Power of Attorney - Friends Can Be Empowered To Handle Affairs
Lance Cpl. Justin R. Wheeler
okinawa marine staff

Marines travel on short notice and sometimes leave an array of obligations behind such as car or house payments. While away from home, some Marines are not guaranteed an opportunity to handle those obligations in person. However, military legal offices can grant the power to lift some of that weight for all Status of Forces Agreement personnel.

The power of attorney is a document that designates someone to represent the applicant in personal, financial or legal matters.

When drafting a POA, the applicant is granted the option of two types of POA; special and general. The general POA allows the authorized representative to handle all matters on behalf of the grantor. Essentially, this allows the representative to exist as the grantor’s identity, said Sgt. Renee Govea, legal assistance noncommissioned officer in charge, Legal Services Support Section, Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force.
 
“With a general power of attorney, you basically step into (the grantor’s) shoes and take their place,” said Govea. “It is full power.”

The special power of attorney limits the representative to one or more authorizations, such as managing a bank account or paying a car payment, he said.

“When they do appoint someone with these instruments, they need to be trusted,” said Govea.

Govea recommends that an expiration date of no more than one year is designated and to ensure the business or service dictated will accept the POA.

“You never know what will happen in that year,” said Lance Cpl. Steve Busam, legal assistance clerk, Legal Services Support Section, CLR-37. “If you get a divorce, they have the ability to put you in a bind.”

When completing the forms, common mistakes made by applicants are printing the wrong date, scratching out mistakes and not physically presenting themselves at the legal office for notarization.

“You can’t get a power of attorney for a power of attorney,” said Busam. “You must be present or you can’t get it notarized. It also has to be readable and without misspellings.”

The notary, the person who notarizes the document, at the legal services support sections on each base provides free services to patrons. The power of attorney process is fast, free and instrumental in a Marine’s planning while away from home.

For more information call the CLR-37 legal and support services section at 645-1037.