Expert: Aaron Shifferly - 11/10/2009

Question
Hello, thank you in advance for taking the time to answer my question.

My husband is planning to join the Army soon and my parents live with us.  They are both on disability and unable to work.  We would need them to come with us once he joins.  Will we be able to do that?  My father is retired Army so both him and my mother already have ID cards and Tricare.  Will they be able to keep their disablilty/retiree status?  Would it be better to claim them as dependants or for them to remain as they are and just follow us from duty station to duty station on our own dime?  Will it be hard to get base housing if they are not our dependants?  I think that is it but if I forgot something please do not hesitate to include it in you answer.

Thank you again,

Deborah


Answer
OK I've been checking into this. They can keep their retiree status if you want to just move them at your own expense every time you go someplace. The only issue would be an overseas posting since they would have to be your husband's dependents.. Base housing will be given to you (assuming you are enlisted) just because you're married.. you can try to get them on as your dependents.. just have to go to the DEERS and TRICARE offices and see what can be done.. there is a lot of paperwork in order to do that and they will really get into it with you once you choose to go down that route.. but either way, you CAN take them with you.. just on your dime until you get all the paperwork done to make them your dependents.. (oh they need to medically qualify and stuff but that's for you and DEERS to work out, as I'm not a medical doctor but one will undoubtedly check them out.)