Soldier Says Deployment Cost Him Custody of Son

[CatWoman]

*Support our troops*

DECEMBER 21, 2004 - A North Texas soldier who will deploy to Iraq early next year is furious that he recently lost custody of his son because of his military obligations.

John Wertz must comply with a court order and deliver his 9-year-old son to his ex-wife three days after Christmas.

"This is a big slap in the face," he said. "I'm defending the country, and right behind my back, they're taking things from me."

Wertz won primary custody of his son when his marriage to Lisa Roberts dissolved in 1998.

http://www.team4news.com/Global/story.asp?S=2721441&nav=0w0vURVC

[Mr_Spock]

1. Get over it dude

Get your priorities straight! What's more important - protecting our country from imaginary enemies or raising your flesh and blood.





Strange world we live in isn't it?

[elehhhhna]

2. Unless she's an unfit parent, who better to take him?

[CatWoman]

3. This "war" is destroying America

one family at a time.

[elehhhhna]

5. I damned well know it. Thats' not my point...

[CatWoman]

8. er, I thought I was agreeing with you

:shrug:

[elehhhhna]

13. Sorry Catwoman. i am very bunchy today. I apologize.

Mom coming for holidays, pms & GWB. Calgon, take me away!

[AlienGirl]

10. Fathers usually only get primary custody if the mom is unfit

[lazarus]

15. Which is a shame

and a clear case of gender bias in the courts.

[Sirveri]

4. This guys an idiot.

The elistment docs specifically say that he basically has to either find suitable child care or leave the military. It's all in the seperation policy. I wish people would stop thinking that somehow the DoD was going to revolve around their life, it's not, because it doesn't really care.

[w4rma]

7. Could he leave the military for this reason?

And if he couldn't then what type of "suitable child care" could someone who is going to be away from his child for 1 year to eternity be that wouldn't basically place the care of the child with his mother who WOULD be able to personally take care of him.

I think that with the Repug stop loss he will lose custody no matter what.

[Sirveri]

11. the way I understood it was...

Basically you're in the military and you have to have suitable child care for your child.

Only if that suitable care is not possible to attain, ie the kid would end up as a ward of the state, would you be able to get out of your enlistment.

Moral of the story, don't get divorced if you have kids and are in the military and you intend to keep those children.

[CatWoman]

9. damn

"idiot"?

I'd better leave this one alone.

[Sirveri]

12. Well maybe I was a bit harsh.

I'll admit to that. Some things are simply beyond our control, sometimes marriages just don't work. But he doesn't have a leg to stand on, and if he read the same documents I read when I signed up, he would know that.

[Just Me]

14. No. This neoCONfascist war is DESTROYING families!!!!

Please, don't leave that fact,...that reality,...alone.

But for this administration's CHOICE to psy-op the American people into a war that was illegitimate, immoral and unlawful,...

,...none of the consequences in human sacrifice would have been spent.

DO NOT LEAVE THE "TRUTH" ALONE,...DO NOT LEAVE HUMAN LIFE/VALUE ALONE,...EVER.

[Sirveri]

17. The war is stupid, yes we agree.

I agree with you, the war was dumb.

But this guy was also dumb for simply ignoring standard DoD regulations. They're not going to change because of him. Is it sad, sure I guess it's sad for him, but he should have known that before he got divorced. If this guy was in the Navy he would have had to give up custody anyways, war or no war, when he went out for sea duty. So saying, the horrible war is destroying families is a bit of a misnomer, it probably would have happened irregardless of our current hostilities.

[lazarus]

16. He apparently had suitable child care

he was remarried.

[Sirveri]

18. you're right.

Serves me right for not reading the actual article.

Basically the war is only involved cause he happens to be Nat Guard and was backdoor drafted, which I think is really kinda fucked up. That's probably the only reason he's leaving, so I'll stand down now.

[lazarus]

19. No problem

And kudos for stepping up like this. Too many people either dig in their heels or drop the thread without comment (I've been guilty of both). Much respect. :hi:

[Just Me]

6. Family is second to corporate (and "faux" moral) values.

My heart goes out to both you and your son.

All I can suggest is recruiting everyone around you to ACTIVATE and be present in your schools, churches, papers and representatives.

The truth is,...the only freedom we have left is to open our pie-holes and oppose this crap.

[hadrons]

20. so that Bush vote hasn't quite worked out, huh John Wertz of North Texas

[Moderator]

21. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1084613