DoD offers adoption expense assistance to servicemembers

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Rochelle Clace
  • 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. --  Family has always been important within the ranks of the military and the Department of Defense is there to help those who seek to adopt children. 

The Adoption Expense Reimbursement Program offers active-duty members a reimbursement of up to $2,000 per adopted child and a maximum of $5,000 in any calendar year for expenses incurred throughout the adoption process. 

"My husband and I had my nephews for three years. We were legal guardians and then we went in for complete adoption," said Master Sgt. Patty Thissen, 189th Airlift Wing executive administrative assistant. "We got the adoption, which was passed with an enormous amount of money out of our pockets and (we) needed help." 

Only one member of a dual military couple may be reimbursed for the adoption of the same child and benefits are only payable after the adoption is final. 

"I submitted the paperwork and got reimbursed some of the adoption expenses 30 days later," said Sergeant Thissen. "It was a blessing to us." 

To qualify for a reimbursement, the following criteria must be met: 

- Servicemembers must be serving on continuous active duty or full-time National Guard duty specifying a period of at least 180 days to apply for reimbursement. 

- The child or children must be under 18 years of age or physically or mentally incapable of caring for himself or herself. 

- The child or children may not be the biological offspring of the servicemember. 

- The adoption must be arranged by a qualified adoption agency that has responsibility under state or local law for child placement through adoption; a nonprofit voluntary adoption agency that is authorized by state or local law to place children for adoption; or any other source authorized by a state to provide adoption placement if the adoption is supervised by a court under state or local law. 

Qualifying expenses include public and private agency fees including adoption fees charged by an agency in a foreign country; placement fees, including fees charged adoptive parents for counseling; legal fees, including court costs, for services that are not available to a member of the Military Services through base legal; or certain medical expenses. 

Sergeant Thissen explained that the program is really beneficial to military members who are interested in adopting or have already adopted. 

"The military is truly trying to help their members," said Sergeant Thissen, a member of the Arkansas Air National Guard. "This program was created to help military members with the adoptions that they're doing. There are a lot of different programs out there that servicemembers should be aware of." 

For more information on applying for the Adoption Expense Reimbursement Program, call the Military Personnel Element customer service at 987-8228.