im-9601.htm

Issues Involving Military Personnel

Office of Child Support

Enforcement (OCSE)

Information Memorandum

Memorandum No. 96-01 Date: Feb. 6, 1996

U.S. Department of

Health and Human Services

Administration for Children

and Families

Washington, DC 20447

TO:STATE AGENCIES ADMINISTERING CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT PLANS UNDER TITLE IV-D OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT AND OTHER INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS

SUBJECT:TOOLS TO ASSIST CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WITH ISSUES INVOLVING MILITARY PERSONNEL

ATTACHMENT:1. "A GUIDE TO CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT AGAINST MILITARY PERSONNEL," October 1995

2. "LEGAL ASSISTANCE GUIDE: OFFICE DIRECTORY," July 1994

The above attachments are produced by the Department of Defense Judge Advocate General's School in Charlottesville, Virginia.

3. "FEDERAL PARENT LOCATOR SERVICE," December 1995

SUMMARY: The guide and directory provide the basic necessary information needed by child support agencies and others to enable them to work effectively with military officials for the purposes of locate, service of process and wage withholding for child support enforcement. Used in conjunction with OCSE's "Child Support Enforcement In The Military," the attachments will provide the user the most updated procedural information and contacts list

available.

The Federal Parent Locator Service (FPLS), a computerized national location network operated by OCSE, was established to provide address and Social Security Number information to state

and local child support enforcement agencies to locate non-custodial parents in order to establish or enforce a child support order. The FPLS is also used for locate in parental kidnapping and child custody cases.

The FPLS obtains information on individuals through data matches

with Federal agencies including the Selective Service System and

the Department of Defense. Attachment 3 describes information

that is available from FPLS. Keep in mind that only state

agencies and authorized local child support enforcement agencies

can submit requests; an individual may not file directly to FPLS.

* * *

Also, please note that although the Child Support Enforcement

Against the Military guide recommends using the involuntary allot

as the preferred way of implementing wage withholding, it cannot

be used in immediate wage withholding becasue an arrears equal

to 60 days of support does not exist. In addition, amounts for

past-due support must be included in the underlying support order before such amounts are subject to withholding under the

involuntary allotment process. In these situation, the use of

garnishment procedures which do not have an arrears threshold,

or requirement to include arrears in the support order is

appropriate.

CONTACTS: For additional information and recommended changes or updates to the guide and directory contact:

Major Gregory O. Block

Administrative and Civil Law Department

The Judge Advocate General's School, U.S. Army

Charlottesville, Virginia 22903-1781

If you have general questions regarding support enforcement against military personnel or need assistance in a specific case, contact the legal office at your nearest military installation.

(see atch 2.)

INQUIRIES:For information on FPLS, contact your ACF Regional Administrator. If you are having difficulty in processing a case through the specified military channels, contact your ACF Regional Office. Additional help is available through the OCSE military liaison who will work with you and your regional office in resolving any military issue that has not been resolved at the local level.

David Gray Ross

Deputy Director

Office of Child Support

Enforcement