Support a Disabled Veteran's Fight for Justice

My name is Kyle Moser, a combat-injured Marine veteran from the war in Afghanistan. On my first deployment in 2011 I was blown up in a vehicle and 10 days later on a dismounted patrol. I lost both my legs above the knee, my right ring finger, the ability to bend my right wrist, as well as extensive skin damage to my right forearm.

Well as you may know, the federal government grants it up to each state in how they want to allocate alimony and child support from disability benefits in divorce. Currently, I am going through a divorce in Illinois where my disability benefits are not protected and I have been ordered to pay 1/3 of my disability benefits to alimony/child support. I will preface, I do not have an issue with child support. After all my monthly payments, I only have a couple hundred dollars to my name of which goes towards paying off legal fees that I am incurring at a $1,000 rate per month. Mathematically this is putting me on a path of bankruptcy. I was also ordered to pay backpay of $10,400 the amount of alimony/child support from the day my wife filed, which I simply cannot afford on top of everything else I owe.

As of now, I am being held in contempt of court because I have not and will not be able to provide her the backpay money anytime soon. I have been threatened by the judge as of Thursday 6/6/2024 that if I cannot come up with these funds by the 17th, I will be sent to jail. After condescendingly holding me in contempt of court, she then proceeded to thank me for my service.

I could reach out to veteran organizations for their help in paying for this debt however, this does not alleviate my situation towards bankruptcy even if I do pay the amount they are holding me in contempt over. I also cannot in good conscious give away money that was donated to me for my recovery and wellbeing and give it to my wife for alimony.

A majority of 100% disabled people here in Illinois are not veterans from which, a majority of 100% disabled veterans are not from combat. My disability benefits are given to me for my wellbeing/financial stability as a someone who has sacrificed life and limb for country. Well, my fellow patriots, I do not know what to do. If they are taking advantage of me as a combat disabled veteran, they sure as heck are doing the same to others. I do not take lightly what I and so many others have physically and mentally sacrificed for our country. I truly believe that if America knew this is how we treat our veterans no one would be interested in joining the military.

In my daily life, asking for help is something I refuse to do unless absolutely necessary. When transferring, lifting/moving heavy things, or pushing my wheelchair I avoid asking for assistance at all costs. The same is true for money and it is with great sorrow that I am asking for help.

I previously had my goal at $228,400 because that is what the court expects I pay from my disability benefits over the next 6.5 years. I understand that this could be misconstrued as a ridiculous amount however, if someone were to ask me what would make my problems go away it would be that amount. That being said realistically speaking, I’m changing the amount to $10,300- the amount required of me in holding me in contempt of court just to keep me out of jail (for now.)

As this court case progresses and I am ordered to pay more money that I cannot afford, I may adjust the amount. 

If anything, I ask for your help in spreading my situations awareness. 

If you are local to my area in the Chicago suburbs, it would be sincerely appreciated if you could attend court with me on the 17th @ 9:00 in the Kane County Court House Room 113 to support me in showing that we aren’t going to accept this kind of behavior towards our combat wounded veterans. 

UPDATE: I have received enough money to pay my wife in back pay, thank you very much to everyone who donated. As of now, I am still on a path of bankruptcy with the amount of legal fees I am incurring and any funds donated further will be contributed to that. 

Thank you,

-Kyle Moser