Rights and Restrictions

The Defense Task Force on Domestic Violence has urged the services to conduct awareness campaigns to step up compliance with the following policies: Lautenberg Amendment. In both civilian and military life, anyone convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence charge cannot "ship, transport, possess or receive" firearms or ammunition. If a service member is convicted of domestic violence, the commanding officer must take away his or her weapons. Major military weapons systems and those that need a crew to operate are exempt.

Enlistment bar. People convicted of domestic violence any time after 1996 are prohibited by law and Defense policy from joining the military. However, a provision allows recruiters to waive the enlistment bar. The military has no records on how many service members have been waived in, nor on the number kept out as a result of the bar.

Transitional compensation. To encourage victims to report abuse and leave violent situations, Congress in 1994 authorized payments to families in which the service member has been discharged administratively or by court-martial for dependent abuse. Family members are eligible for one to three years of medical coverage, commissary/exchange privileges and a monthly stipend.