Call: 988 and press 1 for the Military Crisis Line.
Survivor Outreach Services is the official Army program designed to provide long-term support to Families of fallen Soldiers. If you are a surviving Family member, we are here for you. Survivors developed this program, and it is continually refined based on Survivor feedback and senior Army leader involvement.
SOS is a “one” Army program. SOS coordinators and financial counselors provide outreach and support to survivors, regardless of a loved one’s Army component, duty status, location or manner of death. SOS serves Army National Guard, Army Reserve and active component Families at SOS offices across the country. There is no greater calling than to serve one’s nation with honor and dignity. For SOS, there is no greater duty than to support the Families of those who died in service to our nation.
Federal Student Aid
All survivors of Veterans are encouraged to apply for federal student aid. Survivors may receive loans, grants and work-study options to help pay for college or career school. To apply students must complete the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA).
Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant
Students with a parent or guardian who died while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan after 9/11 may apply for an Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant. To qualify, a student must have been under age 24 at the time of a parent’s or guardian’s death or enrolled in college or career school at least part time.
There is no application for the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant. The FAFSA will be compared with the file from the DOD, and the student will receive a letter explaining a potential increase in funding. Students must complete the FAFSA using their name as it appears in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).
Veterans Affairs (VA) Education Benefits
VA education benefits are available to many survivors and dependents of veterans.
- There are two main VA education benefits available to survivors.
- The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Fry Scholarship) is for children and spouses of services members who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001.
- The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program offers education and training to qualified dependents of veterans who are permanently disabled because of a service-related condition or who died while on active duty.
For eligibility and program details, visit VA Survivor and Dependent Education Benefits.
Some survivors may be eligible for education benefits under the Post 9/11 Montgomery GI Bill. Eligible Soldiers may transfer their Post 9/11 Montgomery GI benefits to a spouse or dependent children.
- Visit VA Transfer of Post 9-11 GI Bill Benefits for information about transfer of eligibility.
- The VA has a dedicated phone line for GI bill beneficiaries of active-duty service members who died in the line of duty. Beneficiaries such as surviving spouses and children can call 1-888-442-4551 (option5) for assistance with education benefits. A trained agent with survivor benefits expertise will assist. Agents are available Monday–Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT.
Other Types of Aid
Veterans service organizations, survivor groups and other local organizations provide opportunities for surviving family members. Contact an SOS coordinator for state, local and nonprofit resources.
Financial stability and security are an important part of supporting surviving Family members today and in the future. There are several resources for Families to help them adjust to financial changes and to plan wisely.
Beneficiary Financial Counseling Service (BFCS)
This service provides Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance beneficiaries with free advice from Financial Point, an independent company with a team of experts who handle many types of financial matters. Beneficiaries can access this service online 24/7 to request a financial plan. *Note: The service is available for two years from the date the claim is paid; it includes 40 hours of personal counseling and access to the program’s online resources. https://www.benefits.va.gov/insurance/bfcs.asp
Financial Readiness Program
This program provides general information about military benefits, spending plans, retirement, TSP, debt repayment, tax planning, identity theft, managing consumer credit, and consumer safety and rights. The Army’s personal financial counselors and managers (PFCs and PFMs) offer education. *Note: PFCs and PFMs cannot provide investment advice. To find a PFC or PFM, visit the Financial Readiness website: https://www.financialfrontline.org/.
HEART Act of 2008
The Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008 (HEART Act Public Law 110-245, §109) allows recipients of a death gratuity and/or SGLI to contribute all or part of the payments to a Roth IRA and/or a Coverdell Education Savings Account (CESA) without restrictions on contributions or distributions. Contributions must be made within one year of receiving the benefits. If you are the recipient of a death gratuity and/or the SGLI, you can protect and grow these assets for long-term financial security. For more information, read the HEART Act for Beneficiaries.
