Divorce Advice for Men | Fathers Rights Divorce | Child Custody

I am in the end stages of a divorce, so they tell me, but I cannot help feeling the system is incredibly bias when looking at child custody. My story is unfortunately like many military members: I was in Iraq, upon my return I received the “Dear John” call, found out she had a boyfriend, etc.

I have two daughters, now ages 4 and 6, that I love dearly. I spend as much time as I can with them and want more – we currently have the great California mandated 50/50 plan. Throughout the entire process she has continually lied and violated every restraining order or stipulation that has been put in place and there have been no repercussions.

I have sworn to defend our country and Constitution but when it comes to my rights as a father, I feel like I have none.  

She lives with her boyfriend, has for over 14 months, and I still have to pay spousal support because she denies it. I have proof of her living arrangement and her deliberately under reporting her income but I continually get told “we’ll work that into the final settlement.”

Question:

I am an American now living in the Philippines, and I made a mistake by marrying the wrong Filipina. I want a U.S. divorce from her. I have a friend who was in the same situation and got a U.S. divorce without leaving the Philippines a year ago.

I am on Social Security and no longer have a home in the United States; therefore I cannot afford to come there for a time to accomplish a divorce.

The U.S. Embassy here in the Philippines tells me that getting a U.S. divorce is possible in my situation. I have heard that once the divorce has been acquired, I can simply have it legally entered into record here in the Philippines.

By John Riddle For DadsDivorce.com

Divorce takes its toll on men and women, and is especially hard when there are children involved.  But divorce impacts military men differently than non-military men, according to several experts.

Dr. Roger Schank, Founder of the renowned Institute for the Learning Sciences at Northwestern University and author of twenty books, says one big difference for military men who get divorced is how they are able to cope with their situation.  "Certainly; when men get divorced they tend to rely on their buddies to get them through,” said Dr. Schank.