Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 6/24/2008

Question
I am in the army and so is my fiance, we want to get married before deploying to Iraq in about 3 weeks.  We don't know exactly how to get started and who to tell first.  Can you give me a step by step plan?

Answer
Dear Summer --

You can get married following the rules in your state of residence or the state in which you plan to marry.  With a copy of your marriage certificate, you and your new spouse would go to the personnel center on base (usually where you get your Common Access Card (CAC)) and fill out a DD Form 1172 naming each other as spouses.  You would also fill out paperwork specifying that you are now applying for "joint domicile."  That requires the Army to consider your spouse's possible employment and duty location when they reassign you, and vice versa.  You should also change your Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) beneficiaries as appropriate.  Finally I recommend a visit to the Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Office to make out wills and power of attorneys to ensure you can legally speak for each other when required.

It is best, if you tell your most trusted leader in your chain of command that you plan to marry and when, but it is not required.  You should also consider, if your jobs require clearances and one of you is ineligible for a clearance, that can make the other spouse ineligible.  I just caution to consider that because a poor marriage has ended some careers.

I wish you both the best of luck.  Thank you for your service.