Are you required to change your name in the Army if you assume a spouse's surname?

If you change it with the Social Security Administration, you are required to change it with DEERS. Which will automatically trigger an update of ID card. Which will automatically trigger an update with the Army.

I can't tell you the reg on it, because it has been too long since I had to deal with this. But when I took my wife's name, and then again when I took my maiden name back after divorce, those were the rules.

You could TRY to dodge it... But good luck getting medical care, as health insurance, even TriCare is based off SSN (and TriCare feeds directly off DEERS).

Now... If you wanted to "informally" take your spouse's name (read: update DL and mailing address, but NOTHING ELSE), you could probably do that. But you would still have to file any legal papers with maiden name (such as wills or taxes), because, again, Social Security Administration is the one ring to rule them all, and in the darkness bind them.

You don't have to change your name when you get married. If you legally change it; however, you should change it in DEERS. I feel like if you legally change your name you have to change it in DEERS, etc, otherwise things will get confusing.

I didn't change my name right after I got married - and in fact I didn't want to at all. He whined about it so after 2 months I legally changed it. However, not long after I legally changed it, there was an incident and I thought I was going to divorce him. So I didn't change it on the Army side once it was legally changed. But then I ended up not divorcing him,, I got a compassionate for my daughter that got approved quick and so I didn't want to mess up my orders by changing it at that point, we moved on the compassionate for our daughter and once I got to that unit, I updated DEERS and then got him his dependent ID card. But then we divorced at almost the year mark - and I haven't changed my name back because it was a pain in the ass changing it to this and it's easier with all my daughter's stuff to keep it the same as hers.

BUT I wish I had never changed it at all. My recommendation - don't change your name legally and don't change it on the Army side. Keep your maiden name.

If you want to make him happy you can change it on social media. I think my SIL said legally her name is still her maiden name but she goes by my brother's last name and uses it on social media.

In my opinion, you should have a consistent last name throughout your life. I think the Army will adapt to your new last name with no problem. Be sure to let all of your contacts in your network know you have changed your last name. I'm guessing that most will send you a congratulations message. Many will respect your abiding by the long-standing tradition of taking your spouse's last name. I also respect your rejection of the hyphenated last name. No half measurers. Go all the way to a new last name in all your walks of life.

SFC Casey O'Mally makes an excellent point about the SSA and their relationship with DEERS. Probably many other forms of identity in you life where your last name matters. Driver's License, Loan and Investment Accounts, Title to cars, trucks, boars, bank accounts. If you're going to change your last name, then do it all the way, everywhere. KISS