Vermont governor signs parent protection act

Vermont Gov. James Douglas signs the Military Parent Protection Act into law in a ceremony with Maj. Gen. Michael Dubie, the adjutant general of Vermont, at Camp Johnson, Vt., March 3, 2010. The new law prevents soldiers from losing custody of their children based on their military service. (Photo by Sgt. Elizabeth Strauss, Vermont National Guard)
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ARLINGTON, Va., (3/5/10) -- The governor of Vermont enacted a law on March 3 that will prevent deploying military parents from losing custody of their children.

"As soldiers and airmen deploy, there are issues of custody that create a great deal of stress and also financial hardship," said Air Force Maj. Gen. Michael Dubie, the adjutant general of Vermont. "This law will clearly help our members and their families in years to come."

The Military Parent Protection Act was drafted with the help of Guard members and the Vermont Bar Association.

"It's an important step forward for our men and women who answer the call the serve," said Gov. James Douglas. "They don't need to be distracted by issues on the home front when they step up to the plate to serve."

One Vermont soldier who returned from a deployment found that his ex-partner had been granted full custody of their child in his absence. It took months of court proceedings and $23,000 in legal fees, said Lt. Col. Ellen Abbott, a judge advocate general in the Vermont National Guard, for him to regain custody of his child.

"It was a very difficult thing for this soldier to go through," she said. "Had we had something in place to provide protections to him, it might have made things easier."

The bill would also ensure that deploying parents could appoint a friend or family member to assume visitation rights on their behalf. It also ensures that deployed parents can correspond with their children via telephone, e-mail or Web cameras.

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