How many wives went to St. Ives?

[vaskidmark]

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/08/11598537-women-battle-over-who-gets-recognized-as-dead-soldiers-wife#comments

Soldier dies in rollover accident in Afghanistan.  Woman #2, who was living with him most recently, and believing she was his wife, gets to attend funeral but otherwise gets bupkis.  She is not happy.

Woman #1, who he stopped living with at least three years ago was never divorced from him.  She meets woman #2 at funeral.  She also gets survivor benefits and flag.  No report on how she feels.

Woman #3, who supplied half the genes for a child, also attends the funeral.  She never thought she was married to the dude.  She met #1 and #2 at the funeral.  No report on how she feels about any of the goings on or the death of the baby-daddy,

Comments re: news article seem to be divided between social-democrat leeches who think #2 ought to get all the bennies because she was the last one to have lived with him and thought she was married to him, and fascists who insist on looking at what the law(s) say and then following that course, which is what the Army did in giving all the bennies and the flag to #1.

skidmark is wondering if it is worthwhile to compile a list of all those in need of a serious dope-slap and set up a road trip to deliver same, or if it would be better to franchise the dope-slapping.

stay safe.

[Tallpine]

Sounds like a TV episode ...

[Fly320s]

Answer:  Give the money to me. I'll invest it in ammo and booze.

[dogmush]

Answer:  Give the money to me. I'll invest it in ammo and booze.

the rest you'll waste?

[Scout26]

the rest you'll waste?

On hookers and.....oh, wait....

[Fly320s]

the rest you'll waste?

Close. After I waste the ammo and get wasted, I'll rest. 

[Scout26]

Well the Army got it right.

Second marriage is null and void if the soldier failed to get his first marriage legally annulled. 

Like I said in the marriage thread.  The only time I ever had to prove I was married and show a marriage license was in the Army.  I'm sure they had a copy of his first marriage license in his 201 file.

But I  do admire him, not only for his service to our country, but for also servicing three women....One more and he'd be a Dave Liddy 

[Phantom Warrior]

The details are a little vague but I agree with the comments that JAG and the Army decide nothing.  Someone was listed on the DD 93 (death gratuity, disposition of remains, etc) and SGLV (military life insurance).  Considering the situation I doubt the guy updated those forms to reflect his second wife.*  The benefits and everything else go to whoever is on those forms.  It is possible for the Soldier to update them to go to someone who isn't wife #1 but it's pretty clear that he didn't.


*How is he married to two women?  I'm wondering if wife #2 isn't actually girlfriend #1.  In which case she's even more out of luck since the military gives zero recognition to girlfriends.

[BlueStarLizzard]

Ummm... Wouldn't both "wives" claims be invalidated by the child? 

[KD5NRH]

Woman #1, who he stopped living with at least three years ago was never divorced from him.

This, IMO, is why the divorce laws need an overhaul.  If you don't live together for over a year, it should become a simple process of either party declaring that the marriage is over.  No excessive fees, no dragging out the process with mandatory delays, just a letter to the county/city/whatever affirming that you haven't partaken of any marital benefits in a year and it's done.

If there are any other problems to be sorted out after a year apart, there's no reason they can't be sorted after the marriage itself is officially dissolved.

[brimic]

This, IMO, is why the divorce laws need an overhaul.

One of a myriad of reasons.

[vaskidmark]

This, IMO, is why the divorce laws need an overhaul.  If you don't live together for over a year, it should become a simple process of either party declaring that the marriage is over.  No excessive fees, no dragging out the process with mandatory delays, just a letter to the county/city/whatever affirming that you haven't partaken of any marital benefits in a year and it's done.

If there are any other problems to be sorted out after a year apart, there's no reason they can't be sorted after the marriage itself is officially dissolved.

Wow!  What a novel idea!  Divorce based on non-cohabitation for a period in excess of 365 days/12 momths/one year gets you a no-fault* divorce (presuming no minor children or other profit-sharing issues to be hashed out).  Fill out some forms available in the Clerk's office, submit your filing fee, and sit back and wait for the decree to show up in the mail.  Only 50** states allow that to happen.

stay safe.

*New Youk does not provide for true "no fault" divorce, but separation for a period in excess of 12 months is considered sufficient grounds for granting a divorce decree.

** Well really 49, because Pennsylvania seems to require a 2-year period.  And Hawai'i requires only 6 months.

[Tallpine]

Pennsylvania seems to require a 2-year period.  And Hawai'i requires only 6 months.

Averages out ...