They are married...it's comes with the territory. When you choose to marry another person...you enter into a joint situation where all that is earned by one is earned by both.
Next time your wife spends some of YOUR paycheck, ask her how exactly she earned that money?
Same deal.
IN the situation of married at 12 and divorced at 14...she will probably only get half of 2 years worth...or about 5% of a 20 year retirement, if anything at all. Yes there are stories where the servicemember got screwed, also stories where the former spouse got screwed. Neither are unique to the military.
Joint, community property...if you're not willing to bring her into what you earn, don't get married...or get a pre-nup that states otherwise...even that may not hold up though...so perpetual long-term dating might be more for you.BUT how is working for 5-10 years, when the mil member had to work for 20 years, sometimes doing some really shitty service spots, 'her earning' part of his or her retirement??
THAT'S what i have never understood about this whole BS.
Especially when a GOOD chunk of the divorces i have seen in the mil, was cause wifey said to hubby (and very rarely hubby to wife) "IF YOU re-up for another 4 year stint i am divorcing your ass, taking the kids and you won't see them again." How is THAT showing she *or he* supported the service person?
I certainly would call that a readiness issue, someone rather getting OUT, than stay in so he/she hits retirement after another 5-8 years, and then having to pay the leech 50% or so of the earned retirement.[/QUOTE]