Instead of losing a bundle, Peterson got just about everything after Savio's death, including custody of their two children.
The Tribune has learned the Will County state's attorney's office is conducting a closer examination of the divorce and what was at stake as it prepares for the prosecution of Peterson, scheduled to be arraigned Monday.
Harry Smith, the attorney who was representing Savio in her divorce , said this week he has turned over to prosecutors the subpoenas he had issued to Peterson regarding his pension and other financial matters.
Smith, who twice testified before the grand jury investigating Savio's death, said it's his understanding that the county has hired financial experts to determine exactly what the economic loss to Peterson would have been. A state's attorney's spokesman declined to comment.
"I'm sure that's what Peterson feared -- mostly that she was going to take everything from him," said Sue Doman, Savio's sister.
Savio, 40, was found dead March 1, 2004. She and Peterson were already divorced, but the trial to settle the distribution of marital assets and child-custody issues was scheduled for April 6, according to records.
Joel Brodsky, Peterson's attorney, said he wasn't worried about the examination of his client's divorce. "That's a very weak motive because half the people in America get divorced. So that means almost half the people in America have motive to commit murder," he said. "It's not the strongest motive you're ever going to come up with."
Brodsky said he believes the prosecution's case hinges on the state's new hearsay law -- sometimes called Drew's Law -- which allows certain types of hearsay evidence into court.
After Savio drowned, Peterson submitted a handwritten will signed by him and Savio specifying that in death all assets would go to the surviving spouse and appointing Peterson's uncle James Carroll as executor. All proceeds from Savio's estate -- valued at up to $288,000, according to court documents -- were handed to Peterson.
A court-appointed public estate administrator later wrote that Carroll's actions "were not in the best interests of the Estate or its beneficiaries," and noted that almost all of Savio's personal belongings had been removed from the home prior to the administrator's appointment in April, one month after her death.
The fight over personal property began shortly after the two filed for divorce within a day of each other in March 2002. Two months later, Savio was about to leave her home and take her two children to Communion practice at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Bolingbrook when she discovered her 1997 Mercury Mountaineer was missing, according to a court filing.
Peterson called and told her if she didn't let him into the house to retrieve his water bed and other belongings, "she wouldn't be able to find" the Mercury. He broke a court order by removing items from the home, Savio alleged, asking that a judge find him in contempt.
Doman said the fighting over assets wore on her sister. "You could see a big change in her. I can see her face, and she was physically, mentally worn out," Doman said. "It was a long fight for her."
Peterson, a former Bolingbrook police sergeant and 29-year police veteran, was already married to his fourth wife, Stacy, when Savio was killed. Although state police concluded at the time that her death was not suspicious -- Stacy Peterson provided Peterson's alibi, according to police reports -- State's Atty. James Glasgow reopened the investigation after Stacy disappeared in October 2007.
Smith had subpoenaed Peterson regarding his police pension. Doman said Savio was going for half of it.
Several months after Savio died, Peterson replaced his divorce attorney, Alex Beck, with Joseph Mazzone, a former Will County prosecutor who is chief counsel for a police union. Beck, who did not return phone calls for this story, filed paperwork seeking to have his expenses repaid, including for work on the deposition and subpoena shortly before Savio's death.
Drew Peterson and Savio's home sold in November 2004, netting $287,000. Savio was entitled to at least half of it, if not more, her attorney argued, because Peterson had sold the Montgomery bar for $325,000 during their divorce and pocketed the proceeds himself, according to the administrator's report.
According to Savio's divorce petition, she wanted sole custody of the children, child support, alimony and equitable distribution of their marital assets, or whatever the judge deemed just. In Peterson's petition, he simply requested that their shared assets be divided up. She accused him of adultery; he blamed her for extreme and mental cruelty.
Between Savio, Drew Peterson and Stacy Peterson, Bolingbrook police were called 19 times in nearly two years to settle disputes, some of which were physical.
Stacy contacted Smith, Savio's divorce attorney, sometime in late 2007 to discuss filing for divorce from Peterson. Stacy disappeared shortly afterward.
Peterson, the suspect in Stacy's disappearance, is being held in lieu of $20 million bail. He has denied wrongdoing.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Georgia Military Divorce Attorney - After divorce, go back to school
Georgia Military Divorce Attorney - After divorce, go back to school
What do you do after getting divorced, when things may seem the end of the road? Going to college is one option for new divorcees to get back into life with a fresh start.
Divorcees may be returning to college after many years or starting their post-high school education for the first time. "...There's no question that it is much more difficult for students who have been out of high school or for students who have dropped out of college to come back," said Phil Caffrey, senior associate director of admissions at Iowa State University.
A total of 39 percent of all college students are age 25 or older, according to an article published in American Demographics in November 2002. About 75 percent of students live off campus, with 80 percent working.
"Usually, people go back to learn a new skill set or change careers. Other people will go back if they feel they missed out," said Mary Berg, an admissions counselor at Loyola University in Chicago.
College may seem scary for non-traditional students, according to Caffrey. "When students enter the world of work, they have car payments, house payments, rent. They get sucked into all of those financial obligations, so it becomes very difficult for them to go back to college eventually and either have to quit their job or go to college part time," he said.
Also, older students have other concerns while they're attending school, which makes returning more complicated. "People ...have children and have obligations beyond themselves, so it's hard for them to devote most of their time going to school when they have other obligations," Caffrey said.
Another worry is that older students know they're different from the crowd, especially when their own children may be going to college at the same time. "Some, if they're coming back as an older adult - probably, just because they think it's unfamiliar - some people who are choosing to go back to programs where its mostly traditional students may feel they stick out in the classroom," Berg said.
But Caffrey said older students often fare better than younger ones, because they already know how to deal with life.
"I think one of the things our non-traditional students find is even though their academic records may not have been as good as the students who come directly out of high school, what they find is they do better here....and the reason for that is motivation and priorities. The students who do come back here have their priorities and do very well," he said. "That's one of the pluses. They find that they really can do it, and that all those years of experience they have are really ground for them."
According to ECampusTours.com, "Many professors actually prefer to teach adult students because adults bring real world experience to the classroom and often have more motivation and desire to learn than younger students."
There are some downsides to being an older student, according to Helium.com, Those include the time it takes to complete a degree is twice as long, not having the necessary math and science skills and feeling socially separated from the other students.
Caffrey said Iowa State may overlook some of its usual GPA standards, because of their work experience. "Here at Iowa State, we actually have a considerable amount of flexibility with non-traditional students," he said.
Hollins University in Roanoke, Va., is another example of a university working to accept older students. A women's university, it used evaluations like an on-campus writing test, personal interview and letters of recommendation, according to the university's Web site, "by offering an admissions policy that focuses on overall credentials, not just on GPA or test scores."
"A lot of colleges have special programs for adults returning to school, and that's easier to get in the swing of things," Berg said.
Caffrey thinks private colleges sometimes cater to non-traditional students, offering four-week night courses or other specialty programs for older students.
Bard College, in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y., has a Returning to College program, founded on the premise that "returning students benefit from participating in the regular undergraduate curriculum, taking their places at the seminar table, the lab bench and barre and learning from and with their younger colleagues," according to the college's Web site.
But the cost of private colleges might stop older students, who are more financially committed. So returning to school at a community college might be a better bet, according to some experts. "I would say that one option for some people to get the nervous feeling out is go to community college to get their feet wet, especially if they're away from school and have been away a long time. You can take one or two courses really inexpensively, and usually, those will transfer," Berg said.
"You can get your first two years of college coursework completed at a fraction of the cost, and typically, community colleges are pretty good at catering to non-traditional students," Cafferty said. "Then, after those two years, I would really recommend them to look at their closest public university for the cost factor."
Cafferty said students returning to college after a divorce should focus on the positives in the long-term. "A big benefit is earning that degree really increases your earning power or to do a career that's much more closely aligned with what your interests are," he said.
According to Back2College.com, "The median annual income for employees with a high school diploma was only $27,915; for a bachelor's degree $51,206. Individuals with only a high school diploma were twice as likely to be unemployed as those holding bachelor's degrees. Those without a high school diploma averaged a yearly income of just $18,734."
Beyond that, Caffery said, he's seen the real results of returning back to school. "...People are happier. They have achieved something," he said.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
What do you do after getting divorced, when things may seem the end of the road? Going to college is one option for new divorcees to get back into life with a fresh start.
Divorcees may be returning to college after many years or starting their post-high school education for the first time. "...There's no question that it is much more difficult for students who have been out of high school or for students who have dropped out of college to come back," said Phil Caffrey, senior associate director of admissions at Iowa State University.
A total of 39 percent of all college students are age 25 or older, according to an article published in American Demographics in November 2002. About 75 percent of students live off campus, with 80 percent working.
"Usually, people go back to learn a new skill set or change careers. Other people will go back if they feel they missed out," said Mary Berg, an admissions counselor at Loyola University in Chicago.
College may seem scary for non-traditional students, according to Caffrey. "When students enter the world of work, they have car payments, house payments, rent. They get sucked into all of those financial obligations, so it becomes very difficult for them to go back to college eventually and either have to quit their job or go to college part time," he said.
Also, older students have other concerns while they're attending school, which makes returning more complicated. "People ...have children and have obligations beyond themselves, so it's hard for them to devote most of their time going to school when they have other obligations," Caffrey said.
Another worry is that older students know they're different from the crowd, especially when their own children may be going to college at the same time. "Some, if they're coming back as an older adult - probably, just because they think it's unfamiliar - some people who are choosing to go back to programs where its mostly traditional students may feel they stick out in the classroom," Berg said.
But Caffrey said older students often fare better than younger ones, because they already know how to deal with life.
"I think one of the things our non-traditional students find is even though their academic records may not have been as good as the students who come directly out of high school, what they find is they do better here....and the reason for that is motivation and priorities. The students who do come back here have their priorities and do very well," he said. "That's one of the pluses. They find that they really can do it, and that all those years of experience they have are really ground for them."
According to ECampusTours.com, "Many professors actually prefer to teach adult students because adults bring real world experience to the classroom and often have more motivation and desire to learn than younger students."
There are some downsides to being an older student, according to Helium.com, Those include the time it takes to complete a degree is twice as long, not having the necessary math and science skills and feeling socially separated from the other students.
Caffrey said Iowa State may overlook some of its usual GPA standards, because of their work experience. "Here at Iowa State, we actually have a considerable amount of flexibility with non-traditional students," he said.
Hollins University in Roanoke, Va., is another example of a university working to accept older students. A women's university, it used evaluations like an on-campus writing test, personal interview and letters of recommendation, according to the university's Web site, "by offering an admissions policy that focuses on overall credentials, not just on GPA or test scores."
"A lot of colleges have special programs for adults returning to school, and that's easier to get in the swing of things," Berg said.
Caffrey thinks private colleges sometimes cater to non-traditional students, offering four-week night courses or other specialty programs for older students.
Bard College, in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y., has a Returning to College program, founded on the premise that "returning students benefit from participating in the regular undergraduate curriculum, taking their places at the seminar table, the lab bench and barre and learning from and with their younger colleagues," according to the college's Web site.
But the cost of private colleges might stop older students, who are more financially committed. So returning to school at a community college might be a better bet, according to some experts. "I would say that one option for some people to get the nervous feeling out is go to community college to get their feet wet, especially if they're away from school and have been away a long time. You can take one or two courses really inexpensively, and usually, those will transfer," Berg said.
"You can get your first two years of college coursework completed at a fraction of the cost, and typically, community colleges are pretty good at catering to non-traditional students," Cafferty said. "Then, after those two years, I would really recommend them to look at their closest public university for the cost factor."
Cafferty said students returning to college after a divorce should focus on the positives in the long-term. "A big benefit is earning that degree really increases your earning power or to do a career that's much more closely aligned with what your interests are," he said.
According to Back2College.com, "The median annual income for employees with a high school diploma was only $27,915; for a bachelor's degree $51,206. Individuals with only a high school diploma were twice as likely to be unemployed as those holding bachelor's degrees. Those without a high school diploma averaged a yearly income of just $18,734."
Beyond that, Caffery said, he's seen the real results of returning back to school. "...People are happier. They have achieved something," he said.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Augusta Military Divorce Lawyer - Selectmen forgive soldier of unpaid taxes and fees
Augusta Military Divorce Lawyer - Selectmen forgive soldier of unpaid taxes and fees
By SLOAN BREWSTER - Press Staff
CROMWELL — Wednesday, the Board of Selectmen agreed to forgive taxes and fees for a soldier stationed overseas in 2007.
In total, Lynn Weavor will save $567.84 for taxes, back taxes, interest and fees on her Ford Escape.
As a member of the military, Weavor is allowed an exemption for taxes during years she is on active duty, but soldiers must file for the exemption by the end of October of the year in question.
Weavor was serving out of the country in October 2007 and was unable to get her paperwork in on time.
During the Board of Selectman’s meeting Wednesday, Weavor spoke of trouble she said she has had with the tax collector and assessor, who were at last month’s selectman’s meeting as well as Tuesday night’s.
The discussion was initially raised last month by First Selectman Jeremy J. Shingleton, whom Weavor contacted, and who suggested a town ordinance that would eliminate filing deadlines for military personal.
"Apparently, a pretty picture wasn’t painted of me," Weavor told the board, adding that she wanted to hear tapes from last month’s meeting.
Rising to the podium, she told the board that initially she tried to file for her 2007 exemption on time, but said she was given the wrong paperwork.
Upon receiving the right forms, she had to get her commanding officer to sign them. That was difficult, she said, as he was never there at the same time she was. When she finally got everything signed, she said she tried to fax everything to the tax collector only to learn she had been given the wrong fax number.
"It just kept ringing," she said.
By the time she got the documents in, they were two weeks late, Weavor said.
Because she was late getting the documents in, she was told to pay up.
In addition, she was informed she owed back taxes from several years ago — taxes, which she claims are the responsibility of her ex-husband. She informed the board she gave copies of her divorce decree to the tax collector and that the document was lost three times.
Last month, Tax Collector Sharon A. Ramsay and Assessor Shawna O’Neil told the board about Weavor’s late taxes and documentation, saying "the woman in question has delinquent taxes since the 1990s."
Weavor remains firm in the assertion she does not owe those old taxes and said Ramsay is misreading the divorce documents.
"My divorce decree was brought into the assessor’s office three times," Weavor said. "I think it’s ridiculous. It’s unfair, and I would like to see something done about it."
A lengthy discussion ensued between selectmen, Ramsay and O’Neil, in which Richard Newton chided all officials on the way they treat individuals.
"People have their own personal problems, and as tax collectors, we have to take that into account," Newton scolded. "Sometimes we have to take peoples’ words for things. ... There are issues where we as public officials and as appointed officials have to be a little more caring of the people we hold hostage for taxes."
