Posted on 03/17/2006 9:54:54 AM PST by Abathar
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Two Kansas City-area women are fighting to get their children back after serving their country overseas.
When Dena Stephenson went off to war, her 6-year-old daughter, Kristina, went to stay with her father. Stephenson followed the military's Family Care Plan, which gave temporary power of attorney and guardianship of her child to the father.
"Once I came back from deployment, naturally, my child wanted to be with me nonstop," Stephenson said.
Stephenson said she was supposed to get Kristina back when she returned home, but now the girl's father is asking for 50-50 custody.
"I don't agree with that as a parenting plan. I don't think it's healthy for the child and I've already missed a year of her life," Stephenson said. "It hurts me that he's trying to do this, and in the long run, I think it's going to hurt her, too."
Regina Ellis is going through a similar experience. She was deployed overseas for a year, and she also followed the Family Care Plan. Now that she's back, Ellis has lost custody of her son, Trevor.
This month, her ex-husband gained full-time custody, and Ellis said she sees Trevor only every other weekend.
"It's not just us and it's not just the Army and it's not just females -- this is military-wide, and it hurts," Ellis said.
Both Ellis and Stephenson are fighting their cases in court this spring.
KMBC-TV in Kansas City, Mo., reported that a law passed in 2003 is supposed to protect soldiers in war zones from civil lawsuits until they return. But now that law is being challenged in Kansas courts.
There is also a case pending before the Kansas Supreme Court about a Marine who lost custody of his son while he was in Iraq.
"If I'd never been deployed to Iraq, I don't think we'd be going through this," Stephenson said.
A spokeswoman at Fort Riley said returning soldiers are offered re-entry counseling, but no legal assistance in civil matters.
He's probably paying 100% child support, but it's wrong for him to have 50% custody.
Sounds like a one-way street to me.
welcome to a dude's world. you've come a long way baby.
"If I'd never been deployed to Iraq, I don't think we'd be going through this," Stephenson said.
So none of the things you did prior to that had any effect on your life, huh?
My thoughts exactly.
No lady, it's won't hurt her to spend time with her father on a regular basis...
This is an interesting issue on a number of levels, but what I find so intriguing is that it basically involves a conflict between Federal law (under the military's Family Care Plan) and state law (under Kansas rules regarding child custody).
It's happening and it sucks. IMNSHO
but now the girl's father is asking for 50-50 custody.
Agree totally. I bet she still wants that 100% child support and for him to just go away and mail the check each month.
Men=ATM
If I'd never been deployed to Iraq, I don't think we'd be going through this," Stephenson said.
I think that it is probably healthier for the child to not suddenly have to go from living with her father to living with her mother via joint custody. The article doesn't say how long she was away, but the child I'm sure has grown used to living with her father.
imo
This is the only - ONLY - time I have ever heard of the mother being denied custody. ALWAYS, the man has his kids taken from him by some Judge Judy-type activist lawyer.
I agree with you. Equality sucks for the people who use the word as a cudgel.
Funny noone ever had a problem with men having every other weekend visitation. I think if both parents are willing, 50/50 parenting is fine and fair. Both parents must agree to live near each other, but most want to pretend their previous life didn't exist and act like they have no obligation to their ex-spouse and child. They do. Lesson, make damn sure before you go having kids with someone.
Oh, how sinister!
/sarc
The women are fighting in war, what kind of men are these guys?
Maybe they are fathers, that due to the system that works against men, never had a fighting chance to have their kids live with them and to experience the joy of parenthood. After getting the chance, they might not only love their kids even more for having actually spending a lot of time with them, but see an opening to be a larger part of their kids' lives.
I don't know but I sure wouldn't show my face in public if my wife was deployed and I was the stay-at-home dad.
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