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I should have been clearer - the people I know who married foreign spouses during or shortly after WW2 referred to their spouses as war brides. That was the term in common useage then. Mario Puzo, the author of the book "The Godfather" was a family friend of ours. He married a German woman (who was a good personal friend of my mom)while he was on occupation duty. He referred to her as a war bride. I worked with a former WW2 USN UDT and Seabee guy who was in the U.S. constabulary in Germany post war. He referred to his wife as a war bride.
I had suspicions that middle-eastern customs would inhibit fraternization with locals more than other military conflicts.I was looking for confirmation.
I should have been clearer - the people I know who married foreign spouses during or shortly after WW2 referred to their spouses as war brides. That was the term in common useage then. Mario Puzo, the author of the book "The Godfather" was a family friend of ours. He married a German woman (who was a good personal friend of my mom)while he was on occupation duty. He referred to her as a war bride. I worked with a former WW2 USN UDT and Seabee guy who was in the U.S. constabulary in Germany post war. He referred to his wife as a war bride.
I had suspicions that middle-eastern customs would inhibit fraternization with locals more than other military conflicts.I was looking for confirmation.
Yes, same reason there were a lot less war brides from Vietnam than from Europe. The customs, culture, etc, are just a lot different as is the entire environment of being able to meet up. In WW2, we continued to be present in Europe, if we withdrew right away, the number of war brides would have been a lot less. In Vietnam, obviously we withdrew, so no continuing, peaceful presence to foster introducing to brides. For our current conflicts, pretty restricted in being out and about in the community, large cultural differences, and though we have maintained a long presence there, it has not been peaceful like post-WW2 Europe, plus there is a rather large turn-over of personnel there at a frequent rate, no one is really being stationed in Afghanistan on a three year duty.
On a related topic: I have know many who married foreign nationals while in Military service (War brides) and my wife was a Chinese National when I married her in 1997.
I imagine that "war brides" from the Middle East would be fewer than in previous generations. Des anyone have any anecdotes to relate regarding Iraqi or Afghan war brides?
I saw a couple of Iraqi brides at Fort Riley. The difference being is the Soldiers and Iraqi civilians weren't necessarily able to mingle. One I met had been a terp.
I've seen pregnancies immediately before deployment turn into dicey matters (particularly if the woman gets an abortion right after the unit deploys). In that case, the technical legal issue isn't pregnancy per se, but that she deliberately made herself unable to deploy--the same as if a man deliberately got himself injured to avoid deployment.
The military doesn't prevent people from getting married, but oh, boy, there sure were times when I was overseas in the Far East, particularly in the Philippines, when I wished I could tell a troop, "No, you can't marry that girl."
The homliest guys could get themselves a cute little wife!
My squadron had the 2nd highest divorce rate in the marine corps.
With Tom Cruise riding around on a motorcycle without a helmet on the Top Gun 2 photos I am reminded that my Fort Riley commanding General ordered all soldiers to wear helmets and reflective vest on duty or off, on base or off. So yes a military commander can go above what a state law says or Congress passes.
He's such an azz. I don't think he made many friends during filming.
The homliest guys could get themselves a cute little wife!
My squadron had the 2nd highest divorce rate in the marine corps.
We landed at Clark AB on a Wednesday at 0900 hrs. They told us to report to the recreation center the next day at 1000 hrs to start mass in-processing.
So there I was, sitting at a table. There was a slick-sleeve sitting at the same table (I later learned he was in an AFSC that didn't require tech school, so he had been shipped to Clark immediately after basic).
The first question he wanted to ask: What did he have to do to get married, because he'd met someone that night.
I looked at my watch. We'd been in-country 23 hours and 15 minutes. Must have been the first bargirl in the first bar, and she must have put something on him that he'd never had before.
But then, there was a 2nd LT that came down from Kadena for our COPE THUNDER exercises. He fell in love with a bargirl too, and was working on marrying her.
Every time he came down for a THUNDER, he made more progress in the paperwork. And every time, she gave him her real name.