Not all selectmen agreed with Newton’s outlook.
"The burden of proof is on the taxpayer, and if they don’t follow through..." David Murphy said.
In the end, the board approved a motion to abate Weavor’s taxes and fees for 2007 with five in favor, one abstention, and one nay — from Murphy.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
By SLOAN BREWSTER - Press Staff
CROMWELL — Wednesday, the Board of Selectmen agreed to forgive taxes and fees for a soldier stationed overseas in 2007.
In total, Lynn Weavor will save $567.84 for taxes, back taxes, interest and fees on her Ford Escape.
As a member of the military, Weavor is allowed an exemption for taxes during years she is on active duty, but soldiers must file for the exemption by the end of October of the year in question.
Weavor was serving out of the country in October 2007 and was unable to get her paperwork in on time.
During the Board of Selectman’s meeting Wednesday, Weavor spoke of trouble she said she has had with the tax collector and assessor, who were at last month’s selectman’s meeting as well as Tuesday night’s.
The discussion was initially raised last month by First Selectman Jeremy J. Shingleton, whom Weavor contacted, and who suggested a town ordinance that would eliminate filing deadlines for military personal.
"Apparently, a pretty picture wasn’t painted of me," Weavor told the board, adding that she wanted to hear tapes from last month’s meeting.
Rising to the podium, she told the board that initially she tried to file for her 2007 exemption on time, but said she was given the wrong paperwork.
Upon receiving the right forms, she had to get her commanding officer to sign them. That was difficult, she said, as he was never there at the same time she was. When she finally got everything signed, she said she tried to fax everything to the tax collector only to learn she had been given the wrong fax number.
"It just kept ringing," she said.
By the time she got the documents in, they were two weeks late, Weavor said.
Because she was late getting the documents in, she was told to pay up.
In addition, she was informed she owed back taxes from several years ago — taxes, which she claims are the responsibility of her ex-husband. She informed the board she gave copies of her divorce decree to the tax collector and that the document was lost three times.
Last month, Tax Collector Sharon A. Ramsay and Assessor Shawna O’Neil told the board about Weavor’s late taxes and documentation, saying "the woman in question has delinquent taxes since the 1990s."
Weavor remains firm in the assertion she does not owe those old taxes and said Ramsay is misreading the divorce documents.
"My divorce decree was brought into the assessor’s office three times," Weavor said. "I think it’s ridiculous. It’s unfair, and I would like to see something done about it."
A lengthy discussion ensued between selectmen, Ramsay and O’Neil, in which Richard Newton chided all officials on the way they treat individuals.
"People have their own personal problems, and as tax collectors, we have to take that into account," Newton scolded. "Sometimes we have to take peoples’ words for things. ... There are issues where we as public officials and as appointed officials have to be a little more caring of the people we hold hostage for taxes."
Not all selectmen agreed with Newton’s outlook.
"The burden of proof is on the taxpayer, and if they don’t follow through..." David Murphy said.
In the end, the board approved a motion to abate Weavor’s taxes and fees for 2007 with five in favor, one abstention, and one nay — from Murphy.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Augusta Military Defense Attorney - Sherman soldier's family sees lives unravel after man is held in slayings of five in Iraq
Augusta Military Defense Attorney - Sherman soldier's family sees lives unravel after man is held in slayings of five in Iraq
By LEE HANCOCK / The Dallas Morning News
SHERMAN – Sgt. John M. Russell was his family's hero, finding a place for himself in the Army as a "John Wayne" soldier who never complained to folks back home and would never ask for help, say his elderly father and only son.
His life and theirs have come horribly undone. The 44-year-old was charged with murdering two officers and three fellow soldiers at a chronic stress clinic in Baghdad on Monday, about a week after commanders in his combat engineering unit ordered him to surrender his weapon and submit to psychiatric treatment.
With that, his family says, the future they'd planned lies in ruins. He'd just built a two-story dream home on the edge of Sherman for his eventual retirement and arranged for his son and parents to live there. They were looking forward to a family reunion in July, after his third deployment.
And he wanted to retire in five years and move his German-born wife and her parents to Sherman.
"We can't understand any of this," said his 20-year-old son, John Michael Russell II. "He didn't like conflict."
The family got word of the attack in a phone call from his wife, who lives in Bamberg, Germany, where Russell's unit, the 54th Combat Engineer Battalion, is based. She explained to Russell's mother that the base commander had just come to her home.
"They said John went crazy and killed five people," said the sergeant's father, Wilburn Russell.
Military officials have released few details about the shooting, saying only that Russell was asked to leave the clinic after a confrontation. He somehow obtained a weapon and returned to shoot three clinic personnel and two soldiers who were there to receive treatment. Military police arrested him outside the clinic.
The sergeant e-mailed his wife last week "that the 5th and 6th of May had been the worst two days of his life," the elder Russell said, "that two officers threatened him."
Russell enlisted in the National Guard in Sherman in 1988. He graduated from an area high school and married in 1985. His family said the Guard supplemented his income from low-paying maintenance jobs at a local hospital and defense industry plant and several apartment complexes.
His wife filed for divorce soon after their son was born. Months after the divorce was final, Russell joined the regular Army as a communications specialist. His father and son said he thrived in overseas assignments, serving two six-month tours in Bosnia and Kosovo in the mid-1990s and two year-long assignments in Iraq in 2003-04 and 2005-06. "That was his whole life, the military" his father said.
He met his current wife, a meat cutter, in Germany, and they married in 1999.
He arranged for his new house to be built last summer, adding German touches, and carefully planning $1,500 in monthly mortgage payments so it would be paid for when he retired, his father said.
He never saw combat, his father and son said, and he never talked about being bothered by his time in Iraq. He "salvaged electronics components after roadside bombings," his father said. "I'm sure that he had to wash brains and blood off of equipment."
But he never complained, the father added, thinking "of himself as a John Wayne."
"He was calm under most circumstances," he said. "I'm gonna say, though, if he thought someone was lying to him or about him, he's quite defensive about right or wrong. He sees things in black and white."
Russell's last contact with his Texas family was an e-mail and a bouquet of flowers for his mother for Mother's Day.
"It was, 'Hi, Mom, happy Mother's Day. Hot as hell here. Can't wait to see you,' " said his mother, Beth Russell. "I guess he didn't want us to worry."
Since his arrest, the family in Texas has heard nothing from the military. The elder Russell says he suspects that officers had singled his son out and were trying to force him out of the Army. The father said he – the father – faced similar problems with vindictive officers in the Navy but managed to get help from superiors.
He said his son wasn't the kind to ask for help. "He would've seen it as being wimpy." At the clinic, "he probably accused them of stressing him, they probably denied it and that made him mad," the elder Russell said.
"The only reason he would've done that and killed anyone was he felt like the Army was turned against him," he said.
The sergeant's son said he's trying to comprehend why his dad felt compelled to kill fellow soldiers. "I always thought he would be killed over there. I never thought anything like this would happen," the younger Russell said.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
By LEE HANCOCK / The Dallas Morning News
SHERMAN – Sgt. John M. Russell was his family's hero, finding a place for himself in the Army as a "John Wayne" soldier who never complained to folks back home and would never ask for help, say his elderly father and only son.
His life and theirs have come horribly undone. The 44-year-old was charged with murdering two officers and three fellow soldiers at a chronic stress clinic in Baghdad on Monday, about a week after commanders in his combat engineering unit ordered him to surrender his weapon and submit to psychiatric treatment.
With that, his family says, the future they'd planned lies in ruins. He'd just built a two-story dream home on the edge of Sherman for his eventual retirement and arranged for his son and parents to live there. They were looking forward to a family reunion in July, after his third deployment.
And he wanted to retire in five years and move his German-born wife and her parents to Sherman.
"We can't understand any of this," said his 20-year-old son, John Michael Russell II. "He didn't like conflict."
The family got word of the attack in a phone call from his wife, who lives in Bamberg, Germany, where Russell's unit, the 54th Combat Engineer Battalion, is based. She explained to Russell's mother that the base commander had just come to her home.
"They said John went crazy and killed five people," said the sergeant's father, Wilburn Russell.
Military officials have released few details about the shooting, saying only that Russell was asked to leave the clinic after a confrontation. He somehow obtained a weapon and returned to shoot three clinic personnel and two soldiers who were there to receive treatment. Military police arrested him outside the clinic.
The sergeant e-mailed his wife last week "that the 5th and 6th of May had been the worst two days of his life," the elder Russell said, "that two officers threatened him."
Russell enlisted in the National Guard in Sherman in 1988. He graduated from an area high school and married in 1985. His family said the Guard supplemented his income from low-paying maintenance jobs at a local hospital and defense industry plant and several apartment complexes.
His wife filed for divorce soon after their son was born. Months after the divorce was final, Russell joined the regular Army as a communications specialist. His father and son said he thrived in overseas assignments, serving two six-month tours in Bosnia and Kosovo in the mid-1990s and two year-long assignments in Iraq in 2003-04 and 2005-06. "That was his whole life, the military" his father said.
He met his current wife, a meat cutter, in Germany, and they married in 1999.
He arranged for his new house to be built last summer, adding German touches, and carefully planning $1,500 in monthly mortgage payments so it would be paid for when he retired, his father said.
He never saw combat, his father and son said, and he never talked about being bothered by his time in Iraq. He "salvaged electronics components after roadside bombings," his father said. "I'm sure that he had to wash brains and blood off of equipment."
But he never complained, the father added, thinking "of himself as a John Wayne."
"He was calm under most circumstances," he said. "I'm gonna say, though, if he thought someone was lying to him or about him, he's quite defensive about right or wrong. He sees things in black and white."
Russell's last contact with his Texas family was an e-mail and a bouquet of flowers for his mother for Mother's Day.
"It was, 'Hi, Mom, happy Mother's Day. Hot as hell here. Can't wait to see you,' " said his mother, Beth Russell. "I guess he didn't want us to worry."
Since his arrest, the family in Texas has heard nothing from the military. The elder Russell says he suspects that officers had singled his son out and were trying to force him out of the Army. The father said he – the father – faced similar problems with vindictive officers in the Navy but managed to get help from superiors.
He said his son wasn't the kind to ask for help. "He would've seen it as being wimpy." At the clinic, "he probably accused them of stressing him, they probably denied it and that made him mad," the elder Russell said.
"The only reason he would've done that and killed anyone was he felt like the Army was turned against him," he said.
The sergeant's son said he's trying to comprehend why his dad felt compelled to kill fellow soldiers. "I always thought he would be killed over there. I never thought anything like this would happen," the younger Russell said.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Georgia Military Divorce Attorney - Washington National Guard Fights Unemployment and Divorce
Georgia Military Divorce Attorney - Washington National Guard Fights Unemployment and Divorce
The Military Wire
In the state of Washington, the Army National Guard currently has a full Heavy Brigade Combat Team with approximately 2,400 of its citizens deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom. The brigade will re-deploy to Washington by mid-August 2009 only to find many jobs non-existent. According to a recent report provided by the Washington National Guard, current projections indicate approximately 650 members of this brigade will be unemployed after mobilization ends in August 2009. This on top of a troubling trend that 60 percent of those Guard members who deployed from 2004 – 2006 earned less wages after their return compared to wages earned prior to deployment. And currently those wages for Guard members E-6 and below is less than $2,000 per month.
"It's a challenge," said Tom Riggs, retired SGM and now the Deployment Cycle Support Transition Chief for the Washington Guard. "They are one accident, one pregnancy, one lay off away from poverty."
Financial stress and pressure not only impacts businesses but is often the leading reason couples site for divorce according to the Institute for Family Studies. Some studies, however, suggest the economy is forcing couples to stay together who would rather divorce, just to avoid poverty. With over half a million of Washington's population living in poverty, that number is subject to increase with the financial odds facing the troops. And with it, the divorce rate. "But all hope is not lost," according to Riggs.
He and his team are facing these challenges head on. In addition to their positive messaging campaign to the troops through webinars and podcasts from the Governor and recognized sports celebrities that share how the troops can connect to jobs, they are also breaking from the traditional method for processing out Guard members once they return to their home state. Traditionally, the troops face 5 days of briefings, physical exams and paperwork, with most of the claims or benefits paperwork being stretched later over a couple of drill weekends. Riggs has partnered with the Federal VA, American Legion and the state's Department of Veterans Affairs to commence the demobilization process during the last 30 days in theatre. When the troops arrive at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin prior to returning to Washington State, they will finalize any remaining paperwork before returning to Washington. All forms will be pre-populated and just require review and signature.
By initiating this process earlier, Riggs and his team will eliminate 9 months from the traditional VA claims process that most Guard and Reserve families experience in other states. This will provide Washington troops almost immediate access to employment compensation, vocational rehabilitation and health care for any identified medical conditions.
Additionally, they are developing Project 100 – a pilot project that brings new unions and organizations to the employment table that will offer apprenticeships. Currently, they have over 300 organizations willing to participate and the list continues to grow.
A peer to peer relationship strengthening program is also undergoing review that will move the traditional marriage workshops from the classroom into the community, with ongoing intranet and small group support.
Riggs and his team are hopeful this new way of doing things will help eliminate financial pressures and help keep the family unit intact.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
The Military Wire
In the state of Washington, the Army National Guard currently has a full Heavy Brigade Combat Team with approximately 2,400 of its citizens deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom. The brigade will re-deploy to Washington by mid-August 2009 only to find many jobs non-existent. According to a recent report provided by the Washington National Guard, current projections indicate approximately 650 members of this brigade will be unemployed after mobilization ends in August 2009. This on top of a troubling trend that 60 percent of those Guard members who deployed from 2004 – 2006 earned less wages after their return compared to wages earned prior to deployment. And currently those wages for Guard members E-6 and below is less than $2,000 per month.
"It's a challenge," said Tom Riggs, retired SGM and now the Deployment Cycle Support Transition Chief for the Washington Guard. "They are one accident, one pregnancy, one lay off away from poverty."
Financial stress and pressure not only impacts businesses but is often the leading reason couples site for divorce according to the Institute for Family Studies. Some studies, however, suggest the economy is forcing couples to stay together who would rather divorce, just to avoid poverty. With over half a million of Washington's population living in poverty, that number is subject to increase with the financial odds facing the troops. And with it, the divorce rate. "But all hope is not lost," according to Riggs.
He and his team are facing these challenges head on. In addition to their positive messaging campaign to the troops through webinars and podcasts from the Governor and recognized sports celebrities that share how the troops can connect to jobs, they are also breaking from the traditional method for processing out Guard members once they return to their home state. Traditionally, the troops face 5 days of briefings, physical exams and paperwork, with most of the claims or benefits paperwork being stretched later over a couple of drill weekends. Riggs has partnered with the Federal VA, American Legion and the state's Department of Veterans Affairs to commence the demobilization process during the last 30 days in theatre. When the troops arrive at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin prior to returning to Washington State, they will finalize any remaining paperwork before returning to Washington. All forms will be pre-populated and just require review and signature.
