My Grandmother was married to an air force SMSgt in the 40s. They had two children and were stationed in England. He left her, did not divorce her, and stayed in England while she came back to the states. He died in 1978, and we're assuming his common law wife received all his military benefits even though he was still married to my grandmother. Is my grandmother entitled to any compensation???? Who do i contact
2006-09-25 08:36:36 · 11 answers · asked by coconut 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
Coconut:
We have some problems. The US Air Force wasn't a separate service until 1947 and the first SMS was made in 1958.
I am a retired Master Sergeant with 22 years active duty. If I died, my wife would receive a small death benefit and access to the Exchange and Commissary until she remarried but little more. My retirement check would die with me.
All that aside, take your Grandmother to the VA and speak with a counselor. Try to get one who specializes in widows. The Veterans of Foreign Wars is another source as is The Disabled American Veterans. The Air Force Sergeants Association is another. If you live near near an Air Force call the base Senior Enlisted Adviser. He or she will be a Chief Master Sergeant with an administrative position. Any of these may help or they may all fail to aid you in any way for any number of reasons.
I wish you all the luck in the world but it would surprise me if she received anything significant.
I am no expert but I have walked the walk. Feel free to contact me through my profile. Remind me of the subject and, although I can't guarantee you anything, I will try to answer or get an answer to any question you might have. Just don't count on someone who knew someone whose mother used to be married to a soldier.
You really need to talk to the other end of the horse.
2006-09-25 09:10:32 · answer #1 · answered by gimpalomg 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If they were married here then you need to contact the veterans office to see if your grandmother is entiled to any benfits. But I will tell you this Because he was oversees and not in the US any longer the rules do change you need to search and see if there any such laws in England about common law marriages. Also if he left a will and left eberything to the person he was with then your grandmother can not do anything about that. Also on a side note if your grandmother hasnt done anything about this and they have been departed for this long you may want to consider the fact that she would prefer to keep this part of her life behind her.
2006-09-25 15:42:53 · answer #2 · answered by ask me again 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If they were never divorced you grandmother is entitled to compensation. If your grandfather was in the air force all you have to do is call with his name and date of birth the keep their records forever.
2006-09-25 15:40:53 · answer #3 · answered by shortcakes_maple 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If there was never a divorce yes she is entitled. Go to the Veterans Administration. Assuming they was both US citizens that is. One last thing if your grandmother remarried no she is not entitled.
2006-09-25 15:40:57 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes in fact your mother or grandmother is intitled to all of the benifits.... Reason being it is not lawfull to marry more then one time in the states; however people continue to get married and skip out on divorce because of the cost so instead of getting married in the same place they go to another state where marriage licence is not known that he or she is married its a problem with americas system in marriage. Anyways all rights of money and other things should in turn be yours
2006-09-25 15:40:54 · answer #5 · answered by Thomas A 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try contacting the VA. Veterans Administration
2006-09-25 16:06:26 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If he didn't divorce her I would assume that she was still legally married to him. A Commonlaw marriage can only go so far, my husband and I had a Commonlaw Marriage in Virginia when we were in the Navy and it didn't have much bearing on legal matters. Since your grandma was legally married to him, I would think she would get the benefits.
2006-09-25 15:38:40 · answer #7 · answered by getmycountryback 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The British Embassy
Or go to the Victoria embankments in London, cross the water and the building their contains all of our records and such.
2006-09-25 16:51:51 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If your grandparents were still legally married at the time of his death, she is entitled to his death benefits, as well as his social security.
Contact the VA and the SS office in your town. She will need a copy of their marriage certificate, his death certificate, his SS #, as well as hers.
2006-09-25 15:40:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
of course she should get compensation.
If he married the other woman he was a bigamist!!!
if he did not marry again but just lived together, the other woman has no rights whatsoever to any benefits, so get a lawyer and let her get whats hers!!!!
2006-09-25 15:41:59 · answer #10 · answered by robbas 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