Spouses in Transition Support

Steps and Resources to Walk through the Transition and Divorce Process for the American Foreign Affairs Community

Divorce within the Foreign Service community always involves legal challenges that can complicate the process, especially when there are children involved. Relocation, when a trailing spouse wants to return home with the children, often with no moral or financial support from their spouse–a commissioned officer–is always a challenge. Every year, Foreign Service spouses reach out to AAFSW for help in a situation of crisis, usually during a separation or divorce. Some American and foreign-born spouses find themselves under unforeseen and appalling situations of abandonment, with their family and friends spread out within the U.S. or abroad, preventing them from receiving any financial or moral support.

With no specific data on the divorce rate within the foreign affairs community or from the Department of State, AAFSW notes more families are going through difficult separation or divorce, often under dire circumstances for some employees, spouses, and their children. Families and couples tend to deal with unique relationship stresses living overseas, needing to re-engineer their personality or life to adjust to local contexts. Moving to an unfamiliar environment and the pressures that come from leaving one’s support network – friends and family members – back home can put a strain on marriages.

As divorce will continue to be a challenging process for some, AAFSW is committed to supporting separating and divorcing family members in the U.S. or abroad. AAFSW provides resources and advocacy through mediating and negotiating with the State Department’s Global Community Liaison Office (GCLO) and other agencies, support groups and family lawyers’ networks familiar with divorce and the foreign service lifestyle. The AAFSW Family Crisis Fund, established in 2015 (and financed by donations), helps pay for emergency expenses such as groceries, utility bills, partial rent payments, or one or two hours of legal consultation.

Under a strict rule of confidentiality, spouses and employees are encouraged to reach out to AAFSW and the Spouses in Transition Chair, when in a situation of distress, to find support navigating through these challenging transitions.

Please do not hesitate to contact Celine Erickson, AAFSW Spouses in Transition Chair, (transition@aafsw.org), Sheila Switzer, AAFSW Foreign-Born Spouse State Liaison (programs@aafsw.org), or Barbara Reioux, AAFSW Office Manager (office@aafsw.org).

Please find below useful links, including the “Divorce and the Foreign Service” handbook.

Best of luck,

Celine C. Erickson

Transition Chair and President, AAFSW

Articles

Divorce in the American Foreign Service and the shocking loophole affecting the most vulnerable family members.

Tales Shared by Family Members Since 2017

Tales of Survivors of the DOS Divorce and Separation Process – Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide (aafsw.org)

Divorce is a Process, Not an Event: Resources

Divorce is a Process, Not an Event: Resources – Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide (aafsw.org)

A comprehensive guide to Foreign Service Officer Salaries

Foreign Service Officer Salary: A Comprehensive Guide (2020 update) – Path to Foreign Service

Online Resources

Global Community Liaison Office

https://www.state.gov/bureaus-offices/under-secretary-for-management/bureau-of-global-talent-management/global-community-liaison-office/

The Global Community Liaison Office (GCLO) serves U.S. government direct-hire employees and their family members, from all agencies under Chief of Mission authority serving overseas and returning to the United States. GCLO’s mission is to improve the quality of life of all demographics we serve by identifying issues and advocating for programs and solutions, providing a variety of client services, and extending services to overseas communities through the management of the worldwide Community Liaison Office (CLO) program.

GCLO Divorce Resources

https://www.state.gov/global-community-liaison-office/foreign-service-life/divorce-and-separation/

The Global Community Liaison Office (GCLO) provides guidance and support in the area of divorce. Foreign Service employees and family members in the process of a divorce are eligible to access these services. While Foreign Service couples go through divorce proceedings in the same manner as those living permanently in the United States, there are factors to consider which may complicate or prolong the process due to the nature of international assignments.

GCLO’s “Divorce and the Foreign Service” Online Publication

https://www.state.gov/global-community-liaison-office/foreign-service-life/divorce-and-separation/divorce-and-the-foreign-service/

This GCLO publication addresses topics related to separation and divorce, including Advance Travel.

WorkLife4You (WL4Y)

https://www.worklife4you.com/index.html

WL4Y is the Department of State’s 24/7 Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for employees and their family members. WL4Y provides free 24/7 counseling, education, and referral services that help Department of State employees and family members find the programs, providers, information, and resources they need to manage personal and professional responsibilities. For login information, contact GCLOAskSupportServices@state.gov.

Court-Ordered Benefits for Former Spouses

PDF from the Office of Personnel Management

Employee Consultation Services (Intranet)

https://usdos.sharepoint.com/sites/MED/PubM/SitePages/MHECS/ECS.aspx

Email at: MEDECS@state.gov, Or call: 202-634-4874

Employee Consultation Services provides short-term counseling and referrals for State Department employees and family members. This is a confidential, free service staffed by licensed clinical social workers. ECS has a monthly divorce support group that meets at the Department of State.

TalentCare (Intranet)

https://usdos.sharepoint.com/sites/HR/Corporate/TalentCare/SitePages/TalentCare.aspx

Family Advocacy Program (3 FAM 1810)

https://fam.state.gov/FAM/03FAM/03FAM1810.html

Curtailment of Foreign Assignments (3 FAM 2443)

https://fam.state.gov/fam/03fam/03fam2440.html

Permanent Removal (of household effects in storage) (14 FAM 627.6)

https://fam.state.gov/FAM/14FAM/14FAM0620.html

Employee Responsibilities During Impending Dissolution of Marriage or Domestic Partnership

Divorce Decrees, Court Orders and Foreign Service Annuities, Retirement (AFSA)

Service Process

Pro-Rata Pension Share for former Foreign Service Spouses