By initiating this process earlier, Riggs and his team will eliminate 9 months from the traditional VA claims process that most Guard and Reserve families experience in other states. This will provide Washington troops almost immediate access to employment compensation, vocational rehabilitation and health care for any identified medical conditions.
Additionally, they are developing Project 100 – a pilot project that brings new unions and organizations to the employment table that will offer apprenticeships. Currently, they have over 300 organizations willing to participate and the list continues to grow.
A peer to peer relationship strengthening program is also undergoing review that will move the traditional marriage workshops from the classroom into the community, with ongoing intranet and small group support.
Riggs and his team are hopeful this new way of doing things will help eliminate financial pressures and help keep the family unit intact.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Augusta Military Divorce Lawywer - Military Divorce Rates Studied
Augusta Military Divorce Lawywer - Military Divorce Rates Studied
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Divorce in the nation's military was no higher after four years of war than it was in peacetime a decade earlier, despite the stress of long and repeated tours of duty.
A yearlong study by Rand Corp. says divorces rose from 2.5 percent of military marriages in 2001 to 3 percent in 2005. But that is still short of a previous Pentagon theory that marriage breakups had been soaring due to the strain of fighting the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, lead researcher Benjamin Karney said Thursday.
He cautioned that the review of service records could not foresee whether more divorces will occur in years after troops leave the service.
And he also said the yearlong study on "Families Under Stress" did not look at other possible consequences, either current or future, such as increases in alcoholism or the toll on orphaned or emotionally stressed children of troops.
"The future is uncertain. The full impact of these conflicts on military families may not be known for years," Karney said.
"But in the short term, we can say that we are not seeing what everyone thought we were going to see," on the subject of divorces, he said.
The study came out a day after the Pentagon said it was extending the tours of all active duty Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan - about 100,000 troops - to 15 months from the current one year. That was the latest in a series of extended deployments and repeated call-ups of reserve units that have strained the Army and its troops over more than five years of warfare.
Defense Department officials in 2005 had announced a huge jump in the divorce rate, saying cases doubled from 5,658 to 10,477 between 2001 and 2004 among active-duty Army officers and enlisted personnel.
Some officials surmised it was partly due to stresses of deployments and the department asked Rand to study it.
Related Story: Army Tours Extended to 15 Months
Rand's National Defense Research Institute - a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the Pentagon - found in the new study that after declining from 1996 to 2000, divorces rose gradually in the following years. Divorce, separation and annulments across all branches of service rose to 3 percent of military marriages in 2005 - the same as in 1996 when Soldiers did not routinely face the battlefield deployments that are common today, Rand said in a statement.
There's no comparable system for tracking the national or civilian divorce rate, though the Centers for Disease Control said in 2005 that 43 percent of all first marriages end in divorce within 10 years.
"Everyone is saying that they are very, very stressed, but the genuine stress isn't necessarily leading to elevations in divorce," Karney said.
Poll: What will 15-month deployments do to Army retention?
The study analyzed personnel records for some 6 million men and women who served in the military the five years before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on American soil and the five years after. Researchers also looked separately at just those who had deployed, as well as previous studies on military marriages, finding that troops who had been deployed longer had a lower risk of divorce.
That's very unexpected, Karney said, adding that he couldn't explain it.
Many people are saying no to military careers because of the unpopular war in Iraq and fears they'll be killed or injured when sent overseas.
"People are afraid of that, but they're also aware that there are benefits" not available to civilians, Karney said.
That includes extra pay, child care, health care, housing subsidies "and support from other military families dealing with the exact same stresses," Karney said.
Many also like the job.
"It may simply be that deployment, for all of its negative aspects, has positive aspects as well," the study said, noting that troops have told focus groups that they find deployments "meaningful and fulfilling" as well as important to the nation.
Officials also question the earlier statistics and say the extremely high and unexplainable rise posted in divorce among active-duty Army officers in 2004 may have been a mistake and skewed the overall average.
Researchers also said:
-Women in every military branch are more than twice as likely to end their marriages as their men. Researchers suggested existing programs provide too little support for their families.
-Enlisted service members are more likely to end their marriages than officers, probably because they tend to be younger.
-Marriage rates and divorce rates in the military have followed a similar pattern over the last decade, with more service members getting married in recent years.
-The findings are similar to those covering previous conflicts. Studies of those who served in Vietnam found no link between deployment and divorce. A study of the 1991 Persian Gulf war found that women who served were significantly more likely to divorce than men.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - Divorce in the nation's military was no higher after four years of war than it was in peacetime a decade earlier, despite the stress of long and repeated tours of duty.
A yearlong study by Rand Corp. says divorces rose from 2.5 percent of military marriages in 2001 to 3 percent in 2005. But that is still short of a previous Pentagon theory that marriage breakups had been soaring due to the strain of fighting the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, lead researcher Benjamin Karney said Thursday.
He cautioned that the review of service records could not foresee whether more divorces will occur in years after troops leave the service.
And he also said the yearlong study on "Families Under Stress" did not look at other possible consequences, either current or future, such as increases in alcoholism or the toll on orphaned or emotionally stressed children of troops.
"The future is uncertain. The full impact of these conflicts on military families may not be known for years," Karney said.
"But in the short term, we can say that we are not seeing what everyone thought we were going to see," on the subject of divorces, he said.
The study came out a day after the Pentagon said it was extending the tours of all active duty Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan - about 100,000 troops - to 15 months from the current one year. That was the latest in a series of extended deployments and repeated call-ups of reserve units that have strained the Army and its troops over more than five years of warfare.
Defense Department officials in 2005 had announced a huge jump in the divorce rate, saying cases doubled from 5,658 to 10,477 between 2001 and 2004 among active-duty Army officers and enlisted personnel.
Some officials surmised it was partly due to stresses of deployments and the department asked Rand to study it.
Related Story: Army Tours Extended to 15 Months
Rand's National Defense Research Institute - a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the Pentagon - found in the new study that after declining from 1996 to 2000, divorces rose gradually in the following years. Divorce, separation and annulments across all branches of service rose to 3 percent of military marriages in 2005 - the same as in 1996 when Soldiers did not routinely face the battlefield deployments that are common today, Rand said in a statement.
There's no comparable system for tracking the national or civilian divorce rate, though the Centers for Disease Control said in 2005 that 43 percent of all first marriages end in divorce within 10 years.
"Everyone is saying that they are very, very stressed, but the genuine stress isn't necessarily leading to elevations in divorce," Karney said.
Poll: What will 15-month deployments do to Army retention?
The study analyzed personnel records for some 6 million men and women who served in the military the five years before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on American soil and the five years after. Researchers also looked separately at just those who had deployed, as well as previous studies on military marriages, finding that troops who had been deployed longer had a lower risk of divorce.
That's very unexpected, Karney said, adding that he couldn't explain it.
Many people are saying no to military careers because of the unpopular war in Iraq and fears they'll be killed or injured when sent overseas.
"People are afraid of that, but they're also aware that there are benefits" not available to civilians, Karney said.
That includes extra pay, child care, health care, housing subsidies "and support from other military families dealing with the exact same stresses," Karney said.
Many also like the job.
"It may simply be that deployment, for all of its negative aspects, has positive aspects as well," the study said, noting that troops have told focus groups that they find deployments "meaningful and fulfilling" as well as important to the nation.
Officials also question the earlier statistics and say the extremely high and unexplainable rise posted in divorce among active-duty Army officers in 2004 may have been a mistake and skewed the overall average.
Researchers also said:
-Women in every military branch are more than twice as likely to end their marriages as their men. Researchers suggested existing programs provide too little support for their families.
-Enlisted service members are more likely to end their marriages than officers, probably because they tend to be younger.
-Marriage rates and divorce rates in the military have followed a similar pattern over the last decade, with more service members getting married in recent years.
-The findings are similar to those covering previous conflicts. Studies of those who served in Vietnam found no link between deployment and divorce. A study of the 1991 Persian Gulf war found that women who served were significantly more likely to divorce than men.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Georgia Military Divorce Attorney - Save Kids the Pain of Divorce
Georgia Military Divorce Attorney - Save Kids the Pain of Divorce
By Paula Hall
MOST parents would do anything to avoid upsetting their kids - but when couples start the painful process of splitting up - those best intentions are often forgotten.
Research shows key factors affecting a child's ability to cope are the quality of contact with both parents and the level of conflict between them.
So while Katie Price and Peter Andre will be struggling to deal with their own agony - their biggest challenge will be ensuring a stable environment for their three kids Harvey, eight, who is disabled, Junior, three, and Princess Tiá amii, one.
For children need the best parenting possible at a time when, ironically many parents feel least able to provide it.
Here PAULA HALL, a family and young people's counsellor for Relate, gives her tips on how to minimise the impact of divorce...
Manage your emotions: This is the most important thing -particularly managing your anger. It's OK to let your child know it's a difficult and painful time for you, too, but remember strong emotions can frighten a child.
Your children need to know the world is still a safe place where their needs will be met.
One of the most destructive things you can do is blame your partner. It's essential the kids know they can continue to have a good relationship with both of you.
Break the news together: Parents should tell the children together wherever possible. Timing and sensitivity are crucial. Once the decision is final and you've got a rough idea of how and when changes will happen, sit down together and explain.
They don't need to know the ins and outs of why you've broken up, but they do need to know you are still committed to them, even if you're no longer partners.
Children's reactions vary depending on their age and personality. For all, there will be a huge sense of shock, confusion and anxiety. They may also be angry.
Be ready to answer their questions as honestly as possible and make sure they know they can come to you whenever they need to.
Reassure, reassure, reassure: Children of all ages need to know that the separation is not their fault and that neither of you will stop loving them or leave them.
They need to be given confidence about new living arrangements and know that it's OK for them to keep on loving both of you.
It's essential that parents realise divorce is not a one-off event for children but a decision that will affect them for the rest of their lives. That means the reassurance needs to continue over the coming months and years.
Maintain routines and boundaries: External routines can help to minimise internal turmoil. Therefore, where possible, keep life the same as it has been bedtimes and mealtimes, brushing teeth and going to school.
Regressing to an earlier stage of development is common for younger children and older ones may be more challenging than usual. Accept these changes as normal but support and encourage your children to get back on track as soon as they're ready.
Establish regular contact: This is important, as soon as possible, especially for younger children who will find long separation difficult. As well as face-to face contact, agree regular phone times or use text and email.
Many children will feel insecure about contact at first and lateness or cancellations can easily be taken as rejection, so never let your kids down unless it's absolutely unavoidable.
Become a co-operative co-parent: If you've always argued about the children, then co-operative parenting may be harder than ever. But, for many, once the tensions of the relationship come to an end, it can be easier to both focus on what's best for the kids.
Try to keep in regular contact with each other to discuss parenting concerns and plans, and never use your children as go-betweens. Even relaying simple, practical information can soon become a burden.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
By Paula Hall
MOST parents would do anything to avoid upsetting their kids - but when couples start the painful process of splitting up - those best intentions are often forgotten.
Research shows key factors affecting a child's ability to cope are the quality of contact with both parents and the level of conflict between them.
So while Katie Price and Peter Andre will be struggling to deal with their own agony - their biggest challenge will be ensuring a stable environment for their three kids Harvey, eight, who is disabled, Junior, three, and Princess Tiá amii, one.
For children need the best parenting possible at a time when, ironically many parents feel least able to provide it.
Here PAULA HALL, a family and young people's counsellor for Relate, gives her tips on how to minimise the impact of divorce...
Manage your emotions: This is the most important thing -particularly managing your anger. It's OK to let your child know it's a difficult and painful time for you, too, but remember strong emotions can frighten a child.
Your children need to know the world is still a safe place where their needs will be met.
One of the most destructive things you can do is blame your partner. It's essential the kids know they can continue to have a good relationship with both of you.
Break the news together: Parents should tell the children together wherever possible. Timing and sensitivity are crucial. Once the decision is final and you've got a rough idea of how and when changes will happen, sit down together and explain.
They don't need to know the ins and outs of why you've broken up, but they do need to know you are still committed to them, even if you're no longer partners.
Children's reactions vary depending on their age and personality. For all, there will be a huge sense of shock, confusion and anxiety. They may also be angry.
Be ready to answer their questions as honestly as possible and make sure they know they can come to you whenever they need to.
Reassure, reassure, reassure: Children of all ages need to know that the separation is not their fault and that neither of you will stop loving them or leave them.
They need to be given confidence about new living arrangements and know that it's OK for them to keep on loving both of you.
It's essential that parents realise divorce is not a one-off event for children but a decision that will affect them for the rest of their lives. That means the reassurance needs to continue over the coming months and years.
Maintain routines and boundaries: External routines can help to minimise internal turmoil. Therefore, where possible, keep life the same as it has been bedtimes and mealtimes, brushing teeth and going to school.
Regressing to an earlier stage of development is common for younger children and older ones may be more challenging than usual. Accept these changes as normal but support and encourage your children to get back on track as soon as they're ready.
Establish regular contact: This is important, as soon as possible, especially for younger children who will find long separation difficult. As well as face-to face contact, agree regular phone times or use text and email.
Many children will feel insecure about contact at first and lateness or cancellations can easily be taken as rejection, so never let your kids down unless it's absolutely unavoidable.
Become a co-operative co-parent: If you've always argued about the children, then co-operative parenting may be harder than ever. But, for many, once the tensions of the relationship come to an end, it can be easier to both focus on what's best for the kids.
Try to keep in regular contact with each other to discuss parenting concerns and plans, and never use your children as go-betweens. Even relaying simple, practical information can soon become a burden.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Augusta Military Divorce Attorney - Princess Diana wanted divorce hours after Harry's birth
Augusta Military Divorce Attorney - Princess Diana wanted divorce hours after Harry's birth
by BANG
Paul Burrell says Britain's Prince Charles' marriage to Princess Diana broke down the day Prince Harry was born.
The former royal butler - who worked for the princess for 10 years until her death in 1997 - claims he knew Diana and Charles' relationship was over moments after their second son was born.
Speaking to Italian TV show 'Ricomincare', he said: "It was five years into their marriage, Harry had just been born. The day he was born Prince Charles went to visit him peeped into the cot for five minutes and said 'Oh it's a boy' then he went to the opera.
"She said that she cried throughout the night and so I think she knew then things were not right."
Burrell also claimed Diana - who was killed in a Paris car crash - used to cry constantly after Charles told her he never loved her and only married her to have children.
He said: "She was trapped in a world that would not listen to her. Her children were the most important people in her life and instead of being loved she reversed it by giving love.
"She would often say it's far better to give than receive because there are no strings. I don't know anyone as incredibly unique as the princess. But on a daily basis I would have to dry her tears."
Burrell's comments are likely to infuriate Harry and his older brother William, who have previously accused Burrell - who wrote a tell-all book about the princess and appeared on several reality TV shows - of shamelessly profiting from their mother's death.
Charles and Diana married in 1981 and in 1992 Buckingham Palace announce they were separating. They divorced in 1996.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
by BANG
Paul Burrell says Britain's Prince Charles' marriage to Princess Diana broke down the day Prince Harry was born.
The former royal butler - who worked for the princess for 10 years until her death in 1997 - claims he knew Diana and Charles' relationship was over moments after their second son was born.
Speaking to Italian TV show 'Ricomincare', he said: "It was five years into their marriage, Harry had just been born. The day he was born Prince Charles went to visit him peeped into the cot for five minutes and said 'Oh it's a boy' then he went to the opera.
"She said that she cried throughout the night and so I think she knew then things were not right."
Burrell also claimed Diana - who was killed in a Paris car crash - used to cry constantly after Charles told her he never loved her and only married her to have children.
He said: "She was trapped in a world that would not listen to her. Her children were the most important people in her life and instead of being loved she reversed it by giving love.
"She would often say it's far better to give than receive because there are no strings. I don't know anyone as incredibly unique as the princess. But on a daily basis I would have to dry her tears."
Burrell's comments are likely to infuriate Harry and his older brother William, who have previously accused Burrell - who wrote a tell-all book about the princess and appeared on several reality TV shows - of shamelessly profiting from their mother's death.
Charles and Diana married in 1981 and in 1992 Buckingham Palace announce they were separating. They divorced in 1996.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Augusta Military Divorce Attorney - Body Guards Escort Hulk Hogan's Wife To Divorce Hearing
Augusta Military Divorce Attorney - Body Guards Escort Hulk Hogan's Wife To Divorce Hearing
PINELLAS COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- Terry Bollea, a.k.a. Hulk Hogan, and his estranged wife, Linda, were in court Monday.
Linda Bollea had private security guards escort her in and out of the Clearwater courthouse.
It was the first hearing since Hogan's controversial comments about the O.J. Simpson case.
Linda Bollea told reporters she's afraid for her safety.
"I'm afraid for my life. It's all too similar to the O.J. situation," she said. "He's a guy that's got a lot of rage and a lot of jealousy."
"She based the whole body guard situation on the Rolling Stone article, which she did not read," Terry Bollea said. "I just don't know why she didn't have body guards for years and years before the divorce was filed. I just don't understand it."
The estranged couple have been fighting over money. At Monday's hearing Linda Bollea claimed Hulk was hiding cash.
The judge ran out of time and didn't hear all the testimony. Linda Bollea's 20-year-old boyfriend, Charlie Hill, was also in court. Hogan's attorneys subpoenaed Hill to talk about how much money he gets from Linda. But since the judge ran out of time, Hill never took the stand.
The divorce hearing will continue in June. The judge is considering bringing everyone in on a Saturday so they can get everything done. The divorce trial is scheduled for October 5.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
PINELLAS COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- Terry Bollea, a.k.a. Hulk Hogan, and his estranged wife, Linda, were in court Monday.
Linda Bollea had private security guards escort her in and out of the Clearwater courthouse.
It was the first hearing since Hogan's controversial comments about the O.J. Simpson case.
Linda Bollea told reporters she's afraid for her safety.
"I'm afraid for my life. It's all too similar to the O.J. situation," she said. "He's a guy that's got a lot of rage and a lot of jealousy."
"She based the whole body guard situation on the Rolling Stone article, which she did not read," Terry Bollea said. "I just don't know why she didn't have body guards for years and years before the divorce was filed. I just don't understand it."
The estranged couple have been fighting over money. At Monday's hearing Linda Bollea claimed Hulk was hiding cash.
The judge ran out of time and didn't hear all the testimony. Linda Bollea's 20-year-old boyfriend, Charlie Hill, was also in court. Hogan's attorneys subpoenaed Hill to talk about how much money he gets from Linda. But since the judge ran out of time, Hill never took the stand.
The divorce hearing will continue in June. The judge is considering bringing everyone in on a Saturday so they can get everything done. The divorce trial is scheduled for October 5.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Augusta Georgia Military Divorce Attorney - Accused soldier's father says son 'broke'
Augusta Georgia Military Divorce Attorney - Accused soldier's father says son 'broke'
By SCHUYLER DIXON
SHERMAN, Texas (AP) — The Army sergeant accused of killing five fellow soldiers in Iraq was typically not a violent person, but counselors "broke" him before the gunfire erupted in a military stress center, his father said Tuesday. Wilburn Russell, 73, told reporters that his son, Sgt. John M. Russell, was treated poorly at the stress center and had e-mailed his wife calling two recent days the worst in his life.
"I hate what that boy did," said the elder Russell, speaking in front of the two-story suburban home his son is buying with his wife. "He thought it was justified. That's never a solution."
The 44-year-old soldier has been charged with murder and aggravated assault in the Baghdad slayings Monday, which his father said came just weeks before the end of his third tour of duty in Iraq.
His father said the younger Russell, an electronics technician, was at the stress center to transition out of active duty. He said his son was undergoing stressful mental tests that he didn't understand were merely tests, "so they broke him."
"His life was over as far as he was concerned. He lived for the military," the elder Russell said. "We're sorry for the families, too. It shouldn't have happened."
The soldier's son, John M. Russell II, said Tuesday that he has communicated with his father by e-mail regularly. In the last message he received from him, on April 25, his father sounded normal and planned to be back in Texas to visit in July.
"He's not a violent person," he said. "For this to happen, it had to be something going on that the Army's not telling us about."
Sgt. Russell grew up in rural Grayson County and graduated from high school in 1985. He entered the Army National Guard in 1988 and served until going on active duty in 1994.
He lives with his wife in Germany, where he's been for the better part of the past 10 to 15 years but comes home a couple times a year, his father said.
Russell's ex-wife filed for divorce in 1991 and obtained a temporary restraining order against him, alleging in the petition that he committed "acts of family violence."
The petition also cited an alleged incident in which he had a confrontation with Denise Russell's mother.
"During this time, respondent physically attacked my mother, age 58, hitting her on the shoulders and about the head," a petition affidavit stated.
There was no response Tuesday to a telephone call and a visit to Russell's ex-wife.
In 1993, a month after the divorce decree was issued, Russell was charged with misdemeanor assault but the matter was dropped, records show.
Jack McGowen, listed as Russell's attorney for the divorce as well as the threat case, said Tuesday he can't recall either matter.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
By SCHUYLER DIXON
SHERMAN, Texas (AP) — The Army sergeant accused of killing five fellow soldiers in Iraq was typically not a violent person, but counselors "broke" him before the gunfire erupted in a military stress center, his father said Tuesday. Wilburn Russell, 73, told reporters that his son, Sgt. John M. Russell, was treated poorly at the stress center and had e-mailed his wife calling two recent days the worst in his life.
"I hate what that boy did," said the elder Russell, speaking in front of the two-story suburban home his son is buying with his wife. "He thought it was justified. That's never a solution."
The 44-year-old soldier has been charged with murder and aggravated assault in the Baghdad slayings Monday, which his father said came just weeks before the end of his third tour of duty in Iraq.
His father said the younger Russell, an electronics technician, was at the stress center to transition out of active duty. He said his son was undergoing stressful mental tests that he didn't understand were merely tests, "so they broke him."
"His life was over as far as he was concerned. He lived for the military," the elder Russell said. "We're sorry for the families, too. It shouldn't have happened."
The soldier's son, John M. Russell II, said Tuesday that he has communicated with his father by e-mail regularly. In the last message he received from him, on April 25, his father sounded normal and planned to be back in Texas to visit in July.
"He's not a violent person," he said. "For this to happen, it had to be something going on that the Army's not telling us about."
Sgt. Russell grew up in rural Grayson County and graduated from high school in 1985. He entered the Army National Guard in 1988 and served until going on active duty in 1994.
He lives with his wife in Germany, where he's been for the better part of the past 10 to 15 years but comes home a couple times a year, his father said.
Russell's ex-wife filed for divorce in 1991 and obtained a temporary restraining order against him, alleging in the petition that he committed "acts of family violence."
The petition also cited an alleged incident in which he had a confrontation with Denise Russell's mother.
"During this time, respondent physically attacked my mother, age 58, hitting her on the shoulders and about the head," a petition affidavit stated.
There was no response Tuesday to a telephone call and a visit to Russell's ex-wife.
In 1993, a month after the divorce decree was issued, Russell was charged with misdemeanor assault but the matter was dropped, records show.
Jack McGowen, listed as Russell's attorney for the divorce as well as the threat case, said Tuesday he can't recall either matter.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Augusta Military Divorce Lawyer - In Defense of Marriage
Augusta Military Divorce Lawyer - In Defense of Marriage
by Doctor Zero
Recent events have made the legal recognition of gay marriage a hot topic. Social conservatives are fighting a battle to preserve the traditional definition of marriage, and this battle is entering a crucial stage. The other side of the argument has enormous influence in the popular culture, to the point where one of its most outspoken activists can be invited to judge the Miss USA contest, and use his position to score political points. Social conservatives are presumed guilty of bigotry for daring to speak in favor of traditional marriage � as the Carrie Prejean affair demonstrates, they are treated more like defendants at a trial, than participants in a debate.
Whatever the motivations of the outspoken leadership of the gay marriage movement, there’s no question that many average gay Americans want the official sanction of marriage for the best of reasons: to honor passionate commitment and lifelong relationships. It’s essential for those who defend the traditional definition of marriage to make the case that marriage is worth preserving, when the consequences of winning the debate include disappointment, humiliation, and anger among gay people who wish to be married.
Marriage between men and women is a tradition that stretches back for centuries, into the history of the European nations that colonized America, and the history of virtually every other civilization around the world. Marriage is vastly older than various other features of modern life that we asked to accept as eternal and unchangeable, such as progressive taxation, or federal control of public education. It was not invented in the Fifties by stodgy old television producers, and we are not designing our nation’s law or culture from scratch, arbitrarily deciding to pencil in a mean-spirited homosexual exclusion to a newly minted �right.� We should be clear that proponents of the traditional definition of marriage are being asked to redefine something that has been part of human law and custom for most of our recorded history. The longevity of marriage, and its presence in almost every human culture, speak in its favor. Modern Americans often embrace the delusion they are the first generation to be capable of changing their ways, but our forefathers down through the centuries were perfectly capable of redefining marriage, if they had wanted to. The definition of marriage as a bond between a man and a woman has endured through the development of Western culture, under the influence of various religions, because it’s important.
Marriage is a basic building block for society. The marital bond creates families, and brings families together, creating an atmosphere of trust and loyalty that was crucial to the formation of ancient societies… but is also important to a technologically advanced democracy. The line of authority begins with man and wife, and builds into families, extended clans, communities, and nations. Men and women raised by parents who honor their lifelong pledge of devotion are better able to enter a democracy as strong, independent citizens who can fulfill their civic duties and use their voting power wisely. It’s common sense to recognize the advantage of having an extended family you can fall back on for support in tough times, and which can build wealth that benefits all of the family members. Simply owning a family home, which has been largely paid for by the older generation, is an enormous asset. People who can turn to their families when they hit rock bottom are less likely to demand welfare from the government. The pathologies of crime and welfare dependency are strongly linked to the explosion of children raised by single parents, as the no-fault divorce culture has weakened marriage. Families also provide emotional support that no amount of sterile government spending can ever duplicate. We never should have accepted the Great Society notion that raising children was primarily an exercise in accounting, treating them as line items on Uncle Sam’s budget sheet.
Solid marriages, and the families they produce, also contribute a powerful resource that has become scarce in modern America: honor, and by extension shame. Families help to build a sense of honor by holding children accountable for what they do to each other, and making them aware that they carry the family’s honor with them when they move into the outside world. People who are mindful that their actions reflect upon the reputation of a mighty family tree are more likely to conduct themselves honorably, and more likely to feel the sting of shame if their actions don’t measure up to the family’s standards. It’s sad that so many of us have to go through life without being able to look behind us and see the ghosts of our parents, and their parents before them, holding hands and standing united in their pride at our achievements… and their disappointment when we behave in a way that dishonors their memory. We live in a world that our great-grandparents could scarcely have imagined, and we should be grateful that they were able to build that world for us, and aware of our responsibility to build the world our great-grandchildren will inherit. A nation that runs up an incalculable national debt is not a nation that is paying enough attention to the needs of its great-grandchildren.
Those who were raised in a single-parent household, as I was, might object that it’s possible to develop these virtues without both a mother and father to teach them. This is very true, but it’s far easier to raise children and give them the strength of an extended family with an intact marriage. I doubt most single parents reading this would deny their jobs would be easier if the mother or father of the children was still around to help, and took their responsibilities to their spouse and children seriously. When you’re talking about the evolution of a civilization � the interwoven life stories of three hundred million people � it pays for society to revere and encourage the traditions which are most likely to produce free-thinking, industrious, lawful citizens.
If raising children within an intact marriage makes it, say, 10% less likely those children will be criminals, you can keep thousands of criminals from haunting the streets by encouraging intact marriages… and that 10% hypothetical figure is probably a very low estimate of the beneficial effect of intact families, among the demographics most prone to violent crime, drug abuse, and long-term welfare dependency. Our cultural elite has constructed a society in which they can indulge their libertine instincts, and preen themselves over how marvelously open-minded they are, while passing the cost along to people whose lives became intolerable when they became a little bit harder. European states have collapsed into tired old socialist nursing homes by failing to produce enough children to keep their cultures and economies vibrant. In Europe, a half-dozen elderly grandparents have only one grandchild to share between them. In America, we have a vast population of children who never meet their grandparents.
There are those who say that assigning an exalted, officially sanctioned status to married couples implies that single people are somehow less valuable to society. Some argue that child-rearing isn’t a sufficient argument in favor of marriage, because we don’t frown on married couples who never get around to having children, or are incapable of having them. This misses the larger point that a healthy America has plenty of room for spinsters, playboys, and career-minded power couples who can’t fit children into their lifestyle… but we can’t all be like that. The next generation will come from families who make the incredible sacrifices necessary to have two, three, or even more children, when many of their friends look at the bill for a stay in the maternity ward, and think about what a cool plasma TV and home-theater system they could have bought with that money. Love and faith � in the future, and in each other � make it possible for a man and his wife to make those return trips to the maternity ward, without which the future would be empty and poor.