About the third time she confided, "Everything is going fine, and this time she gave me her real name," I said:
"Lieutenant. Lieutenant. Lieutenant. Listen to me for a minute, I need to tell you something about women who have given you three different "real names"...."
If the foreign national had been from certain nations, it would have "come up." Russia (still), China (still), North Korea, Syria, Iran, and such. You'd have to advise the military under any circumstances, and unless the spouse was from one of the questionable nations, they'd probably never make an issue of it.
From a CANUKAUS nation, no, it wouldn't "come up" unless you held a TOP SECRET clearance. Every marriage to a foreign national will "come up" in that case. I had a friend whose British wife had never become a US citizen after 20 years, and that became an issue for him every time his TS clearance was reviewed.
My husband has a parent married to a Taiwanese national, and a sibling married to a British national, and it comes up every time his clearance is reviewed.
I forgot to mention South Koreans. I had a friend who was a cute Korean woman (divorced) who had married a black guy who had been an MP PFC in the DMZ then came back to the U.S. (Atlanta area) with him.
Regarding today's armed services, do any of them require a member to get permission from higher authorities before getting married anymore?
I know that it used to be required and I recall that it might have been applicable to lower ranks.
Are there any penalties for getting married without permission?
Are there any penalties for getting pregnant? I know that they used to say you're body was Govt. equipment and any self inflicted injury, or self-induced condition affecting your service was an offense.
All I know is from decades ago and I am not up on changes made over the years. For example, it used to be that if you married a Chinese or Filipino, you couldn't bring your bride back to the continental U.S. because of state's miscegenation laws.
I also know that for a while, at least, the Army would not accept recruits who were married.
I am curious as to the current situation. I imagine they are pretty lax nowadays.
There are some issues which may have to be taken care of...
Military Marriage Application- There are different policies that are put in place by overseas Commands to protect
the service member and his or her career as there can be consequences to marrying citizens of certain countries and
or negative family history, those consequences include loosing the ability to obtain or keep a security clearance and
difficulties obtaining a dependent ID. Service members stationed in the Republic of Korea are required to submit an
application for marriage through their chain of Command, complete counseling sessions with the local Chaplin and
interview with the company Commander before they can get married.
Other Considerations- Remember that you are marrying a person from a foreign country, culture, beliefs and
traditions not to mention that you will also marry the family so really think before you ask. How you met the person
also influences the future of your relationship, for example:
I’ve helped many U.S. military who have foreign family members
1. Obtaining a US Visa
The military and immigration systems are entirely independent of one another. The fact that someone is in the U.S. military does not avoid or lessen U.S. immigration rules except some that are noted below. All immigrants generally must still process on either Fiance Visa – K1 Visa or Marriage Visa – CR Visa.
In the event of an emergency evacuation, it can be possible for foreign family members who do not yet have U.S. visas to be paroled in (allowed entry without documentation), usually on MAC flights. Visas are required for foreigners to immigrate to the U.S. as family members of a U.S. citizen. Ultimately, the foreigner will want to obtain a Green Card based on marriage.
2. Maintaining a Green Card
To maintain a U.S. green card, a foreigner must generally reside primarily in the U.S. However, in the case of military personnel, foreign spouses who reside overseas on U.S. bases will not lose the green card simply because they do not reside in the U.S. They can satisfy the U.S. residency requirement while living abroad. They even have the opportunity to apply for U.S. citizenship while residing abroad. U.S. residency is waived in these instances.
It is not impossible... It is not that difficult. But there are some steps which are required...
I've seen pregnancies immediately before deployment turn into dicey matters (particularly if the woman gets an abortion right after the unit deploys). In that case, the technical legal issue isn't pregnancy per se, but that she deliberately made herself unable to deploy--the same as if a man deliberately got himself injured to avoid deployment.
The military doesn't prevent people from getting married, but oh, boy, there sure were times when I was overseas in the Far East, particularly in the Philippines, when I wished I could tell a troop, "No, you can't marry that girl."
My former DIL retired from the Army. She said a lot of women used pregnancies to get out of deploying.
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