MILITARY FAMILY SUPPORT COMPLAINT

COMPLAINT TYPE

☐ Complaint to Military Command regarding failure to provide support
☐ Request for Involuntary Allotment
☐ Report of violation of existing court order
☐ Request for enforcement assistance
☐ Other: [________________________________]

SECTION I: COMPLAINANT (DEPENDENT) INFORMATION

Full Legal Name: [________________________________]

Relationship to Servicemember:
☐ Spouse
☐ Former Spouse
☐ Child (through guardian)
☐ Parent/Guardian of Child(ren)
☐ Other: [________________________________]

Date of Birth: [__/__/____]

Social Security Number: [________________________________]

Current Address:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Phone Number: [________________________________]

Email Address: [________________________________]

Attorney (if represented):

Name: [________________________________]

Phone: [________________________________]

Address: [________________________________]

SECTION II: SERVICEMEMBER INFORMATION

Full Legal Name: [________________________________]

Rank/Grade: [________________________________]

Branch of Service: ☐ Army ☐ Navy ☐ Air Force ☐ Marine Corps ☐ Coast Guard ☐ Space Force

Social Security Number (if known): [________________________________]

Date of Birth (if known): [__/__/____]

Current Unit: [________________________________]

Current Duty Station: [________________________________]

Commanding Officer (if known): [________________________________]

Military Address:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

SECTION III: RELATIONSHIP AND DEPENDENT INFORMATION

A. Marriage Information (if applicable)

Date of Marriage: [__/__/____]

Place of Marriage: [________________________________]

Current Marital Status:
☐ Married - Living Together
☐ Married - Separated (Date: [__/__/____])
☐ Divorce Pending (Filed: [__/__/____], Court: [________________________________])
☐ Divorced (Date: [__/__/____])

Date of Separation: [__/__/____]

B. Children of the Relationship

C. Other Dependents (if applicable)

SECTION IV: EXISTING COURT ORDERS

A. Divorce/Separation Decree

☐ None
☐ Divorce Decree/Judgment
- Date: [__/__/____]
- Court: [________________________________]
- Case Number: [________________________________]
- Copy Attached: ☐ Yes ☐ No

B. Child Support Order

☐ None
☐ Child Support Order
- Date: [__/__/____]
- Court: [________________________________]
- Case Number: [________________________________]
- Monthly Amount Ordered: $[________________________________]
- Copy Attached: ☐ Yes ☐ No

C. Spousal Support/Alimony Order

☐ None
☐ Spousal Support Order
- Date: [__/__/____]
- Court: [________________________________]
- Case Number: [________________________________]
- Monthly Amount Ordered: $[________________________________]
- Duration: [________________________________]
- Copy Attached: ☐ Yes ☐ No

D. Other Relevant Orders

☐ Custody Order
☐ Protective Order
☐ Other: [________________________________]
- Date: [__/__/____]
- Court: [________________________________]
- Case Number: [________________________________]
- Copy Attached: ☐ Yes ☐ No

SECTION V: SUPPORT OBLIGATIONS

A. Court-Ordered Support

Child Support:
- Ordered Amount: $[________________________________] per month
- Frequency: ☐ Monthly ☐ Bi-weekly ☐ Other: [________________________________]
- Effective Date: [__/__/____]

Spousal Support:
- Ordered Amount: $[________________________________] per month
- Frequency: ☐ Monthly ☐ Bi-weekly ☐ Other: [________________________________]
- Effective Date: [__/__/____]
- End Date: [__/__/____]

B. Service-Specific Support Guidelines (if no court order exists)

Note: Each military service has interim support guidelines that apply when there is no court order. These are NOT laws but are enforced through command channels.

Applicable Guidelines:

☐ Army (AR 608-99): Support equal to Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) at the "with dependents" rate for the member's grade
☐ Navy (MILPERSMAN 1754-030): Pro-rata share of gross pay
☐ Air Force (AFI 36-2906): BAH-DIFF plus pro-rata share of basic pay
☐ Marine Corps (MCO 5800.16A): Similar to Navy requirements
☐ Coast Guard: Similar to Navy requirements

Calculated Guideline Amount: $[________________________________] per month

SECTION VI: PAYMENT HISTORY

A. Last Known Payment

Date of Last Payment: [__/__/____]

Amount of Last Payment: $[________________________________]

Method of Payment: ☐ Cash ☐ Check ☐ Bank Transfer ☐ Allotment ☐ Other: [________________________________]

B. Payment Arrears

Total Amount Owed: $[________________________________]

Period of Non-Payment: From [__/__/____] to [__/__/____]

Breakdown of Arrears:

TOTAL ARREARS: $[________________________________]

C. Documentation of Non-Payment

☐ Bank statements showing no deposits (Exhibit [____])
☐ Payment records from state child support agency (Exhibit [____])
☐ Affidavit of non-support (Exhibit [____])
☐ Other: [________________________________]

SECTION VII: HARDSHIP STATEMENT

Describe the financial hardship caused by the servicemember's failure to provide support:

A. Current Financial Situation

Monthly Income (without support): $[________________________________]

