- Joined
- Apr 5, 2009
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- 465
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- Location
- Dharma Station: The Staff
- Dentist
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I was asked yesterday about how having a girlfriend (as opposed to a wife) could affect anything while being a dental officer.
Unfotunately, in the eyes of the military, girlfriends/boyfriends/fiancees do not count for much in the military. When a soldier dies while on active duty, the next of kin (usually parents or siblings) will have to sort through personal affairs.
Generally speaking, they can be included in the unit's family readiness group (social support and networking for spouses and family members) but, I think it would be odd for a girlfriend to show up at the Officer's Wives Club. My gf didn't attend many of the FRG events while I was deployed, but she did receive the email updates of what we were doing in Iraq.
I put my gf as the beneficiary of my insurance policy (SGLI) and it raised the personnel NCO's eyebrow when I did so. She tried to talk me out of it, but I insisted, and she made me sign a release saying that it was ok for me to list a non family member as my beneficiary.
We were not engaged or married until I was off active duty.
Now the horror stories. I've heard the horror stories that some soldiers get married really quickly right before they go to deployment, give their new spouse the power of attorney, to come back home and find everything sold off and the significant other gone. Obviously the same can happen if an unmarried soldier gives the power of attorney to a girlfriend/boyfriend/fiancee.
My guidance here: The general rule of thumb is that your spouse should be the beneficiary or holder of the POA. Know your girlfriend/boyfriend well before you give them that power.
Unfotunately, in the eyes of the military, girlfriends/boyfriends/fiancees do not count for much in the military. When a soldier dies while on active duty, the next of kin (usually parents or siblings) will have to sort through personal affairs.
Generally speaking, they can be included in the unit's family readiness group (social support and networking for spouses and family members) but, I think it would be odd for a girlfriend to show up at the Officer's Wives Club. My gf didn't attend many of the FRG events while I was deployed, but she did receive the email updates of what we were doing in Iraq.
I put my gf as the beneficiary of my insurance policy (SGLI) and it raised the personnel NCO's eyebrow when I did so. She tried to talk me out of it, but I insisted, and she made me sign a release saying that it was ok for me to list a non family member as my beneficiary.
We were not engaged or married until I was off active duty.
Now the horror stories. I've heard the horror stories that some soldiers get married really quickly right before they go to deployment, give their new spouse the power of attorney, to come back home and find everything sold off and the significant other gone. Obviously the same can happen if an unmarried soldier gives the power of attorney to a girlfriend/boyfriend/fiancee.
My guidance here: The general rule of thumb is that your spouse should be the beneficiary or holder of the POA. Know your girlfriend/boyfriend well before you give them that power.
