(a) Upon receipt of a complaint alleging that a member is not adequately supporting his or her lawful dependents (spouse or children), the member will be interviewed and informed of the policy of the Department of the Navy concerning support of dependents. In the absence of a determination by a civil court or a mutual agreement of the parties, the applicable guide in Sec. 733.3 will apply. The member will be informed that his/her Navy or Marine Corps career may be in jeopardy if he/she does not take satisfactory action. The member may become ineligible to reenlist or extend enlistment (in the case of enlisted members), and may be subject to administrative or disciplinary action that may result in separation from the Navy or Marine Corps.
(1) Waiver of support of spouse. If the member feels that he or she has legitimate grounds for a waiver of support for the spouse, the Director, Navy Family Allowance Activity or in the case of a member of the U.S. Marine Corps, the general court-martial convening authority, may grant such a waiver for support of a spouse (but not children) on the basis of evidence of desertion without cause or infidelity on the part of the spouse. The evidence may consist of--
(i) U.S. Navy members. An affidavit of the service member, relative, disinterested person, public official, or law enforcement officer, and written admissions by the spouse contained in letters written by that spouse to the service member or other persons. However, affidavits of the service member and relatives should be supported by other corroborative evidence. All affidavits must be based upon the personal knowledge of the facts set forth; statements of hearsay, opinion, and conclusion are not acceptable as evidence.
(ii) U.S. Marine Corps members. The Marine's commander may consider all pertinent facts and circumstances. The general court-martial convening authority my consider any reliable evidence including, but not necessarily limited to, the following: affidavits of the Marine, relatives, or other witnesses; admissions of the spouse, including verbal and written statements or letters written by the spouse to the Marine or other persons; pertinent photographs or court orders; and admissions by the person with whom the spouse allegedly had sexual liaisons. Witness statements should ordinarily state facts that were personally observed. Statements that merely state a conclusion without providing the personal observations on which the conclusion is based are generally unpersuasive.
(iii) The request for waiver of support of a spouse should be submitted to the Director, Navy Family Allowance Activity or in the case of a member of the U.S. Marine Corps, the general court-martial convening authority, with a complete statement of the facts and substantiating evidence, and comments or recommendations of the commanding officer.
(2) Action. After a written complaint that a member has failed or refused to furnish support for his or her spouse or children has been received, and the member has been counseled with regard to his/her rights and obligations in the support matter, continued failure or refusal, without justification, to furnish support for dependents in accordance with the provisions of a valid court order, written agreement, or, in the absence of a court order or agreement, the appropriate support guide set forth above, will be a basis for consideration of disciplinary or administrative action which may result in the member's separation from active service.
(b) [Reserved] [44 FR 42190, July 19, 1979, as amended at 65 FR 62618, Oct. 19, 2000]