MilTax
Military life can make for tricky taxes. To help, the Defense Department offers MilTax software through Military OneSource. It takes into account deployments, combat and training pay, housing and rentals, multistate filings, living OCONUS and more. Visit the website for more details: https://www.militaryonesource.mil/financial-legal/tax-resource-center/miltax-military-tax-services/.
myPay
Survivors who receive annuity pay from the Defense Department can access myPay, the online pay management system for the DOD’s Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). MyPay provides convenient access to information about your payments and lets you easily update your account information and submit your annual certification. Those who provide an email address in myPay can receive important messages from the DFAS about their account and information from their loved one’s branch of service.
New to myPay?
There is a large menu of Frequently Asked Questions with answers on how to use myPay. You can browse more Frequently Asked Questions with answers or submit a question using AskDFAS. There are also helpful videos on using myPay.
Survivor Benefit Plan
The Survivor Benefit Plan is a program the Defense Department sponsors and subsidizes that provides up to 55 percent of a service member’s retired pay to an eligible beneficiary after the member dies. The program provides no-cost automatic coverage to active-duty members and to reserve members who die of a service-connected cause while performing inactive-duty training. In addition, those on active duty can purchase coverage upon retirement, and reserve members can receive coverage when they have 20 years of qualifying service for reserve retirement pay.
Need information about the repeal of the SBP-DIC offset? Please see: SBP-DIC Offset Phased Elimination News.Resources
What is a Gold Star lapel pin?
The Army issues this pin to a widow or widower, to each of the parents, each child (natural or adoptive), stepchild, brother, half brother, sister and half sister of a service member who lost their life while serving in war or periods of armed hostilities, while engaged in military operations involving armed conflict with an opposing foreign force; while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict in which the U.S. is not a belligerent party against an opposing armed force; while serving in a military operation outside the U.S. as part of a peacekeeping force; or who lost their life due to an international terrorist attack.
What is a Next of Kin lapel button?
The Army issues this button to each widow or widower, to each of the parents, each child (natural or adoptive), stepchild, brother, half brother, sister and half sister of a service member who lost their life while on active duty or while assigned in USAR or ARNG units in a drill status. The terms “widow” and “widower” include those who have since remarried; the term “parents” includes mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, adoptive mother or father, and foster parents who stood in loco parentis.
How do I get a replacement Gold Star lapel pin or Next of Kin lapel button?
Requests for replacements can be sent to the Army Human Resources Command; for instructions visit HRC Gold Star Lapel Buttons and next of Kin Lapel Buttons.
Factors may determine Tricare Health Care Coverage eligibility such as:
- The sponsor’s military status at death
- Whether the surviving family member is a spouse or child
Who is eligible for coverage?
The following scenarios provide an overview of survivor coverage:
- Survivors of Active-Duty Service Members
- Survivors of National Guard/Reserve Members
- Survivors of Retired Service Members
- Surviving Children who may qualify for TRICARE Young Adult
Spouses remain eligible unless they remarry.
When does coverage change?
The coverage for surviving spouses changes to that of a retired family member after three years. The change is automatically reflected in DEERS. Surviving spouses will receive a letter from DEERS before the survivor status changes. This status change will affect health care options and out-of-pocket costs.
Coverage for children doesn't change—they are covered as active-duty Family members until they age out of TRICARE or lose eligibility for other reasons.
Visit the Tricare Plans and Eligibility page for more information.
Military Housing
There are special housing benefit provisions for spouses and children of service members who die while serving. Eligible Family members living on base may continue to reside in base quarters for up to 365 days after the service member’s death.
Eligible Family members who do not live in government housing receive a housing allowance for up to 365 days after the service member's death.
Visit My Army Benefits or contact a survivor outreach coordinator for more information.
Moving
Surviving spouses must decide when and where to move. Different factors such as family support, student status or employment may affect that decision.
Spouses may relocate once at government expense. Eligible spouses must initiate the move by turning in household goods to the transportation office within one year after a loved one’s death. If a spouse is not ready to use the home of selection entitlement at one year, they may request an extension from the transportation office.
