GRAND LEDGE, Mich. (AP) _ A Michigan Army National Guard member
says that he lost shared custody of his ten-year-old son because he
served in Iraq last year.

Thirty-three-year-old Specialist Joe McNeilly of Grand Ledge
agreed to give temporary full-time custody to the mother of his son
Joey.

But after he returned from Iraq, an Ingham County court referee
recommended against restoring his shared custody.
 

The court and mother Holly Erb of Mason say McNeilly's
deployment didn't cause the loss of custody.
 

State Representative Rick Jones says he'll develop legislation
to bar courts from counting soldiers' military duty against them in
custody cases.