Military widows pension rethink call

[Jimbuna]

Not sure what the position is in the US or elsewhere but the UK position should be looked at IMHO.

David Cameron should make a new year's resolution to stop "condemning" military widows to a "solitary life", the Forces Pension Society has said.

The not-for-profit group said current rules meant widows generally lost their forces pension if they remarried.

Its chairman Sir Christopher Coville said the rules were an "obscenity" and an "affront to the military covenant".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25565271

[Aktungbby]

Right up there with the 'Officers and their wives, enlistees and their ladies' and 'the baronial privilege of the first night" mentality'( IE movie: Braveheart & The Warlord)! The standard wording use was ended by a Navy admiral as the distinction was disrespectful to all married women. The baronial privilege was actually cited in the famous treasure salvage case of La Nuestra Señora de Atocha vs the State of Florida, which had tried to assert sovereignty $$$ over waters and the fabulous treasure-not in its territory! Simply..."beyond the PALE!"<old Norman expression; Florida lost! Similarily, after the Civil War, many young women would marry old Confederate veterans for their war pensions and collected well into the 2000's. One was Alberta Stewart, b.1907. After her first husband died, she married 81 year old Jasper Martin, b.1845, who had served in the 4th Alabama Infantry and collected $50.00 pension, then a considerable security to a young (1927) bride. Jasper Martin immediately passed into eternity(one child born??! fixed bayonets if ever!) and the ever-connubializing Ms Stewart married HIS grandson!! (from a previous marriage-no consanguinity here!) and stayed married for 50 years until his death in 1983. In 1996 the state of Alabama recognized Ms Stewart's claim to the first Martin pension and awarded her back-pay as well! She died, a minor re-enactment celebrity, immortalized in Confederates in the Attic in 2004 at the age of 97,(gray indeed!) and was buried with full Confederate honors as the widow of a veteran! 139 years after Appomattox! The last known confederate veteran spouse, Maudi Hopkins died in 2008. REB GALS ROCKI trust the honor of England can keep up with the LOST CAUSE!

[Tchocky]

^what he said^

[Stealhead]

To answer Jimbuna currently in the US if a military widow or widower marries again they loose the benefits.Unless they marry another person with the VA benefits they get nothing and then they would receive the benefits of the new spouse which could be lesser.

I think this only applies until the widow/widower reaches a certain age 65 I think.Audie Murphy's wife is one who lost her benefits because she re-married before she reached the cut out age.Of course they know this will happen so it is a choice between possibly loosing any benefits or living a full life not to say that such a choice is fair.Personally I think its a load of crap they should get the benefits no matter what.If they happen to marry another former military they then should have to choose either to receive the benefits of the current spouse or the former.In other words only one set of VA benefits.

I have a feeling that sometime in the next few years that law will be changed to be more fair especially if more recent widow/widowers get involved and expose this to a wider audience.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

To answer Jimbuna currently in the US if a military widow or widower marries again they loose the benefits.Unless they marry another person with the VA benefits they get nothing and then they would receive the benefits of the new spouse which could be lesser.

I think this only applies until the widow/widower reaches a certain age 65 I think.Audie Murphy's wife is one who lost her benefits because she re-married before you reached the cut out age.

Ah, right...thanks for the explanation.

Not sure if Audie Murphy's widow would be in need of the money mind, unless he died destitute

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Ah, right...thanks for the explanation.

Not sure if Audie Murphy's widow would be in need of the money mind, unless he died destitute

He died broke actually.I may be incorrect about her getting remarried but I recall seeing on the news talking about the benefit removal for windows choosing to remarry so she must have been using her husbands fame to draw attention to the issue I must have misunderstood that she was one effected.

Well she passed away in 2010 it seems.
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/04...-and-advocate/

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

He died broke actually.I may be incorrect about her getting remarried but I recall seeing on the news talking about the benefit removal for windows choosing to remarry so she must have been using her husbands fame to draw attention to the issue I must have misunderstood that she was one effected.

Well she passed away in 2010 it seems.
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/04...-and-advocate/

Thank you...that clarifies things a lot

[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

Of course they know this will happen so it is a choice between possibly loosing any benefits or living a full life not to say that such a choice is fair.

Of course living without benefit of matrimony and keeping the benefit in a 'secondary' relationship can be verrrry zesty and avoid the pitfalls of 'community property' by an aggrandizing swain, lothario or other opportunist of the bereaved's boudoir.