The advocate of redefining marriage will say that same-sex marriages can provide the kind of solid family environment that is so desirable, and modern technology can make it possible for them to have children. This ignores the value marriage has for the men and women who are joined by it, even if they never raise a family. Too much of our social evolution since the Sixties has been distorted by the ridiculous article of faith among the elites that men and women are interchangeable. Men and women are different, and they need each other. Marriage civilizes and focuses men, who have traded their clubs and spears for footballs and videogame controllers, but remain the same competitive and predatory creatures they have always been. It places their strength at the service of the women they love. For a man who don’t choose to serve in the military, marriage is his greatest opportunity to swear absolute loyalty to someone in this world besides himself. When a man kneels before his love and asks for her hand, he is not kneeling because he’s weak… he kneels because he’s strong, and he’s ready to share that strength with his wife. It’s a promise that is not easy to make, or easy to keep. Four decades of increasing crime, declining ambition, and deepening poverty for the most unfortunate among us should have taught us beyond question how much husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, need each other. The freakish ideologues who sold American women idiocy like �a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle� owe several generations of women, and their children, a groveling apology.
Some advocates of redefining marriage would laugh at this description of marriage, and call it an ideal too many couples fail to achieve. They might say the epidemic of divorce since the Seventies proves that traditional marriage has become a tattered and threadbare flag that is not worth defending. On the contrary, the divorce explosion proves the necessity of officially respecting and encouraging the difficult commitment of marriage. We weakened marriage by redefining it as a temporary business arrangement between men and women, to be dissolved without hesitation or remorse at any time. We would weaken it further by redefining it as a temporary business arrangement between anyone. We aren’t doing ourselves any favors by abandoning ideals that are difficult to achieve. We haven’t been helping our children by discouraging them from reaching for the future together… by telling them “forever” is a silly word, or “always” is merely the opening bid in an extended negotiation. We’ve done a poor job of setting a good example for the younger generation, and now we’re trying to let ourselves off the hook by saying those marriage vows were unreasonably difficult to begin with. Marriage is valuable because it’s difficult.
The libertarian objection to official recognition of marriage is that people should not look to their government to legitimize their moral preferences. This has always been a hollow argument, because the laws of a nation inevitably reflect the morality of its citizens. It becomes a ridiculous argument in the face of the gigantic, activist, sanctimonious government and ruling class of modern America. If the government is going to become agnostic on the question of sanctioning marriage, it will be the first time in decades it has decided to become agnostic on anything. Politicians who tell us we have a moral imperative to drive smaller cars should not be allowed to fall silent when asked if we have an even greater imperative to honor our marriage vows.
The idea that defenders of marriage are pleading for state and federal laws to “legitimize” their beliefs has the situation exactly backward: the citizens of a nation have a right to expect the laws of their government to reflect their beliefs. The advocates of redefining marriage understand this instinctively. The point of their crusade is not to gain the “right” to declare themselves to be married… they can do that now, and many of them do. The point is to change the legal structure of the country, to express a revised, manufactured consensus that the sex of the people involved in a marriage doesn’t matter, and eventually this would be further revised to say that the number of people involved doesn’t matter either. The point of obtaining legal sanction for gay marriage is not to change how gay people feel about it.
Ordinary people, struggling to prosper and raise their children in a complex world, are tired of being told that everything they revere is subject to deconstruction and re-interpretation. They are tired of hearing that every standard they hold is an insult to those who don’t meet it, and every belief is an insult to those who don’t share it. They’re weary of being used as test subjects in grand social experiments. To maintain a common culture, we must have ideals with intrinsic meaning, just as some of the words in any language must have a clear and unambiguous meaning. Government is not something imposed from above on its citizens, in a democracy - its authority flows upward from them. They have a right to expect that government to honor the vows and commitments they have made between themselves, dating back to centuries before the United States of America existed. They have a right to live in a society that doesn’t expend its energies trying to condition them to forget something they have understood since the first time they saw their fathers and mothers standing together and smiling down at them in the cradle… and which they have respected since the first time they looked through a family photo album and dreamed about who would be standing beside them, when the picture of their own family was added. Redefining marriage doesn’t make lasting unions between men and women less important. It just makes them harder to find.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
by Doctor Zero
Recent events have made the legal recognition of gay marriage a hot topic. Social conservatives are fighting a battle to preserve the traditional definition of marriage, and this battle is entering a crucial stage. The other side of the argument has enormous influence in the popular culture, to the point where one of its most outspoken activists can be invited to judge the Miss USA contest, and use his position to score political points. Social conservatives are presumed guilty of bigotry for daring to speak in favor of traditional marriage � as the Carrie Prejean affair demonstrates, they are treated more like defendants at a trial, than participants in a debate.
Whatever the motivations of the outspoken leadership of the gay marriage movement, there’s no question that many average gay Americans want the official sanction of marriage for the best of reasons: to honor passionate commitment and lifelong relationships. It’s essential for those who defend the traditional definition of marriage to make the case that marriage is worth preserving, when the consequences of winning the debate include disappointment, humiliation, and anger among gay people who wish to be married.
Marriage between men and women is a tradition that stretches back for centuries, into the history of the European nations that colonized America, and the history of virtually every other civilization around the world. Marriage is vastly older than various other features of modern life that we asked to accept as eternal and unchangeable, such as progressive taxation, or federal control of public education. It was not invented in the Fifties by stodgy old television producers, and we are not designing our nation’s law or culture from scratch, arbitrarily deciding to pencil in a mean-spirited homosexual exclusion to a newly minted �right.� We should be clear that proponents of the traditional definition of marriage are being asked to redefine something that has been part of human law and custom for most of our recorded history. The longevity of marriage, and its presence in almost every human culture, speak in its favor. Modern Americans often embrace the delusion they are the first generation to be capable of changing their ways, but our forefathers down through the centuries were perfectly capable of redefining marriage, if they had wanted to. The definition of marriage as a bond between a man and a woman has endured through the development of Western culture, under the influence of various religions, because it’s important.
Marriage is a basic building block for society. The marital bond creates families, and brings families together, creating an atmosphere of trust and loyalty that was crucial to the formation of ancient societies… but is also important to a technologically advanced democracy. The line of authority begins with man and wife, and builds into families, extended clans, communities, and nations. Men and women raised by parents who honor their lifelong pledge of devotion are better able to enter a democracy as strong, independent citizens who can fulfill their civic duties and use their voting power wisely. It’s common sense to recognize the advantage of having an extended family you can fall back on for support in tough times, and which can build wealth that benefits all of the family members. Simply owning a family home, which has been largely paid for by the older generation, is an enormous asset. People who can turn to their families when they hit rock bottom are less likely to demand welfare from the government. The pathologies of crime and welfare dependency are strongly linked to the explosion of children raised by single parents, as the no-fault divorce culture has weakened marriage. Families also provide emotional support that no amount of sterile government spending can ever duplicate. We never should have accepted the Great Society notion that raising children was primarily an exercise in accounting, treating them as line items on Uncle Sam’s budget sheet.
Solid marriages, and the families they produce, also contribute a powerful resource that has become scarce in modern America: honor, and by extension shame. Families help to build a sense of honor by holding children accountable for what they do to each other, and making them aware that they carry the family’s honor with them when they move into the outside world. People who are mindful that their actions reflect upon the reputation of a mighty family tree are more likely to conduct themselves honorably, and more likely to feel the sting of shame if their actions don’t measure up to the family’s standards. It’s sad that so many of us have to go through life without being able to look behind us and see the ghosts of our parents, and their parents before them, holding hands and standing united in their pride at our achievements… and their disappointment when we behave in a way that dishonors their memory. We live in a world that our great-grandparents could scarcely have imagined, and we should be grateful that they were able to build that world for us, and aware of our responsibility to build the world our great-grandchildren will inherit. A nation that runs up an incalculable national debt is not a nation that is paying enough attention to the needs of its great-grandchildren.
Those who were raised in a single-parent household, as I was, might object that it’s possible to develop these virtues without both a mother and father to teach them. This is very true, but it’s far easier to raise children and give them the strength of an extended family with an intact marriage. I doubt most single parents reading this would deny their jobs would be easier if the mother or father of the children was still around to help, and took their responsibilities to their spouse and children seriously. When you’re talking about the evolution of a civilization � the interwoven life stories of three hundred million people � it pays for society to revere and encourage the traditions which are most likely to produce free-thinking, industrious, lawful citizens.
If raising children within an intact marriage makes it, say, 10% less likely those children will be criminals, you can keep thousands of criminals from haunting the streets by encouraging intact marriages… and that 10% hypothetical figure is probably a very low estimate of the beneficial effect of intact families, among the demographics most prone to violent crime, drug abuse, and long-term welfare dependency. Our cultural elite has constructed a society in which they can indulge their libertine instincts, and preen themselves over how marvelously open-minded they are, while passing the cost along to people whose lives became intolerable when they became a little bit harder. European states have collapsed into tired old socialist nursing homes by failing to produce enough children to keep their cultures and economies vibrant. In Europe, a half-dozen elderly grandparents have only one grandchild to share between them. In America, we have a vast population of children who never meet their grandparents.
There are those who say that assigning an exalted, officially sanctioned status to married couples implies that single people are somehow less valuable to society. Some argue that child-rearing isn’t a sufficient argument in favor of marriage, because we don’t frown on married couples who never get around to having children, or are incapable of having them. This misses the larger point that a healthy America has plenty of room for spinsters, playboys, and career-minded power couples who can’t fit children into their lifestyle… but we can’t all be like that. The next generation will come from families who make the incredible sacrifices necessary to have two, three, or even more children, when many of their friends look at the bill for a stay in the maternity ward, and think about what a cool plasma TV and home-theater system they could have bought with that money. Love and faith � in the future, and in each other � make it possible for a man and his wife to make those return trips to the maternity ward, without which the future would be empty and poor.
The advocate of redefining marriage will say that same-sex marriages can provide the kind of solid family environment that is so desirable, and modern technology can make it possible for them to have children. This ignores the value marriage has for the men and women who are joined by it, even if they never raise a family. Too much of our social evolution since the Sixties has been distorted by the ridiculous article of faith among the elites that men and women are interchangeable. Men and women are different, and they need each other. Marriage civilizes and focuses men, who have traded their clubs and spears for footballs and videogame controllers, but remain the same competitive and predatory creatures they have always been. It places their strength at the service of the women they love. For a man who don’t choose to serve in the military, marriage is his greatest opportunity to swear absolute loyalty to someone in this world besides himself. When a man kneels before his love and asks for her hand, he is not kneeling because he’s weak… he kneels because he’s strong, and he’s ready to share that strength with his wife. It’s a promise that is not easy to make, or easy to keep. Four decades of increasing crime, declining ambition, and deepening poverty for the most unfortunate among us should have taught us beyond question how much husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, need each other. The freakish ideologues who sold American women idiocy like �a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle� owe several generations of women, and their children, a groveling apology.
Some advocates of redefining marriage would laugh at this description of marriage, and call it an ideal too many couples fail to achieve. They might say the epidemic of divorce since the Seventies proves that traditional marriage has become a tattered and threadbare flag that is not worth defending. On the contrary, the divorce explosion proves the necessity of officially respecting and encouraging the difficult commitment of marriage. We weakened marriage by redefining it as a temporary business arrangement between men and women, to be dissolved without hesitation or remorse at any time. We would weaken it further by redefining it as a temporary business arrangement between anyone. We aren’t doing ourselves any favors by abandoning ideals that are difficult to achieve. We haven’t been helping our children by discouraging them from reaching for the future together… by telling them “forever” is a silly word, or “always” is merely the opening bid in an extended negotiation. We’ve done a poor job of setting a good example for the younger generation, and now we’re trying to let ourselves off the hook by saying those marriage vows were unreasonably difficult to begin with. Marriage is valuable because it’s difficult.
The libertarian objection to official recognition of marriage is that people should not look to their government to legitimize their moral preferences. This has always been a hollow argument, because the laws of a nation inevitably reflect the morality of its citizens. It becomes a ridiculous argument in the face of the gigantic, activist, sanctimonious government and ruling class of modern America. If the government is going to become agnostic on the question of sanctioning marriage, it will be the first time in decades it has decided to become agnostic on anything. Politicians who tell us we have a moral imperative to drive smaller cars should not be allowed to fall silent when asked if we have an even greater imperative to honor our marriage vows.
The idea that defenders of marriage are pleading for state and federal laws to “legitimize” their beliefs has the situation exactly backward: the citizens of a nation have a right to expect the laws of their government to reflect their beliefs. The advocates of redefining marriage understand this instinctively. The point of their crusade is not to gain the “right” to declare themselves to be married… they can do that now, and many of them do. The point is to change the legal structure of the country, to express a revised, manufactured consensus that the sex of the people involved in a marriage doesn’t matter, and eventually this would be further revised to say that the number of people involved doesn’t matter either. The point of obtaining legal sanction for gay marriage is not to change how gay people feel about it.
Ordinary people, struggling to prosper and raise their children in a complex world, are tired of being told that everything they revere is subject to deconstruction and re-interpretation. They are tired of hearing that every standard they hold is an insult to those who don’t meet it, and every belief is an insult to those who don’t share it. They’re weary of being used as test subjects in grand social experiments. To maintain a common culture, we must have ideals with intrinsic meaning, just as some of the words in any language must have a clear and unambiguous meaning. Government is not something imposed from above on its citizens, in a democracy - its authority flows upward from them. They have a right to expect that government to honor the vows and commitments they have made between themselves, dating back to centuries before the United States of America existed. They have a right to live in a society that doesn’t expend its energies trying to condition them to forget something they have understood since the first time they saw their fathers and mothers standing together and smiling down at them in the cradle… and which they have respected since the first time they looked through a family photo album and dreamed about who would be standing beside them, when the picture of their own family was added. Redefining marriage doesn’t make lasting unions between men and women less important. It just makes them harder to find.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Georgia Military Divorce Attorney - Greenwich celebrity couple a no show in divorce court
Georgia Military Divorce Attorney - Greenwich celebrity couple a no show in divorce court
By Debra Friedman - STAFF WRITER
GREENWICH -- Estranged celebrity couple Peter Brant and Stephanie Seymour faked out the press Monday when they failed to show up in Stamford for their first meeting in divorce court.
Paparazzi staked out the state Superior Court in Stamford all day waiting for a glimpse of the former Victoria's Secret model and the newsprint billionaire to no avail.
The couple was scheduled to appear to argue several motions on their recently filed divorce -- most on papers filed by Seymour, 39, who is asking for exclusive use of their Greenwich mansion, custody of the couple's three children and alimony payments among other things.
Seymour filed for divorce March 24, citing that their 14-year marriage had "broken down irretrievably."
The motions filed in court show the bitter feelings inside the marriage. Brant is asking a judge to order Seymour to undergo drug and alcohol testing. Seymour is asking that Brant, 62, be tossed out of their home because of his "threatening" behavior.
