A more thorough explanation:

The Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act (USFSPA) is a federal law that deals with the distribution of military pension benefits to former spouses of individuals who served in the armed forces.

The USFSPA allows state courts to consider military retirement pay as marital property and to order payment of up to 50% of the retirement pay directly to the former spouse if the couple was married for at least ten years while the employee served in the military.

For example, if a couple was married for 12 years and one spouse served in the military for 10 of those years, the non-military spouse may be entitled to receive up to 50% of the military retirement pay.

The USFSPA is designed to protect the financial interests of former spouses who may have contributed to the military member's career and retirement benefits during the marriage.