You’ve just had the wedding of your dreams and a romantic honeymoon… now what? When it comes to the Navy, you’ll need more than just a marriage certificate.
After you have legally changed your name, there are a few key steps you need to make. Here’s a quick checklist:
Enroll in DEERs.
Your spouse, whom we will refer to affectionately as your sponsor, must fill out paperwork and enroll you in DEERs (refer to post on acronyms). To find the nearest office that can process your paperwork, click here.
Apply for your military ID card.
After you are enrolled in DEERs you can get your military ID card. I highly recommend making an appointment for this. Each duty station has an office. If you are like me and get married while your spouse is on shore tour, you can go to another branch’s installation (in my case I went to the local Army base) and have your card made. It is a b&w photo and that camera is unforgiving! Visit your local duty station’s website for more details.
Get your Power of Attorney (POA) in order.
Don’t put this one off! While you are on base getting your ID card made, find base legal.. See “Everything to Know About POAs”. My husband and I made a full day of it. It was easy to just get it all done in one visit to the base. Base legal is fabulous! They will tell you which ones you need and notarize them right there for you as long as your spouse is with you.
Update your life insurance.
Another critical area not to forget – your spouse’s life insurance. Once you’re married make sure him or her adds you to their insurance.
Update the emergency contact sheet.
Every boat maintains an emergency data sheet, which contains the contact information of spouses and significant others. Make sure your information is updated!
Memorize your spouse’s SSN.
It might sound crazy, but you will need your spouse’s social security number more often than you think. Do yourself a favor and memorize it! You need it ALL THE TIME.
Familiarize yourself with the local resources at your duty station.
Now that you’re an official dependent, make sure you explore your local base, MWR, and follow the Fleet and Family’s social media pages.
Congratulations!