Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 3/10/2009

Question
hi my question is.. i was wondering if my husband who is serving the Air Force can qualify his father-in law part of his dependant which is my dad. hes always been going off-island to the p.i seeking medical treatment and none of the doctors can possibily say what is wrong. he is actually seeking social security but i was wondering if he can be part of my husbands dependant but wont live with us on base he is currently in Guam.
second will it be a hassel just putting him on my husbands dependant if its possible that he can be a dependant?
third what can i do for this to happen will it be long to process for becoming dependant?

Answer
Apple,
Yes, normally he can be your husband's dependent.  If I understand you correctly, your dad is in Guam and you are where?  Stateside?  Do you live on-base or off-base?

1.  Making your father your dependent doesn't necessarily mean he'll get the same free medical care as you and your husband.  He will have a home with you and it means he can get on and off base and fill his prescriptions at the base clinic, but he won't necessarily be eligible for Tricare.  Dependent parents have some special rules different from dependent spouses and children.

Your first step should be to go to your Military Personnel Flight (MPF) and find out what he's entitled to.  They'll want to know answers to these questions:  Is he currently on Social Security?  Is he widowed?  How do you plan to get him an I.D. card?  (Both your husband and he have to be present together to do that.)

2.  It shouldn't be much of a hassle.
3.  By now you've probably experienced first-hand how slow things can move in the military.
The very first thing you need to do is have your husband go talk to his MPF, the sooner the better.

Good luck,
Colonel H