As difficult as divorce often is for people, it is significantly more difficult if one of the divorced parties is a member of the military. The already stressful life of a service member is made even more complex by the requirements of their divorce agreement, including having to pay child support and having a difficult time taking advantage of visitation rights. The effects of military life can be even more profound on both the service member and the child if the service member has primary custody of any children from the marriage.
Due to the ever changing nature of military service, it is nearly impossible to set a divorce agreement that is always fair to the circumstances. Being deployed makes it impossible to enjoy visitation rights, and being stationed elsewhere can put an unexpected financial burden on military members as they must pay to move their lives elsewhere. Fortunately for members of the military, the law is willing to work with them.
Viewing this document will give you an idea of how Texas law is willing to adapt to the changing circumstances of military life. For example, if a soldier is deployed on duty and unable to take advantage of his or her visitation rights, the service member can designate a friend or relative to visit the child instead. Additionally, soldiers can ask for extra time to make up for the lost days that they could not spend with their children, though the courts may not necessarily grant it.
While it is usually safe to assume that courts are willing to temporarily modify divorce agreements to accommodate the difficulties of military divorce, it is not a guarantee. This is why it is highly recommended that those involved in a military divorce speak with an attorney who can handle the legal matters of a divorce, even if the soldier is unable to act on their own behalf.