Thank You For Your Service–Unless You’re Single October 23, 2013
Posted by Onely in As If!.Tags: military benefits, military discrimination, single servicemen, single servicewomen
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My sister, who is a nurse in the Naval Reserves, was researching the logistics of her potential deployment, like the responsible, dedicated officer she is. Then while reading through the documentation, she discovered that her service is worth $250 less per month than a married person’s service.
Here’s the proof (I’m not sure what document it’s from, but somehow the “g.” is enough):
g. Family Separation Allowance (FSA). FSA is paid when a Service Member is involuntarily separated from his/her dependents or active duty spouse for more than 30 days. It is payable at $250.00 per month, or $8.33 per day. Service Members currently drawing FSA will continue to do so upon deployment. Service Members who reside with their Command Sponsored or Non Command Sponsored Family members will receive FSA the day they depart for the OIF Theater.
I’ll let her interpret this governmentese for you in her own words:
How very annoying. I am missing out on $250/month, because I don’t have a “family”. POOP!!! [Translation: Shit!!!] Bee [TN: her cat] is family! And of course, I have you and M&D!!! [TN: our parents!!!] And all of my friends! How very irritating.
–Christina
Photo credit: Flickr
Onely.Org 
It says “his/her dependents or active duty spouse”. If it said only “spouse” it could be singlism, but it seems like a single person with a child would be able to apply as well.
It’s a shame that “dependent” isn’t more broadly defined, but I don’t think this constitutes singlism.
I think that allowance is reasonable if one has dependents (children, elders, etc) but it’s ridiculous that one can get extra money for just being married.
Do they actually define dependents? Her cat is a dependent. . . .