Working with the Military on Child Support Matters

Military Trainer Guide

Publication Date: October 10, 2023
Current as of:

This is the guide to the two-day course, Working with the Military on Child Support Matters, to help child support workers process military cases effectively. The guide’s modular format has trainer notes, content outline, and training aids such as handouts and slides for each module. The training is comprehensive and addresses all stages of case processing from locate to establishment and enforcement. The content includes input from the Department of Defense as well as child support agencies who work closely with military and veteran families.

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File Size: 3,266 KB
Pages: 103

Introduction to Course

You’ll welcome participants to the course on Working with the Military on Child Support Matters. OCSS developed this course to help staff work child support cases that involve military members. The training is designed for in-person presentation.

Module 1: Overview of the Military

You may need to modify the length of this module based on participants’ familiarity with the military and its organization.

Learning Goals:

  • Realize some of the unique child support issues facing military parents
  • Understand the basic organization of the United States armed forces
  • Become familiar with rules and regulations that govern enforcement of child support obligations within the military

Module 2: Military Locate Procedures

This module includes a handout listing addresses for the military locate resources. Participants are not expected to memorize the addresses. 

Learning Goals:

  • Learn locate resources (IV-D and military) applicable to cases involving the military (active duty, retired, reservists, and National Guard)
  • Learn how to use these locate resources

Module 3: Service of Process on Military Personnel

This module’s complex material (especially subsection 3.4.3) is suited for senior staff or attorneys and might not be appropriate for all caseworkers. You may delete the portions that are not relevant to the target audience.

Learning Goal:

Understand procedures for service of civil process on military personnel located on U.S. military installations and ships in U.S. waters, as well as those located overseas or in non-U.S. waters.

Module 4: The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

Since this module’s information is highly legalistic, you have the option to use a full or abbreviated version of content in the trainer notes. You may choose the abbreviated option, depending on the audience.

Learning Goal:

Understand the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and its effect on establishing and enforcing child support orders involving military personnel.

Module 5: Obtaining Evidence from the Military

Explains how to get information from military personnel for paternity establishment, health care, and other child support proceedings and processes. 

Learning Goal

Understand the rules and procedures for obtaining evidence and information relevant to proceedings involving military personnel.

Module 6: Military Establishment Procedures

Involves actions to establish parentage and a child support order when the noncustodial parent is a service member. The material is also directly applicable to modification actions.

Learning Goal:

Learn strategies for establishing paternity and a child support order in military cases

Module 7: Military Enforcement Procedures

Explains actions to enforce financial and medical child support obligations. These enforcement procedures could apply to active duty, reserve, and retired military members.

Learning Goal:

Learn effective strategies for enforcing obligations in military cases 

Module 8: Access, Parenting Time, and Custody Issues

Covers the unique access and custody issues of deployment and assignments in distant locations.

Learning Goals:

  • How the child support program can help encourage healthy parent relationships
  • Learn about access, parenting time orders (visitation), and custody
  • Learn about Family Care Plans
  • Get resources to help military parents with access, parenting time, and custody issues

Module 9: Collaborations: Serving Those Who Serve Us

An opportunity to brainstorm about ways local offices can better serve military parents.

Learning Goals:

  • Why it’s important for child support agencies to partner with military programs
  • Learn about partnership opportunities with military and veteran organizations
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