http://www.militaryonesource.mil/abu...tent_id=266708

Domestic Violence in the Military

Victims often hesitate to report abuse because they fear the impact it will have on their spouse's career. A recent DOD study found that service members reported for abuse are 23 percent more likely to be separated from the service than nonabusers and somewhat more likely to have other than honorable discharges. The majority who remain in the military are more likely to be promoted more slowly than nonabusers.

Many military spouses don't know that federal law gives financial protection to the spouse if the member is discharged for an offense which "involves abuse of the then-current spouse or a dependent child." It doesn't matter if the discharge is a punitive discharge imposed by a court-martial, or an administrative discharge initiated by the commander. The key is that the reason for the discharge must be for a "dependent abuse" offense.

The term "involves abuse of the then-current spouse or a dependent child" means that the criminal offense is against the person of that spouse