Jeffery M. Leving and Glenn Sacks on Defrauded Veterans Have Mixed Emotions on Veterans Day:
For Torrance photographer Taron James, a decorated veteran of Operation Northern Watch, Veterans Day always brings mixed emotions.
James enlisted in the Navy at age 20 in the days leading up to the first Persian Gulf War, and carried out hazardous reconnaissance missions behind Iraqi lines in the war's aftermath.
He earned four service medals and three ribbons before his honorable discharge in 1994. Yet his reward for his service has been nine years of unremitting government harassment, financial deprivation, and a constant struggle to stay out of jail.
This is bigger problem than some realize, or wish to realize. It is damn near impossible for a military man to fight a fraudulent paternity claim when he is not located in the same state as the individual making the claim. This problem is largely due to the inability of service members to take repeated leave in order to deal with this issue in the courts. This problem is further compounded by the lack of financial resources needed to pay for competent legal counsel to act on their behalf. I'm thankful that Sacks has taken the time to shine his spotlight on this issue. Serious revision of child support laws along with criminal consequences for those committing such fraud are needed to put this little scam industry out of business.
My husband was denied a DNA test for a child by a woman that lives in another state. He says he does not know her and this child has been born while we have been married. Our tax refund was offset because of this but there is no proof that he is the father. Please help!!!!! The people at the CSE office always say they don’t have a file on him when he calls. When he went to court they made him sign some papers and said he had to get a lawyer if he wants a DNA test done.(We live in Georgia.)
4/10/2004 9:37:00