Two Years into Iraq War, Little
Has Been Done to Protect the
Rights of Military Fathers
When
Gary, a US Navy SEAL, deployed
to Afghanistan in the wake of
the terrorist attacks on the
World Trade Center, he never
dreamed that his service to his
country would cost him his
little son. Gary's son was not
taken from him by a terrorist or
a kidnapper. This 18-year Navy
veteran with an unblemished
military and civilian record was
effectively stripped of his
right to be a father by a
California court.
Laws
granting deployed soldiers
special protections against
civil legal actions date back to
the Civil War. However, few of
these protections extend to
family courts and family law. As
a result, military men's service
to their country often creates
the conditions under which they
can become victims of terrible
injustices. Two years into the
Gulf War and three and half
years into the war on terror,
both federal and state
governments have failed to
address the family law issues
which military men and fathers
face.
Gary
told his story on
His Side with Glenn Sacks
on March 13, 2005. Joining Glenn and
Gary was family law attorney
Jeffery M. Leving, author of
Fathers' Rights: Hard-hitting
and Fair Advice for Every Father
Involved in a Custody Dispute.
To learn more,
see:
