Author Topic: Military Marriage Question (Read 789 times)

Vudak · « **on:** April 26, 2007, 03:55:38 PM »

Hey all,

So, I have either a very stupid, or very bright friend. I'm going to leave out much of the story as far as motive and such, and just get down to the facts:

She's short on money.

Her friend is in the army and wants to help her out.

They're thinking about getting married (for the check).

They'd each take a "cut" of the marriage proceeds. He gets a little extra, and she's out of her tough spot.

But, of course, they'd continue on with their lives, dating other people, living on different continents etc., etc., as if nothing ever changed.

Now, to ME, this seems like it's way too good to be true. There's just this nagging red alarm going on in my head that says, "Uncle Sam is not gonna like getting conned!!!" You know, it's about $$$, so someone might actually care.

Anyway, she asked me for advice on what to do, and about all I could tell her was to let me ask some friends.

So, friends, what should the advice be?

indy007 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 26, 2007, 04:00:13 PM »

I'd suggest to her reading up the consequences of defrauding the government.

They don't like it very much.

oboe · « **Reply #2 on:** April 26, 2007, 04:01:11 PM »

Put another way, "Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive."

The plan sounds to me like a good way to jumpstart the Law of Unintended Consequences.

Airscrew · « **Reply #3 on:** April 26, 2007, 04:05:32 PM »

Bad idea, oh such a bad idea

Vudak · « **Reply #4 on:** April 26, 2007, 04:05:37 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by oboe
Put another way, "Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive."

The plan sounds to me like a good way to jumpstart the Law of Unintended Consequences.

That's what I'm thinking. But you know I'm talking out of my butt when I give her advice, and I know many of the guys on here are military and figured someone would be able to give some better info.

*Hopefully* this is just a pipedream of her's, but ya never know with that one...

tedrbr · « **Reply #5 on:** April 26, 2007, 04:10:28 PM »

Usually I hear this from the other side:

Guy getting deployed.
Guy gets married to get extra money.
Guy goes overseas for long tour.
New Wifee spends, spends, spends while New Hubby away. New credit cards in "both" their names all maxed out.
New Hubby comes home to no money, all belongings sold off, loads of debt, and New Wifee moved out to live with new boyfriend. In some cases, Old Wifee still gets alimony and part of Old Hubby's retirement benefits.

I don't see how part of the extra money the troop gets for being married will help out your friend. It's not THAT much (especially when split), unless she plans on "taking care" of his other finances while he is away (see above).

Tell her to sell a kidney.

Don't know if she's smart or not, but HE's dumb to even suggest it. It can hurt him far more than her in several ways as to her debt load and UCMJ.

megadud · « **Reply #6 on:** April 26, 2007, 04:11:35 PM »

she should get a job she's not the only one that's broke. I don't know her or her financial situation but my guess is she brought it on herself, to stoop so low as to con the government out of money is well pathetic. tell her to do it the right way and marry a rich guy then divorce him. just my opinion don't take it the wrong way

Speed55 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 26, 2007, 04:26:02 PM »

Tell him NOT to do it.

One of my friends in the navy knew of a bunch of guys that did do it, and they are all in VERY BIG trouble now.

Sabre · « **Reply #8 on:** April 26, 2007, 04:29:31 PM »

Military retiree here. My advice? Dumb idea, for both of them, and for more reasons than I have time to elucidate on. If she's so short on money, tell here to join the military herself. She gets a paycheck, full medical, a roof over her head, 3 squares aday, and quite a nice educational benefits package. Plus she learns a marketable skill (if she's careful about what job she gets in the service). Otherwise, find some other honest way to solve her problems. Unemployment is at an all time low in this country.

Phaser11 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 26, 2007, 04:31:06 PM »

Here is the bad news for you friend.
She WILL have to get a military dependent ID card. That will get her onto most all military bases so she can use the PX and such. She will have to go in person to get this done. She and he will sign documents as to the Marriage and other documents for life insurance and such.

