Recently in one of my cases (several, actually), I have encountered complex issues involving military retirement benefits for retired servicemembers. Fortunately, there is a lot of information out there, from the Department of Defense website to MOAA to Military.com. One of the best (read: most understandable) resources is a book published in 2006 by the American Bar Association, entitled “The Military Divorce Handbook.” For years it has sat on my credenza behind my desk as a handy reference.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting the author, Attorney Mark E. Sullivan, during the annual meeting of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in Chicago. Not only is Mark the expert on military divorce, but he can clarify the issues and present the alternatives without confusion or doubletalk. This post is a shout-out to Mark, who recently explained to me the nuances of the SBP.  His book is just as clear as his personal explanations; I can highly recommend it.