Monthly Expenses:

Monthly Shortfall: $[________________________________]

B. Impact on Dependents

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

C. Efforts to Resolve Directly with Servicemember

☐ I have attempted to resolve this matter directly with the servicemember
☐ I have not contacted the servicemember because: [________________________________]

Dates and Methods of Contact Attempts:

SECTION VIII: REQUESTED RELIEF

A. Primary Relief Requested

☐ Command Intervention - Request that the commanding officer counsel the servicemember and order compliance with support obligations

☐ Involuntary Allotment - Request establishment of involuntary allotment from servicemember's pay (requires court order)

☐ Garnishment - Request garnishment of military pay for child/spousal support (up to 50-65% of disposable earnings under federal law)

☐ UCMJ Action - Request consideration of UCMJ action for failure to support

☐ Other: [________________________________]

B. Requested Monthly Support Amount

$[________________________________] per month

C. Requested Arrears Payment

$[________________________________] total, or

$[________________________________] per month in addition to current support

SECTION IX: PRIOR ACTIONS TAKEN

A. Military Channels

☐ Previously contacted servicemember's command
- Date: [__/__/____]
- Contact Person: [________________________________]
- Outcome: [________________________________]

☐ Previously filed complaint with Inspector General
- Date: [__/__/____]
- Case Number: [________________________________]
- Outcome: [________________________________]

☐ Previously sought legal assistance from military legal office
- Date: [__/__/____]
- Installation: [________________________________]
- Outcome: [________________________________]

B. Civilian Legal Actions

☐ Filed for child support/modification in state court
- Date: [__/__/____]
- Court: [________________________________]
- Status: [________________________________]

☐ Filed contempt motion for violation of existing order
- Date: [__/__/____]
- Court: [________________________________]
- Status: [________________________________]

☐ Contacted state child support enforcement agency
- Date: [__/__/____]
- Agency: [________________________________]
- Case Number: [________________________________]
- Status: [________________________________]

SECTION X: SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION CHECKLIST

☐ Copy of marriage certificate
☐ Copy of divorce decree/separation agreement
☐ Copy of child support order
☐ Copy of spousal support order
☐ Copy of custody order
☐ Birth certificates of children
☐ Proof of current address
☐ Bank statements showing lack of support payments
☐ Documentation of arrears from state child support agency
☐ Evidence of hardship (utility shutoff notices, eviction notices, etc.)
☐ Copies of prior correspondence with servicemember regarding support
☐ Documentation of prior command contact
☐ Affidavit of non-support
☐ Other: [________________________________]

SECTION XI: CERTIFICATION AND SIGNATURE

I, [________________________________], certify under penalty of perjury that:

1. The information provided in this complaint is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.

2. I have attached or will provide all supporting documentation available to me.

3. I understand that filing a false complaint may result in legal consequences.

4. I authorize the release of the information in this complaint to the servicemember's commanding officer and appropriate military authorities for the purpose of resolving this matter.

Complainant Signature: [________________________________]

Date: [__/__/____]

SECTION XII: NOTARIZATION (if required)

State of [________________________________]

County of [________________________________]

Subscribed and sworn to before me this [____] day of [________________], 20[____].

Notary Public Signature: [________________________________]

Commission Expires: [__/__/____]

[NOTARY SEAL]

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Option 1: Contact Servicemember's Command Directly

Send this complaint with supporting documentation to:

Commanding Officer
[Unit Name]
[Address]
[City, State, ZIP]

AND

Staff Judge Advocate / Legal Officer
[Installation Name]
[Address]
[City, State, ZIP]

Option 2: State Child Support Enforcement Agency

For garnishment/involuntary allotment enforcement:

Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)
DFAS-Cleveland Center
Attn: Garnishment Operations
P.O. Box 998002
Cleveland, OH 44199-8002

Note: Garnishment requires a valid court order specifying the amount to be withheld.

Option 3: Military One Source

Phone: 1-800-342-9647 (24/7)
Website: www.militaryonesource.mil

SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• 10 U.S.C. § 1408 - Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act
• AR 608-99 - Army Family Support Requirements
• MILPERSMAN 1754-030 - Navy Support of Dependents
• AFI 36-2906 - Air Force Personal Financial Responsibility
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau - Military Lending
• DFAS Garnishment Operations

IMPORTANT NOTES

1. Service regulations are NOT law - Military support guidelines apply only when no court order exists and are enforced through command channels, not courts.

2. Court orders take precedence - Once a court order exists, it supersedes any service support guidelines.

3. Garnishment limits - Federal law limits garnishment to 50% of disposable earnings (60% if not supporting another spouse/child; add 5% if over 12 weeks in arrears).

4. UCMJ action is rare - Commanders may take UCMJ action for egregious cases under Article 134, but this is uncommon and usually reserved for cases involving complete failure to support over extended periods.

5. Legal assistance is available - Both active duty members and their dependents may be eligible for free legal assistance at military installations.

This template is provided for educational and informational purposes. Family support matters involving military members are complex and vary by service branch and state law. Consult with a qualified family law attorney and/or military legal assistance office for guidance specific to your situation.