Once she is considered a dependent, He will be responsible for her actions on any military base (which she will have free access to) . Another thing, it is against the Uniform Code of Military Justice to have sex (or what ever you call it) with another once you are married.

The catch all in the UCMJ, is if it presents a bad or negative image of the United States Armed Forces. He WILL be punished.
He must go to the legal office on at his base and ask what the ramifications are. They cannot tell him no, but they can tell him the law under the UCMJ.

Phaser11, TSgt, USAF ret.

Vudak · « **Reply #10 on:** April 26, 2007, 04:49:39 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Speed55
Tell him NOT to do it.

One of my friends in the navy knew of a bunch of guys that did do it, and they are all in VERY BIG trouble now.

Can you elaborate a little here?

Phaser, are you basically saying that all is well for her? Because to tell you the truth, I don't know the guy and don't care haha.

Look, I realize it's a dumb idea, and I have this nagging suspiction that it *probably* has legal consequences of some sort or another, but I have no idea if:

* This nagging suspicion is correct;
* If the legal consequences are for both parties - not just him
* What the legal consequences are

I figure there has to be a federal offense in there somewhere... Taxpayer money and all that. There has to be some sort of legal consequence or every damn 18 year old in the Army would get married for the check.

Then again I could be completely mistaken.

But, any further help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Vudak · « **Reply #11 on:** April 26, 2007, 04:54:42 PM »

Was doing some searches on google... Found this excerpt:

"A woman sailor, Judy Ann Patterson, looked around for a man she could marry to qualify for the housing subsidy that the military pays for married couples. A friend introduced her to civilian Jason Huff. Two weeks later they got married and Patterson filed for the allowance, claiming that Huff lived in San Francisco. She picked San Francisco because the Bay Area has the highest housing benefits in the military. She also qualified for cost-of-living adjustments and extra benefits because her spouse lived in a different city. All totaled, she got an extra $2,600 per month, which added up to some $41,000 over the 16 months the scam operated.

Why was it a scam? The couple acknowledged that they never intended to live together as husband and wife. The whole point of the union was to obtain military housing benefits. Each month, Patterson sent her "husband" $500 and made a $300 payment on a truck in exchange for his going through the motions of being married.

Naturally, the military took a dim view of this fake marriage. Patterson was sentenced to 30 months in prison, a $4,800 fine, forfeiture of all pay, reduction in rank to seaman recruit, and a bad-conduct discharge. According to Navy Prosecutor Charles Olcutt, "Our military budget would be brought to its knees if every sailor thought they should get an extra $43,000 every year and a half." He said that housing-allowance fraud is a "large and growing crime."

------

However, that seems to imply that, in my friend's case, the guy is an absolute idiot and the girl should be fine... Will have to dig some more...

Phaser11 · « **Reply #12 on:** April 26, 2007, 04:55:25 PM »

Vudka,
Tell him to go to the base leagle office. Anything i tell you is not law, they know and will help him.

It is the best for all.

I do know, she cannot be punished under the UCMJ, only military members can be. If she did domething worng, she could loose access to the base. But HE will get hammered.

I have seen this when one of the airmen that worked for me marrige went bad. She did bad stuff on the base to get him in trouble. She was no longer allowed on the base, he got 30 days in CC, lost pay and a stripe.

Send, Drag, boot or get him to the base law office.

Shifty · « **Reply #13 on:** April 26, 2007, 05:17:37 PM »

Yo Phaser!

You were stationed at RAF Upper Heyford correct?

If so I found a neat website, let me know.

Maverick · « **Reply #14 on:** April 26, 2007, 05:57:13 PM »

Phaser and tedrbr covered most of the bases. This is a bad idea for both her and the soldier. She is considering an act that will be considered a conspiracy to commit fraudulant acts by the Military. If you are considering telling her to go forward with it you are aiding and abetting in the conspiracy. That is one thing for you to think about.

Quote

Originally posted by Vudak
I don't know the guy and don't care haha.

Frankly your position in this doesn't show you in a flattering light particularly in your concern for a soldier.