Does my spouse automatically get custody of my children if I am on deployment?

In general, spouses that are on deployment end up leaving their children with the other spouse while they are on deployment. The exception would be if the other spouse is deemed to be an unfit parent, though that is a very high bar. There is another exception when it comes to grandparents of spouses that are on deployment. They have, for that period of time only, special rights to spend time with children that they would not otherwise have if it wasn’t for the deployment of the parent.