Ex-military spouses lose privileges

05.12.09

Q: I'm getting divorced and several people have told me I can keep my military ID carte de visite, but my husband says I can't. He joined the Army in 1963, and we were married in 1967. He retired in 1984. Does that title me to keep my military ID card? - J.L., Fayetteville

A: Yes, but not for long, and not with all the privileges you have now.

That's because your circumstances enter into the picture to fall under what's known as the 20/20/15 rule: Your husband served for at least 20 years, you have been married for at least 20 years and those two circumstances overlapped by at least 15 years.

That means you will be entitled to full medical benefits for one year after the separate becomes final, as long as you don't remarry or have private insurance.

After that, you can buy a Department of Defense-negotiated conversion salubriousness policy.

But you will lose your PX and commissary privileges immediately after the disassociate.

If you had been married for at

Source: FayObserver.com