N.C. Gen. Stat. § 50A-370: Proceeding for temporary custody order.

(a) After a deploying parent receives notice of deployment and during the deployment, a court may issue a temporary order granting custodial responsibility unless prohibited by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, 50 U.S.C. app. §§ 521-522. A court may not issue a permanent order granting custodial responsibility in the absence of the deploying parent without the consent of the deploying parent.

(b) At any time after a deploying parent receives notice of deployment, either parent may file a motion regarding custodial responsibility of a child during deployment. The motion shall be filed in an existing proceeding for custodial responsibility of the child with jurisdiction under Part 1 of this Article or, if there is no existing proceeding in a court with jurisdiction under Part 1 of this Article, in a new action for granting custodial responsibility during deployment. (2013-27, s. 3; 2014-115, s. 38(a).)