"The defendant (Brant) has engaged in a pattern of hostile, threatening and intimidating behavior that has negatively impacted the children and the plaintiff (Seymour)," states court papers. "Wherefore, the plaintiff requests that the court enter an order compelling the defendant to vacate the premises and (prohibit) him from re-entering during the pendency of this action."
The motion goes on to describe Brant's alleged behavior saying that he "harassed and intimidated one or more of the children . . . restricted access to the family home . . . generally interfered with the plaintiff's ability to live and or function peacefully in the parties' home . . . and denigrated the plaintiff (Seymour) in the presence of one or more of the children," according to court papers.
In a separate motion, Brant requested a portion of the divorce records remain sealed because of the couple's high-profile status.
None of the motions have been ruled on by a judge.
The couple, who were married in 1995 in Paris, presently live together on North Street.
Brant stirred up controversy in the early 1990s when he pleaded guilty to federal tax violations and served 84 days in jail. Prosecutors alleged at the time that Brant charged more than $1.5 million in personal items as tax-deductible business expenses.
Brant, a top-ranked amateur polo player, is the developer of Conyers Farm, the gated enclave of mega-estates in the backcountry, an art collector and owner of Interview and Art in America magazines.
Seymour, a Victoria Secret Angel and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, dated Axl Rose and starred in the music video "November Rain" before meeting Brant.
Brant had five children with his previous wife, whom he divorced, and three with Seymour, including 15-year-old Peter Jr., 12-year-old Harry and 4-year-old Lily.
Brant and Seymour's lawyers were not available for comment Monday evening.
A new court date in the divorce case has not yet been set.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
By Debra Friedman - STAFF WRITER
GREENWICH -- Estranged celebrity couple Peter Brant and Stephanie Seymour faked out the press Monday when they failed to show up in Stamford for their first meeting in divorce court.
Paparazzi staked out the state Superior Court in Stamford all day waiting for a glimpse of the former Victoria's Secret model and the newsprint billionaire to no avail.
The couple was scheduled to appear to argue several motions on their recently filed divorce -- most on papers filed by Seymour, 39, who is asking for exclusive use of their Greenwich mansion, custody of the couple's three children and alimony payments among other things.
Seymour filed for divorce March 24, citing that their 14-year marriage had "broken down irretrievably."
The motions filed in court show the bitter feelings inside the marriage. Brant is asking a judge to order Seymour to undergo drug and alcohol testing. Seymour is asking that Brant, 62, be tossed out of their home because of his "threatening" behavior.
"The defendant (Brant) has engaged in a pattern of hostile, threatening and intimidating behavior that has negatively impacted the children and the plaintiff (Seymour)," states court papers. "Wherefore, the plaintiff requests that the court enter an order compelling the defendant to vacate the premises and (prohibit) him from re-entering during the pendency of this action."
The motion goes on to describe Brant's alleged behavior saying that he "harassed and intimidated one or more of the children . . . restricted access to the family home . . . generally interfered with the plaintiff's ability to live and or function peacefully in the parties' home . . . and denigrated the plaintiff (Seymour) in the presence of one or more of the children," according to court papers.
In a separate motion, Brant requested a portion of the divorce records remain sealed because of the couple's high-profile status.
None of the motions have been ruled on by a judge.
The couple, who were married in 1995 in Paris, presently live together on North Street.
Brant stirred up controversy in the early 1990s when he pleaded guilty to federal tax violations and served 84 days in jail. Prosecutors alleged at the time that Brant charged more than $1.5 million in personal items as tax-deductible business expenses.
Brant, a top-ranked amateur polo player, is the developer of Conyers Farm, the gated enclave of mega-estates in the backcountry, an art collector and owner of Interview and Art in America magazines.
Seymour, a Victoria Secret Angel and Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, dated Axl Rose and starred in the music video "November Rain" before meeting Brant.
Brant had five children with his previous wife, whom he divorced, and three with Seymour, including 15-year-old Peter Jr., 12-year-old Harry and 4-year-old Lily.
Brant and Seymour's lawyers were not available for comment Monday evening.
A new court date in the divorce case has not yet been set.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Augusta Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer - After divorce hearing, Hulk Hogan's wife says he's full of rage
Augusta Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer - After divorce hearing, Hulk Hogan's wife says he's full of rage
By Rita Farlow, Times Staff Writer
Hulk Hogan gets in shouting match with Bollea's lawyer
CLEARWATER — With two beefy bodyguards at her side after a Monday afternoon divorce hearing, Linda Bollea called her soon-to-be ex-husband a person with "a lot of rage, a lot of jealousy."
Linda Bollea said she feared for her life since learning of comments that Terry Bollea, better known as Hulk Hogan, made in a recent issue of Rolling Stone magazine, in which he was quoted as saying he understands O.J. Simpson.
Terry Bollea, who waited across the street while his estranged wife exited the courthouse complex, urged people to read the entire article before judging. His attorney, David Houston, said his client used a poor choice of words, but that Linda Bollea was blowing the issue out of proportion to garner sympathy.
The dueling news conferences came after a hearing in which a judge declined to rule on whether business associates of Terry Bollea's should be forced to testify. Linda Bollea's lawyers claim her husband is using the ventures to hide income from her.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
By Rita Farlow, Times Staff Writer
Hulk Hogan gets in shouting match with Bollea's lawyer
CLEARWATER — With two beefy bodyguards at her side after a Monday afternoon divorce hearing, Linda Bollea called her soon-to-be ex-husband a person with "a lot of rage, a lot of jealousy."
Linda Bollea said she feared for her life since learning of comments that Terry Bollea, better known as Hulk Hogan, made in a recent issue of Rolling Stone magazine, in which he was quoted as saying he understands O.J. Simpson.
Terry Bollea, who waited across the street while his estranged wife exited the courthouse complex, urged people to read the entire article before judging. His attorney, David Houston, said his client used a poor choice of words, but that Linda Bollea was blowing the issue out of proportion to garner sympathy.
The dueling news conferences came after a hearing in which a judge declined to rule on whether business associates of Terry Bollea's should be forced to testify. Linda Bollea's lawyers claim her husband is using the ventures to hide income from her.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Georgia Military Divorce Attorney - Other states’ gay divorce can affect us
Georgia Military Divorce Attorney - Other states’ gay divorce can affect us
By Randall M. Kessler
States legalizing same-sex marriage are remaking laws governing the union of two people. But as a family law attorney with 20 years of experience, I’m seeing a tangled web of legal problems dealing with a much more difficult issue: same-sex divorce.
Same-sex marriage is now authorized in a handful of states. But what happens in those states when those couples break up? Why should it matter in the states such as Georgia that have not recognized same-sex marriage?
Because we have a system of justice that allows each of our United States to recognize and enforce court orders of sister states, and this, of course, includes court orders of divorce.
Opponents of same-sex marriage sought a constitutional amendment to disallow same-sex marriage throughout the country since once it happens in one state, other states would surely follow. Well, now Iowa’s Supreme Court has allowed it, Vermont’s Legislature has approved it and other states are following suit.
A same-sex marriage that is legal in one state can be dissolved by divorce in that state. But when a gay couple divorces and then moves to a state where same-sex marriage is not legal, new challenges arise.
For instance, if one party was awarded a house that happens to be in Georgia would that divorce order be enforced in Georgia? If so, wouldn’t Georgia then be recognizing, at least by implication, same-sex marriage?
If not, aren’t we sending a message to Vermont or whichever state granted the divorce that we would not enforce their orders? And could this mean that Vermont might retaliate and not enforce orders of our state?
What happens if a gay couple marries, adopts a child and then divorces, all in a state that recognizes same-sex marriage, but then they move to Georgia? If the custodial parent seeks to enforce a child support award against the other parent, what does the court do?
If it enforces it, then hasn’t the court, and thus the state, recognized same-sex marriage, by enforcing the terms of the same-sex divorce? If it does not enforce the order, aren’t we then harming the most innocent victims, the children who need the support?
The same is true with child custody and visitation orders. If Georgia or any other state refuses to enforce a same-sex divorce then parents will have no way to ensure they can visit with the child if the custodial parent moves to Georgia.
There are many other such examples. If a gay divorcee applies for a job or credit in Georgia, do they put on the application that they are divorced, separated or single? Can the alimony or child support they receive from their same-sex divorce be counted as income when applying for a loan or a mortgage?
I am staying out of the political debate, but the idea of allowing citizens to utilize government for things like divorce helps give answers to those who would otherwise have to live with uncertainty.
Gay or not, people who love each other, invest together and have children together can benefit from the ability to have the court resolve their differences.
The purpose of the court system with respect to divorce is to resolve disputes and to guide parties in their future dealings when they cannot otherwise agree. Why should this logic only apply to heterosexuals?
As a family law attorney, I anticipate these issues will be before Georgia courts and perhaps the Georgia Legislature very soon. I look forward to seeing how we choose to resolve them.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
By Randall M. Kessler
States legalizing same-sex marriage are remaking laws governing the union of two people. But as a family law attorney with 20 years of experience, I’m seeing a tangled web of legal problems dealing with a much more difficult issue: same-sex divorce.
Same-sex marriage is now authorized in a handful of states. But what happens in those states when those couples break up? Why should it matter in the states such as Georgia that have not recognized same-sex marriage?
Because we have a system of justice that allows each of our United States to recognize and enforce court orders of sister states, and this, of course, includes court orders of divorce.
Opponents of same-sex marriage sought a constitutional amendment to disallow same-sex marriage throughout the country since once it happens in one state, other states would surely follow. Well, now Iowa’s Supreme Court has allowed it, Vermont’s Legislature has approved it and other states are following suit.
A same-sex marriage that is legal in one state can be dissolved by divorce in that state. But when a gay couple divorces and then moves to a state where same-sex marriage is not legal, new challenges arise.
For instance, if one party was awarded a house that happens to be in Georgia would that divorce order be enforced in Georgia? If so, wouldn’t Georgia then be recognizing, at least by implication, same-sex marriage?
If not, aren’t we sending a message to Vermont or whichever state granted the divorce that we would not enforce their orders? And could this mean that Vermont might retaliate and not enforce orders of our state?
What happens if a gay couple marries, adopts a child and then divorces, all in a state that recognizes same-sex marriage, but then they move to Georgia? If the custodial parent seeks to enforce a child support award against the other parent, what does the court do?
If it enforces it, then hasn’t the court, and thus the state, recognized same-sex marriage, by enforcing the terms of the same-sex divorce? If it does not enforce the order, aren’t we then harming the most innocent victims, the children who need the support?
The same is true with child custody and visitation orders. If Georgia or any other state refuses to enforce a same-sex divorce then parents will have no way to ensure they can visit with the child if the custodial parent moves to Georgia.
There are many other such examples. If a gay divorcee applies for a job or credit in Georgia, do they put on the application that they are divorced, separated or single? Can the alimony or child support they receive from their same-sex divorce be counted as income when applying for a loan or a mortgage?
I am staying out of the political debate, but the idea of allowing citizens to utilize government for things like divorce helps give answers to those who would otherwise have to live with uncertainty.
Gay or not, people who love each other, invest together and have children together can benefit from the ability to have the court resolve their differences.
The purpose of the court system with respect to divorce is to resolve disputes and to guide parties in their future dealings when they cannot otherwise agree. Why should this logic only apply to heterosexuals?
As a family law attorney, I anticipate these issues will be before Georgia courts and perhaps the Georgia Legislature very soon. I look forward to seeing how we choose to resolve them.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Augusta Military Divorce Attorney - Welfare of troops, military families gains emphasis, Rep. Murtha says
Augusta Military Divorce Attorney - Welfare of troops, military families gains emphasis, Rep. Murtha says
By Craig Smith - TRIBUNE-REVIEW
WASHINGTON — A reshaped military will spend more on the needs of families — from child care and spousal support to lodging and education — and will increase psychological health programs and long-term care for returning soldiers, says the head of a congressional subcommittee that would fund such initiatives.
"Today, they are becoming more realistic about how much an individual can stand. They are now considering the families because the deployments are so long. They are considering post-traumatic stress syndrome, suicides," Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania's 12th district, chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, said in an interview with the Tribune-Review.
The effort to redesign the military comes as tensions escalate between the United States and Iran, Korea, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
As the Taliban strengthens its stronghold in Pakistan, Defense Secretary Robert Gates has proposed deep cuts in traditional weapons systems and spending increases for troops and technology.
It will not be an easy sell on Capitol Hill, said Murtha, a Democrat from Johnstown, who enlisted in the Marines during the Korean War and fought in Vietnam.
"It's the most complicated situation in the 35 years that I've been here, and what we're doing this year will have a direct impact on the future of the military," he said.
Recent events in Pakistan — Taliban militants have pushed out from the Swat Valley to as close as 60 miles from the capital — are making even the most senior members of Murtha's committee anxious.
"A lot of people are very nervous about it. ... It's complicated by the world situation. It's complicated by the fact that we're in debt. We've spent $879 billion on the war right now. That's the two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Debt has gone from $5 trillion to $10 trillion," said Murtha, whose great-grandfather served in the Army during the Civil War.
Washington is concerned that the Swat Valley might be the first domino to fall to the Taliban in nuclear-armed Pakistan, further complicating the battle in Afghanistan, Murtha said.
"You can't divorce one from the other. If you go into Afghanistan, you're going to confront the problems we have in Pakistan," he said.
The military must invest in relationships here and abroad, said Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander, U.S. Central Command.
"Typically, achieving U.S. national goals and objectives ... involves more than just the traditional application of military power," Petraeus recently told the committee. "In many cases, a whole of government approach is required."
Gates is proposing changes that would realign the $534 billion defense budget to better fit national security needs, said Todd Harrison, fellow for defense budget studies at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment.
"The changes he proposed are pretty good in terms of getting the military on better footing," Harrison said.
Gates wants to increase money for special operations, for instance, and the kind of warfare the military will face in the future, Harrison said.
"What we ... did in the past, we went in with full military power. We used air and artillery and we decimated the enemy. The days of shock and awe are over," said Murtha.
The proposed changes, the most significant since the Cold War in the 1960s, stem from lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Bruce W. Bennett, senior defense analyst at the Rand Corp.
"What we've learned ... is we can't be everywhere doing everything at the same time," he said.
Murtha's great-grandfather, Abraham Tidball Bell, enlisted in the Army in Washington County and served at the Capitol during the Civil War. His Union hat and a letter Bell wrote home are displayed in Murtha's office.
His father, John P. Murtha, and his uncles, Regis Murtha and Danny Murtha, served in World War II. His brothers, Charles, Robert and James, were Marines.
Murtha has been at the center of a recent controversy over congressional earmarks, the practice by congressmen of steering money to pet projects in their districts. President Obama has vowed to end the practice.
