Sailors took sham brides to boost pay, US says

Reuters ^ | Apr 11, 2006 | Reuters

[JimBianchi11]

MIAMI (Reuters) - Eight U.S. sailors at a Florida navy station fraudulently married Polish and Romanian women in order to collect extra housing allowances, according to federal charges filed on Tuesday.

Full artical:

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&storyid=2006-04-11T180752Z_01_N4B269482_RTRUKOC_0_US-CRIME-SAILORS.xml&rpc=22

[JimBianchi11]

They make this sound like it is big news. For those of us who are former US military, we all knew someone who did this.

If they were caught, they were prosecuted and made to repay the money. (The USAF policy when friends of mine were caught)

Not new to me.

Jim

[MudPuppy]

not new to the Marine Corps either....
I never heard of anyone getting caught unless they tried having more than one wife at a time (Filipino family & an American family).

I personally knew a few Marines that got married for convenience / money....especially in the 80's.

[JeeperFreeper]

Make them pay it back, then transfer 'em to Ramadi for point man on foot patrols and IED searches.

[glorgau]

Living in the barracks, I always thought that half the lower enlisted that were married and living off post were getting over on the guys who were always being swept up for any trivial tasks that came along. Sounds like simple survival to me.

[TexasTransplant]

Sorry Housing wasn't the numero uno reason, I remember being 18 or 19 and to be quite honest, money didn't usually enter into any of MY equations.

sheesh this is like so World War I or any War or conflict that preceded.

TT

[stompk]

old old OLD news. :-D

[Reagan 76]

This is new? This is standard practice. How about those gals who got pregnant to get out of the barracks and then had abortions once they had their BAH & BAS

[tobyhill]

In the late 80's I was stationed in Germany and it was not unusual for this to happen and even a few turned out to be Soviet plants because when the wall came down a lot of wives disappeared.

[SAMS]

Typical MSM outlet, trying to make hay out of an old story. Hell, I knew single soldiers who would marry each other just to get out of the barracks & collect BAH (they both get to collect). Nothing to see here, move along folks.

[inkling]

Yes, it's same-old, same-old. Been going on for decades.

[SelectiveJNJ]

How about we take all the money we spend on welfare and social services and use it to increase the pay of our men and women in uniform!

[krb]

Eight U.S. sailors at a Florida navy station fraudulently married Polish and Romanian women in order to collect extra housing allowances

I'd need to see the pictures of these women before I decide :-)

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

I'm in the Navy. I married a Romanian girl last Saturday.

(she was already a citizen):)

[2dogjoe]

Congratulations!

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

Thanks.

[Palladin]

Congrats! Wishing you much happiness.

[Junior]

I'm trying to figure out what the big deal is. I've known one or two sailors who've pulled similar stunts over the years. I knew one guy who claimed to be gay (he wasn't) just to get out of a Med cruise. He got his wish -- and got booted from the Navy to boot.

[El Gato]

I'm in the Navy. I married a Romanian girl last Saturday.

Congratulations!

Now we need pictures... of her, not of your mug.

[dakine]

Used to be called a "contract" marriage...only while stationed together...

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

As soon as we get them. :)