DA Form 5841, Power of Attorney , is a form that is used for designating a guardian for child care during a soldier's absence and is necessary for every selected guardian to have.
The latest version of the form - previously known as DA Form 5841-R - was released by the U.S. Department of the Army (DA) on July 1, 2020 , with all previous editions being obsolete. An up-to-date fillable DA Form 5841 is available for download and digital filing down below or can be found on the Army Publishing Directorate website.
If the selected guardian is a biological parent of the child, this parent needs to sign a certificate showing that they have the required documents needed for guardianship during the soldier's absence. Consult an attorney for additional information and legal guidelines.
The Power of Attorney DA Form 5841 is not required when filing DA Form 5305, Family Care Plan. Under certain circumstances, depending on the law or other conditions, a Power of Attorney (POA) may not always be effective for the guardians to take care of the children. It is recommended to turn to legal assistance in cases when there is a need for advice about the effectiveness of the form, other POAs, or any other matters in the Family Care Plan.
It is important to show the POA and other childcare-related documentation to the following people to determine if they will honor it:
In case these people refuse to honor the POA, individuals are encouraged to ask to be provided other documents that will be recognized for their intended purposes. All forms must be shown to all childcare-related facilities, institutions, and individuals to ensure that they will be recognized as effective.
The POA doesn't hold any legal power to stop another person - such as a non-custodial parent or relative - from petitioning a court of competent jurisdiction to obtain temporary or permanent custody of the children.