Murtha has inserted into bills hundreds of millions of dollars for his district for sewer and water projects, historical landmarks, diabetes and cancer research, and diabetes clinics, among other things.
"I don't make any apologies at all for what I do. ... I'm good at it, I have to admit. ... I make damn sure that we take care of our district," he said.
It started with the collapse of the steel industry.
"Western Pennsylvania was decimated by the loss of steel jobs. We went to (President) Reagan, we worked out a deal, which you could call an earmark, which limited the amount of subsidized steel. We saved the steel industry for a short time," he said. "Then we expanded it. We said there's more to this than just trying to save the steel industry."
Critics complain about such pork barrel spending, but it is not illegal.
"We know better what's needed in the district than some bureaucrat up here in Washington," Murtha said.
Earmarks helped bring Sony to Westmoreland County after Volkswagen abandoned its carmaking plant near New Stanton in 1988, he said.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
By Craig Smith - TRIBUNE-REVIEW
WASHINGTON — A reshaped military will spend more on the needs of families — from child care and spousal support to lodging and education — and will increase psychological health programs and long-term care for returning soldiers, says the head of a congressional subcommittee that would fund such initiatives.
"Today, they are becoming more realistic about how much an individual can stand. They are now considering the families because the deployments are so long. They are considering post-traumatic stress syndrome, suicides," Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania's 12th district, chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, said in an interview with the Tribune-Review.
The effort to redesign the military comes as tensions escalate between the United States and Iran, Korea, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
As the Taliban strengthens its stronghold in Pakistan, Defense Secretary Robert Gates has proposed deep cuts in traditional weapons systems and spending increases for troops and technology.
It will not be an easy sell on Capitol Hill, said Murtha, a Democrat from Johnstown, who enlisted in the Marines during the Korean War and fought in Vietnam.
"It's the most complicated situation in the 35 years that I've been here, and what we're doing this year will have a direct impact on the future of the military," he said.
Recent events in Pakistan — Taliban militants have pushed out from the Swat Valley to as close as 60 miles from the capital — are making even the most senior members of Murtha's committee anxious.
"A lot of people are very nervous about it. ... It's complicated by the world situation. It's complicated by the fact that we're in debt. We've spent $879 billion on the war right now. That's the two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Debt has gone from $5 trillion to $10 trillion," said Murtha, whose great-grandfather served in the Army during the Civil War.
Washington is concerned that the Swat Valley might be the first domino to fall to the Taliban in nuclear-armed Pakistan, further complicating the battle in Afghanistan, Murtha said.
"You can't divorce one from the other. If you go into Afghanistan, you're going to confront the problems we have in Pakistan," he said.
The military must invest in relationships here and abroad, said Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander, U.S. Central Command.
"Typically, achieving U.S. national goals and objectives ... involves more than just the traditional application of military power," Petraeus recently told the committee. "In many cases, a whole of government approach is required."
Gates is proposing changes that would realign the $534 billion defense budget to better fit national security needs, said Todd Harrison, fellow for defense budget studies at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment.
"The changes he proposed are pretty good in terms of getting the military on better footing," Harrison said.
Gates wants to increase money for special operations, for instance, and the kind of warfare the military will face in the future, Harrison said.
"What we ... did in the past, we went in with full military power. We used air and artillery and we decimated the enemy. The days of shock and awe are over," said Murtha.
The proposed changes, the most significant since the Cold War in the 1960s, stem from lessons learned in Iraq and Afghanistan, said Bruce W. Bennett, senior defense analyst at the Rand Corp.
"What we've learned ... is we can't be everywhere doing everything at the same time," he said.
Murtha's great-grandfather, Abraham Tidball Bell, enlisted in the Army in Washington County and served at the Capitol during the Civil War. His Union hat and a letter Bell wrote home are displayed in Murtha's office.
His father, John P. Murtha, and his uncles, Regis Murtha and Danny Murtha, served in World War II. His brothers, Charles, Robert and James, were Marines.
Murtha has been at the center of a recent controversy over congressional earmarks, the practice by congressmen of steering money to pet projects in their districts. President Obama has vowed to end the practice.
Murtha has inserted into bills hundreds of millions of dollars for his district for sewer and water projects, historical landmarks, diabetes and cancer research, and diabetes clinics, among other things.
"I don't make any apologies at all for what I do. ... I'm good at it, I have to admit. ... I make damn sure that we take care of our district," he said.
It started with the collapse of the steel industry.
"Western Pennsylvania was decimated by the loss of steel jobs. We went to (President) Reagan, we worked out a deal, which you could call an earmark, which limited the amount of subsidized steel. We saved the steel industry for a short time," he said. "Then we expanded it. We said there's more to this than just trying to save the steel industry."
Critics complain about such pork barrel spending, but it is not illegal.
"We know better what's needed in the district than some bureaucrat up here in Washington," Murtha said.
Earmarks helped bring Sony to Westmoreland County after Volkswagen abandoned its carmaking plant near New Stanton in 1988, he said.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Augusta Military Divorce Attorney - US soldier in custody after allegedly killing five fellow troops in Iraq
Augusta Military Divorce Attorney - US soldier in custody after allegedly killing five fellow troops in Iraq
Pentagon confirmed soldier opened fire at Camp Liberty near Baghdad international airport
by Ewen MacAskill in Washington - guardian.co.uk
A US soldier was in custody in Baghdad today after allegedly killing five other military personnel and wounding three others, one of the highest death tolls for the American military in recent months.
The Pentagon confirmed that a soldier had opened fire at Camp Liberty, a US base just outside Baghdad and next to the international airport.
Associated Press reported a US official saying that the shooting took place at a stress clinic, where soldiers suffering mental problems or from fatigue or other problems can go for treatment or counselling.
"The shooter is a US soldier and he is in custody," said US marine corps lieutenant Tom Garnett, a US military spokesman in Iraq. "This is certainly an unexpected and tragic event," said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman.
Stress is one of the biggest killers of US soldiers in Iraq. About a fifth of all US troops are thought to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, contributing to high divorce and suicide rates. An estimated one fifth of the 4,292 members of the US force in Iraq have died from non-combat causes, either in accidents or from suicide.
An estimated five soldiers in Iraq try to commit suicide each day. Between September last year and last month, more US troops, 72, died from accidents, illness or suicide than from combat, 67.
US casualties in Iraq have dropped over the last year, partly because of a decrease in violence overall and partly because US forces are handing over lots of frontline duties to their Iraqi counterparts. They could have even less of a frontline role from 30 June when, as part of a phased withdrawal from Iraq, they begin to pull out from urban centres.
The death toll from today's shooting was the highest for US forces since a suicide bomber killed five Americans soldiers in the northern town of Mosul on 10 April.
The Pentagon did not disclose whether those killed today were combat soldiers or military personnel working at a clinic or in some other role at the camps. The attack took place about 2pm local time.
The names of those killed are being withheld until relatives are informed.
Colonel John Robinson, a military spokesman in Iraq, said: "Any time we lose one of our own, it affects us all. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of all the servicemembers involved in this terrible tragedy."
Attacks by US soldiers on their comrades or on officers was commonplace during the Vietnam war. It is less prevalent in Iraq but still happens. In September a sergeant shot dead two fellow sergeants who had apparently been berating him.
In a separate incident today, a US soldier was killed in a roadside bombing near Basra.
In Baghdad, a senior Iraqi traffic officer was assassinated on his way to work.
Police in Iraq said that a car had cut off Brigadier General Abdul-Hussein and another had pulled up beside him. Gunmen equipped with silencers riddled his car.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Pentagon confirmed soldier opened fire at Camp Liberty near Baghdad international airport
by Ewen MacAskill in Washington - guardian.co.uk
A US soldier was in custody in Baghdad today after allegedly killing five other military personnel and wounding three others, one of the highest death tolls for the American military in recent months.
The Pentagon confirmed that a soldier had opened fire at Camp Liberty, a US base just outside Baghdad and next to the international airport.
Associated Press reported a US official saying that the shooting took place at a stress clinic, where soldiers suffering mental problems or from fatigue or other problems can go for treatment or counselling.
"The shooter is a US soldier and he is in custody," said US marine corps lieutenant Tom Garnett, a US military spokesman in Iraq. "This is certainly an unexpected and tragic event," said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman.
Stress is one of the biggest killers of US soldiers in Iraq. About a fifth of all US troops are thought to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, contributing to high divorce and suicide rates. An estimated one fifth of the 4,292 members of the US force in Iraq have died from non-combat causes, either in accidents or from suicide.
An estimated five soldiers in Iraq try to commit suicide each day. Between September last year and last month, more US troops, 72, died from accidents, illness or suicide than from combat, 67.
US casualties in Iraq have dropped over the last year, partly because of a decrease in violence overall and partly because US forces are handing over lots of frontline duties to their Iraqi counterparts. They could have even less of a frontline role from 30 June when, as part of a phased withdrawal from Iraq, they begin to pull out from urban centres.
The death toll from today's shooting was the highest for US forces since a suicide bomber killed five Americans soldiers in the northern town of Mosul on 10 April.
The Pentagon did not disclose whether those killed today were combat soldiers or military personnel working at a clinic or in some other role at the camps. The attack took place about 2pm local time.
The names of those killed are being withheld until relatives are informed.
Colonel John Robinson, a military spokesman in Iraq, said: "Any time we lose one of our own, it affects us all. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of all the servicemembers involved in this terrible tragedy."
Attacks by US soldiers on their comrades or on officers was commonplace during the Vietnam war. It is less prevalent in Iraq but still happens. In September a sergeant shot dead two fellow sergeants who had apparently been berating him.
In a separate incident today, a US soldier was killed in a roadside bombing near Basra.
In Baghdad, a senior Iraqi traffic officer was assassinated on his way to work.
Police in Iraq said that a car had cut off Brigadier General Abdul-Hussein and another had pulled up beside him. Gunmen equipped with silencers riddled his car.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Augusta Military Divorce Attorney - Is divorce rate a leading economic indicator?
Augusta Military Divorce Attorney - Is divorce rate a leading economic indicator?
BY MICHAEL B. GILDEN - The Miami Herald
There have been some recent suggestions and statistical studies which indicate that the divorce rate in the past several months has actually dropped in certain parts of this country, including in Florida. This would run contrary to long-term studies which have shown the rate of divorce to approach, if not exceed, 50 percent in the United States. Moreover, this divorce trend has seemingly been on a continuous rise.
Is divorce recession proof?
The depths to which our country's economy has sunk over the past year may have a correlation with this recent downward divorce trend. Many divorce lawyers had always maintained the opinion that divorce law is a recession-proof specialty. In good economic times, people tend to seek freedom from bad marriages so as to enjoy their wealth without the ties that bound them. In bad economic times, couples fought about having less money, which is also one of the leading causes of divorce.
The current economic climate, however, is like nothing anyone has seen in this country for generations. With the decline of the housing market, divorcing couples are no longer assured of a division of equity in what was most people's most valuable asset, their home. Without the proceeds from the sale of a marital residence, many people did not know where they would acquire funds to purchase a new home for themselves. The situation only became worse as the stock market plummeted and peoples 401(k)'s became 201(k)'s and as securing loans and credit became nearly impossible. At some point, there essentially became an economic disincentive to seek a divorce.
When a glimmer of economic hope begins to flicker, couples might begin to once again seek divorces at a rate more consistent with statistics established in recent decades. Those who have forced themselves to endure bad marriages simply because divorce was unaffordable will seek to dissolve the bounds of matrimony at the first moment that they think better financial times are on the horizon. Economists and Wall Street should take note: Perhaps tracking the rate of divorce filings will be an early indicator of when this economy begins to recover from recession?
The thought of using divorce statistics as an economic indicator is unappealing to many people. It is interesting, however, to consider that one of the most difficult and painful personal decisions that people make about their lives may also foreshadow the end of one of the most difficult and painful economic times that out our country has ever faced.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
BY MICHAEL B. GILDEN - The Miami Herald
There have been some recent suggestions and statistical studies which indicate that the divorce rate in the past several months has actually dropped in certain parts of this country, including in Florida. This would run contrary to long-term studies which have shown the rate of divorce to approach, if not exceed, 50 percent in the United States. Moreover, this divorce trend has seemingly been on a continuous rise.
Is divorce recession proof?
The depths to which our country's economy has sunk over the past year may have a correlation with this recent downward divorce trend. Many divorce lawyers had always maintained the opinion that divorce law is a recession-proof specialty. In good economic times, people tend to seek freedom from bad marriages so as to enjoy their wealth without the ties that bound them. In bad economic times, couples fought about having less money, which is also one of the leading causes of divorce.
The current economic climate, however, is like nothing anyone has seen in this country for generations. With the decline of the housing market, divorcing couples are no longer assured of a division of equity in what was most people's most valuable asset, their home. Without the proceeds from the sale of a marital residence, many people did not know where they would acquire funds to purchase a new home for themselves. The situation only became worse as the stock market plummeted and peoples 401(k)'s became 201(k)'s and as securing loans and credit became nearly impossible. At some point, there essentially became an economic disincentive to seek a divorce.
When a glimmer of economic hope begins to flicker, couples might begin to once again seek divorces at a rate more consistent with statistics established in recent decades. Those who have forced themselves to endure bad marriages simply because divorce was unaffordable will seek to dissolve the bounds of matrimony at the first moment that they think better financial times are on the horizon. Economists and Wall Street should take note: Perhaps tracking the rate of divorce filings will be an early indicator of when this economy begins to recover from recession?
The thought of using divorce statistics as an economic indicator is unappealing to many people. It is interesting, however, to consider that one of the most difficult and painful personal decisions that people make about their lives may also foreshadow the end of one of the most difficult and painful economic times that out our country has ever faced.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Georgia Military Divorce Attorney - Women in the Military and the Obama Administration
Georgia Military Divorce Attorney - Women in the Military and the Obama Administration
by Carissa Picard
You may be thinking that I am talking about the female servicemember, but I am actually talking about her counterpart, the military spouse (of which approximately 93 percent are still women). According to the Rand Corporation, the research organization often used to conduct studies for the Department of Defense, although military spouses often have more education than their civilian counterparts, they are also often more frequently under-employed and under-paid than those same counterparts.
Frequently, military spouses end up on a de facto mommy track—even when they don’t have children. More than half of our military spouses have children, but without the support of the other parent, the difficulty of single parenting (in essence) turns many a working or studying spouse into a stay at home mom (or dad). For those without children, the frequent moves alone hurt career and educational goals and aspirations. I have met military spouses with college credits from four or more colleges (although the rise in credibility of on-line universities is changing this). For a spouse who obtains her educational goals, she then faces the fact that she either chooses a “portable” career (the Department of Defense encourages teaching, nursing, medical transcriptionists, etc…) or watches her own career deflate like a flan in the cupboard for too long. Not to mention that most military installations are in economically depressed areas and many employers do not want to invest in someone who could leave with little to no notice any time in the next six months to two years. As a result, many military spouses turn to working from home as an outlet for their career aspirations, starting their own small businesses if they can (hence the creation and success of organizations like the Military Spouse Business Association).
