Recently in Military Law Category

Over the past six months, the U.S government has been split on transgender military service, with the president tweeting a ban, transgender service members suing over the tweets, the Secretary of Defense defying the president's order, and ultimately a federal court blocking the order.

All that political and legal back-and-forth looks to be over -- starting January 1 of this year, transgender people are now allowed to enlist in the military. And, according to the Department of Justice, the Trump administration won't continue to challenge transgender military service in court.

In the wake of President Donald Trump's proclamation that openly transgender individuals be discharged from the military, in addition to the lawsuits, there has been some pushback from an unexpected source: the Secretary of Defense, General James Mattis.

After sources reported that the general was appalled by the president's proclamation, soon after, he came out with a plan that effectively puts the ban on hold. While socially, and politically, transgender rights are a polarizing and controversial issue, it may not be possible to read anything more than prudence into Mattis's actions. Making a sweeping change like this to the military requires careful planning and assessment.

Over the course of three tweets last month, President Donald Trump expressed his intent to ban transgender people from serving in the military. The White House made that intent official on Friday, issuing a Presidential Memorandum for the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security "prohibit[ing] openly transgender individuals from accession into the United States military and authoriz[ing] the discharge of such individuals.

And it didn't take long for the lawsuits to follow. Both the ACLU and Lambda Legal have sued Donald Trump and his Secretary of Defense James Mattis, claiming the ban is unconstitutional and "compromises the safety and security of our country."

Divorces are rarely easy, and marital property and alimony decisions can be particularly difficult. Age can become a factor in those decisions, especially when retirement and disability benefits come into play. Add to that mix a federal statute governing ex-spouses' access to military retirement benefits and you've got yourself a Supreme Court case.

Howell v. Howell might not be the most glamorous case on the Court's docket, but for veterans and their exes, it could mean a big difference in spousal support and marital property payments. Here's what you need to know.

Along with the new executive branch's hard-line anti-immigration stance, legal questions have arisen as to how far the federal government can go in their efforts to enforce immigration laws. One such recently raised question is whether the National Guard can be used to enforce immigration laws and deportations.

The executive branch currently maintains that there are no plans to use the National Guard to enforce immigration laws or form a deportation force. However, reports are indicating that the idea has been discussed, which raises questions as to whether it is legal to use the National Guard in that manner.

Although the men and women who served this country deserve more than just one day to honor their service, every November, Americans are asked to honor and celebrate their veterans on Veterans Day.

While US laws attempt to treat everyone equally, veterans can sometimes have special rights, or get priority in employment, because they made the huge sacrifice to serve in the armed forces. For Veterans Day, and as a way to make the lives of veterans just a little bit easier, below you will find 5 of the top legal questions veterans ask.

Last week, the US Senate approved a military policy bill that would require young women to register for the draft at age 18, just like young men. Americans have not been drafted into the military since 1973, but passage of the bill reignited a national debate about women, fighting, and equality, most notably among the many men in government.

That debate has been going on for decades. In 1981, the US Supreme Court ruled that women did not need to sign up for Selective Service because at that point they were not active in all aspects of military service. As of this year, The New York Times reports, the ban on women in combat roles has been completely lifted and female soldiers are on the front lines, in the trenches, and everywhere else. In light of this, soon it could be that everyone who turns 18 will have to register.

After celebrating Memorial Day and honoring those who died serving in the nation's armed forces, many may be wondering how the military and the legal system interact. In some cases, like the court martial process, the military has its own separate judicial system. In other cases, like divorce, military personnel are subject to the same judicial proceedings as everyone else.

Here are the top five legal issues facing military personnel and their families:

Although women have long served in the military and are increasingly in combat roles, there is little awareness of veterans' benefits for women. Mostly when we think of vets, we think of men. But the Department of Veteran Affairs in Arizona wants to change that.

The state's Department of Veteran Services this spring is holding four conferences targeting women veterans specifically. The department's director, Colonel Wanda Wright, told NBC News that the specific focus on women veterans is necessary because women who do not serve on combat units often fail to recognize themselves as veterans and miss out on services and benefits available to them.

Once welcomed home like a hero, Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl is now being labeled a deserter.

Sergeant Bergdahl returned home last year after spending nearly five years in captivity with the Taliban. Bergdahl was released in exchange for the release of five members of the Taliban held at Guantanamo Bay. While his family and community welcomed home with open arms, Bergdahl's platoon members and fellow veteran soldiers accused him of deserting his post during war time, putting others at risk.

After a lengthy investigation, the army has decided to charge Bergdahl on two counts, desertion and misbehavior before the enemy.