In Re the Marriage of Howell

ANDREASEN, Justice.

In this appeal we must determine how a military pension should be treated in a dissolution proceeding. The primary issue is whether a military pension should be recognized as marital property. We hold that a military pension in Iowa is to be considered marital property and divided as such in a dissolution proceeding.

Hildegard and Willis Howell were married for fourteen and one-half years. Willis retired from the military after twenty-three years of active-duty service. He was in the military throughout the marriage.

At the time of marriage, Hildegard had the equivalent of a…