Former President Ronald Reagan declared the Friday before Mother’s Day, Military Spouse Appreciation Day. Frankly, however, spouses need more than a day of appreciation. Military spouses endure nearly every hardship of military life (absent actually going to war) that servicemembers do and yet there is no formal recognition of it or support for them. Moreover, it never occurs to lawmakers or others that there should be. Benefits to ease the burdens of the multiple moves, such as being able to maintain one state of residency (this is the second year Congress is pondering the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act) and rewards for “serving” your country, such as the veterans preference in hiring for federal jobs, are not given to military spouses. Military spouses (and children for that matter), do not even have comparable dental and vision care. So long as they are stationed in the United States (as opposed to Germany, for example), military dependents are not allowed to received dental or vision care on post and have to pay into a limited dental and vision plan.
To illustrate the federal hiring preference, consider my own marriage. After six years and four military moves, including Germany, I have been on the aforementioned mommy track. If I were to apply for a federal job, I would discover that although I have spent the past six years moving to support my husband’s career (and subsequent promotions), there is no military spouse hiring preference comparable to the veterans hiring preference. Thus, while my husband has had no interruption in his own career to compensate for, he would automatically get a five point preference (over me) for an honorable discharge from service and a ten point preference if he had a ten percent service connected disability rating or higher. I do not begrudge that of our veterans and wounded warriors; in fact, I advocate it. But I also support equity in benefits for service and I believe that the sacrifices being made by spouses should be recognized in these hiring preferences, PARTICULARLY because of the obstacles faced by military spouses with regards to furthering their educations and/or careers.
When this presidential election came down to Senators Obama and McCain, there was a lot of talk about national service and what it means to “serve” your country. McCain and his supporters naturally felt they had the market covered with his military service during the Vietnam War (and subsequent years as a prisoner of war). Then-Senator Obama and his supporters countered that national service, or put differently, serving your country, can come in many shapes and forms—not solely that of a man in a uniform bearing arms. Echoing that theme of variegated national service and its value to this country in its diversity, was Angie Morgan, a military spouse and member of Blue Star Families for Obama that I interviewed at the Democratic National Convention in August of 2008 for Military Spouse Magazine. In that interview, Angie Morgan told me that as a military spouse she was “excited” by now President Obama’s vision of “active citizenship” whereby everyone serves this country in some capacity, albeit not necessarily by wearing a uniform (i.e., referencing volunteer work and other ways of being socially conscious and sensitive to the needs of your fellow Americans in your day to day decision making).
Michelle Obama made it known during the campaign that the welfare of military families was of particular importance to her. Since the election, she has held several events with military spouses and apparently will have a staff devoted to these issues. If we are going to recognize and reward the military service of the soldier, why not do the same for the spouse—the one person in the service who has been willing to sacrifice his or her career and/or educational aspirations to support the mission of the military by supporting the orders of the servicemember?
Meanwhile, here at Fort Hood, Texas, I have learned that they cannot give me figures on spouse suicides but they know that they see so many attempted suicides in the Emergency Room that the medical staff have become quite adept at handling them. My theory is that these spouses may have reached the point of needing emergency mental health care and this is the only way to receive it. As a military spouse, no matter what your circumstances, there is no emergency mental health care for you unless you end up in the ER. If you are a soldier here, of course, there is twenty four hour mental health care and a walk in “Rest and Resiliency” center (R and R center). The R and R center has its critics and its flaws, but it exists. There is no R and R center for families.
Finally, there is the issue of treating the post-traumatic stress of military spouses. We do not have any public service announcements about the trauma of being married in the military and to the military; to a man or woman who is sometimes permanently altered in ways that you never imagined when you married him or her. At least once or twice a month a soldier in Fort Hood housing is arrested for domestic violence. It is interesting that the Department of Defense likes to emphasize that deployments are not the cause of an increase in domestic violence but cannot refute that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is. While the Rand Corporation found that 1 in 5 soldiers will likely return with PTSD, the Veterans Administration has diagnosed 40 percent of our Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with PTSD. We have no studies and no figures for spousal PTSD.
I often tell people that after this last combat tour, my husband is NOT the only veteran in this marriage, but apparently I am the only person who believes this to be the case. Despite seven years of wars and deployments that have led to an alarming increase in Army divorce as well as partner violence (the latter is believed to be connected to the increase in post-traumatic stress disorder), the federal government doesn’t recognize the “service” of the military spouse. Will a Democratic Administration like the Obama’s and now, with Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter’s recent move to the Democratic Party, a Democratic Congress change this?
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
by Carissa Picard
You may be thinking that I am talking about the female servicemember, but I am actually talking about her counterpart, the military spouse (of which approximately 93 percent are still women). According to the Rand Corporation, the research organization often used to conduct studies for the Department of Defense, although military spouses often have more education than their civilian counterparts, they are also often more frequently under-employed and under-paid than those same counterparts.
Frequently, military spouses end up on a de facto mommy track—even when they don’t have children. More than half of our military spouses have children, but without the support of the other parent, the difficulty of single parenting (in essence) turns many a working or studying spouse into a stay at home mom (or dad). For those without children, the frequent moves alone hurt career and educational goals and aspirations. I have met military spouses with college credits from four or more colleges (although the rise in credibility of on-line universities is changing this). For a spouse who obtains her educational goals, she then faces the fact that she either chooses a “portable” career (the Department of Defense encourages teaching, nursing, medical transcriptionists, etc…) or watches her own career deflate like a flan in the cupboard for too long. Not to mention that most military installations are in economically depressed areas and many employers do not want to invest in someone who could leave with little to no notice any time in the next six months to two years. As a result, many military spouses turn to working from home as an outlet for their career aspirations, starting their own small businesses if they can (hence the creation and success of organizations like the Military Spouse Business Association).
Former President Ronald Reagan declared the Friday before Mother’s Day, Military Spouse Appreciation Day. Frankly, however, spouses need more than a day of appreciation. Military spouses endure nearly every hardship of military life (absent actually going to war) that servicemembers do and yet there is no formal recognition of it or support for them. Moreover, it never occurs to lawmakers or others that there should be. Benefits to ease the burdens of the multiple moves, such as being able to maintain one state of residency (this is the second year Congress is pondering the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act) and rewards for “serving” your country, such as the veterans preference in hiring for federal jobs, are not given to military spouses. Military spouses (and children for that matter), do not even have comparable dental and vision care. So long as they are stationed in the United States (as opposed to Germany, for example), military dependents are not allowed to received dental or vision care on post and have to pay into a limited dental and vision plan.
To illustrate the federal hiring preference, consider my own marriage. After six years and four military moves, including Germany, I have been on the aforementioned mommy track. If I were to apply for a federal job, I would discover that although I have spent the past six years moving to support my husband’s career (and subsequent promotions), there is no military spouse hiring preference comparable to the veterans hiring preference. Thus, while my husband has had no interruption in his own career to compensate for, he would automatically get a five point preference (over me) for an honorable discharge from service and a ten point preference if he had a ten percent service connected disability rating or higher. I do not begrudge that of our veterans and wounded warriors; in fact, I advocate it. But I also support equity in benefits for service and I believe that the sacrifices being made by spouses should be recognized in these hiring preferences, PARTICULARLY because of the obstacles faced by military spouses with regards to furthering their educations and/or careers.
When this presidential election came down to Senators Obama and McCain, there was a lot of talk about national service and what it means to “serve” your country. McCain and his supporters naturally felt they had the market covered with his military service during the Vietnam War (and subsequent years as a prisoner of war). Then-Senator Obama and his supporters countered that national service, or put differently, serving your country, can come in many shapes and forms—not solely that of a man in a uniform bearing arms. Echoing that theme of variegated national service and its value to this country in its diversity, was Angie Morgan, a military spouse and member of Blue Star Families for Obama that I interviewed at the Democratic National Convention in August of 2008 for Military Spouse Magazine. In that interview, Angie Morgan told me that as a military spouse she was “excited” by now President Obama’s vision of “active citizenship” whereby everyone serves this country in some capacity, albeit not necessarily by wearing a uniform (i.e., referencing volunteer work and other ways of being socially conscious and sensitive to the needs of your fellow Americans in your day to day decision making).
Michelle Obama made it known during the campaign that the welfare of military families was of particular importance to her. Since the election, she has held several events with military spouses and apparently will have a staff devoted to these issues. If we are going to recognize and reward the military service of the soldier, why not do the same for the spouse—the one person in the service who has been willing to sacrifice his or her career and/or educational aspirations to support the mission of the military by supporting the orders of the servicemember?
Meanwhile, here at Fort Hood, Texas, I have learned that they cannot give me figures on spouse suicides but they know that they see so many attempted suicides in the Emergency Room that the medical staff have become quite adept at handling them. My theory is that these spouses may have reached the point of needing emergency mental health care and this is the only way to receive it. As a military spouse, no matter what your circumstances, there is no emergency mental health care for you unless you end up in the ER. If you are a soldier here, of course, there is twenty four hour mental health care and a walk in “Rest and Resiliency” center (R and R center). The R and R center has its critics and its flaws, but it exists. There is no R and R center for families.
Finally, there is the issue of treating the post-traumatic stress of military spouses. We do not have any public service announcements about the trauma of being married in the military and to the military; to a man or woman who is sometimes permanently altered in ways that you never imagined when you married him or her. At least once or twice a month a soldier in Fort Hood housing is arrested for domestic violence. It is interesting that the Department of Defense likes to emphasize that deployments are not the cause of an increase in domestic violence but cannot refute that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is. While the Rand Corporation found that 1 in 5 soldiers will likely return with PTSD, the Veterans Administration has diagnosed 40 percent of our Iraq and Afghanistan veterans with PTSD. We have no studies and no figures for spousal PTSD.
I often tell people that after this last combat tour, my husband is NOT the only veteran in this marriage, but apparently I am the only person who believes this to be the case. Despite seven years of wars and deployments that have led to an alarming increase in Army divorce as well as partner violence (the latter is believed to be connected to the increase in post-traumatic stress disorder), the federal government doesn’t recognize the “service” of the military spouse. Will a Democratic Administration like the Obama’s and now, with Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter’s recent move to the Democratic Party, a Democratic Congress change this?
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
Augusta Military Divorce Attorney - Berlusconi says riding high despite divorce
Augusta Military Divorce Attorney - Berlusconi says riding high despite divorce
By Deepa Babington
ROME (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said on Saturday private polls showed he remained as popular as ever despite a "heap of falsities" over his impending divorce.
The media mogul went on national television this week to deny his wife's accusations he was involved with a teenage girl. He said his approval ratings were just as high as last week when he declared himself the world's most popular leader.
"I got the weekly polls this morning and they showed the (ruling) People of Freedom party at 45 percent and the prime minister's rating at 75 percent," he said.
"I expected a fall in my approval ratings, but this media campaign based on a heap of falsities that has erupted in recent days has been read with intelligence by Italians."
Berlusconi often boasts of his popularity quoting private polls that are not released to the media. Other polls have shown less supportive figures, like one published by the left-leaning La Repubblica daily that put his support at 56 percent last month.
Speaking at a news conference to discuss his conservative administration's first year in power, Berlusconi rattled off a list of successes that he said included playing a key role in ending fighting in Gaza to resolving a crisis in Georgia.
The premier, who has led Italy twice before, also promised that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi would visit Italy soon and scoffed at the economic crisis as largely "psychological." Earlier, he had said the worst of the crisis was over.
"We have an opposition that cries 'crisis' almost with satisfaction," the 72-year-old billionaire said. "We instead have a government that spreads confidence, not panic."
Berlusconi's popularity has remained high despite the worst recession in Italy since World War Two, diplomatic gaffes such as commenting on U.S. President Barack Obama's "suntan" and his marital woes.
Veronica Lario, Berlusconi's wife of 19 years, was quoted in Italian media last weekend as saying she wanted a divorce because she could not "stay with a man who frequents minors."
The first polls after his wife sought a divorce suggested the furor was having little impact on voter sentiment for European elections in June. One published by a magazine owned by Berlusconi's family showed 84 percent had not changed their opinion of the premier.
But two other polls -- by the Il Sole 24 daily and Coesis -- have shown more sympathy for his wife than the prime minister.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
By Deepa Babington
ROME (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said on Saturday private polls showed he remained as popular as ever despite a "heap of falsities" over his impending divorce.
The media mogul went on national television this week to deny his wife's accusations he was involved with a teenage girl. He said his approval ratings were just as high as last week when he declared himself the world's most popular leader.
"I got the weekly polls this morning and they showed the (ruling) People of Freedom party at 45 percent and the prime minister's rating at 75 percent," he said.
"I expected a fall in my approval ratings, but this media campaign based on a heap of falsities that has erupted in recent days has been read with intelligence by Italians."
Berlusconi often boasts of his popularity quoting private polls that are not released to the media. Other polls have shown less supportive figures, like one published by the left-leaning La Repubblica daily that put his support at 56 percent last month.
Speaking at a news conference to discuss his conservative administration's first year in power, Berlusconi rattled off a list of successes that he said included playing a key role in ending fighting in Gaza to resolving a crisis in Georgia.
The premier, who has led Italy twice before, also promised that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi would visit Italy soon and scoffed at the economic crisis as largely "psychological." Earlier, he had said the worst of the crisis was over.
"We have an opposition that cries 'crisis' almost with satisfaction," the 72-year-old billionaire said. "We instead have a government that spreads confidence, not panic."
Berlusconi's popularity has remained high despite the worst recession in Italy since World War Two, diplomatic gaffes such as commenting on U.S. President Barack Obama's "suntan" and his marital woes.
Veronica Lario, Berlusconi's wife of 19 years, was quoted in Italian media last weekend as saying she wanted a divorce because she could not "stay with a man who frequents minors."
The first polls after his wife sought a divorce suggested the furor was having little impact on voter sentiment for European elections in June. One published by a magazine owned by Berlusconi's family showed 84 percent had not changed their opinion of the premier.
But two other polls -- by the Il Sole 24 daily and Coesis -- have shown more sympathy for his wife than the prime minister.
Alexandra Gonzalez-Waddington is an Augusta GA divorce lawyer & Georgia Military Divorce Lawyer Augusta Georgia domestic mediator. She is an Augusta military divorce lawyer, GA child custody attorney , and Augusta Georgia child support attorney. She offers mediation for divorce, child custody, and child support.
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