Extensions may be granted for up to six years. However, requests for extensions must be made yearly. Contact a survivor outreach coordinator or the transportation office at the installation nearest to you. Visit Military Installations and search for Household Goods to find a transportation office.
Visit Military One Source: The Final Move for more information.
Eligible surviving spouses can have unescorted access to military installations so they can receive benefits they are entitled to by law or policy. Next of kin to a covered member of the Army may also access military installations in accordance with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of Fiscal Year (FY) 2018. See Section 626.
If eligible next of kin do not have a military ID card, they will need the Army Survivor Access Card. With this card, next of kin can access services and attend events and memorials. To get or renew a Survivor Access Card, complete the APPLICATION FOR SURVIVOR ACCESS CARD (IMCOM Form 44) and submit the form to a survivor outreach services coordinator. This is the first step to getting a card.
As an Army Survivor, you will encounter multiple milestones that will affect your benefits and entitlements. These are based on either a specified timeline, your age or marital status. The team at Army Survivor Outreach Services encourages you to familiarize yourself with the milestones before they occur so that you can prepare your Family. You can use our Navigating Survivor Milestones guide to see the upcoming changes or look at the guides on specific benefits and entitlements. For more information, contact your Survivor Outreach Services coordinator.
- Navigating Survivor Milestones
- Child Turning 18 - Milestone Guide
- Child Turning 21 - Milestone Guide
- Final Move - Home of Selection - Milestone Guide
- SBP Certificate of Eligibility - Milestone Guide
- Social Security Survivor Benefits - Milestone Guide
- Spouse Year 3 TRICARE Change - Milestone Guide
- TRICARE For Life - Milestone Guide
- VA DIC Transitional Benefit - Milestone Guide
The Army Survivor Advisory Working Group (SAWG) represents regular Army, National Guard and reserve survivors on quality-of-life issues. Its members strengthen communication between the total Army and the Army survivor community.
The group consists of 12 Army members from the headquarters Army staff and Army commands, 12 survivor advisers and spouses of senior Army leaders.
Established in 2007, the Survivor Advisory Working Group, was chartered in October 2016, formally defining its mission and purpose.
What does the group do?
The Army Survivor Advisory Working Group meets at least twice yearly to identify, evaluate and provide recommendations on new issues; reopen previous issues; and refocus current issues.
Members discuss quality-of-life matters affecting Army survivors worldwide and provide recommendations about concerns of Army survivors.
Accomplishments include:
- Memorial Day and service flag awareness campaign
- Gaining 24-month survivor Soldier stabilization
- Gold Star access badge renaming
- Advocating for Soldier bereavement leave
- Promoting Tricare status notification changes
- Assisting survivors with expedited Gold Star pin replacement
Members are also active at local Survivor Outreach Services offices and share their stories during training sessions for casualty assistance officers. What’s more, they have advised on casualty assistance officer training, assisted with face-to-face pastoral care and ensured that survivor-based scenarios are included in Army Soldier and Family program training.
Why is this important to the Army?
The Army Survivor Advisory Working Group demonstrates the service’s commitment to its Soldiers. The Army values its Families, and so it ensures that survivor Families feel connected to the military for as long as they desire.
How do I get involved in the SAWG?
The Army seeks new group members each year. Candidates may be surviving Civilian or active-duty spouses and Family members (such as spouse, parent or child). They should be active in survivor communities and reflect a diverse cross section of the Army. Candidate nominations are vetted through the local SOS coordinators to the commands. Annual guidance for solicitation of new members is published through command channels each fall.
Army Survivor Advisory Working Group members serve three-year terms, which may be extended by up to a year.
How do I share a survivor concern that the SAWG should consider addressing?
The SAWG is supported by one Army staff member. If you have a concern and think that changes in Army policy could improve conditions for survivors, send an email to the staff member, who will share it with the SAWG. The 12 members consider each issue and prioritize those that they will develop for Army senior leaders. To contact the SAWG staff member, click here.
The Survivor Link newsletter is published every quarter to provide information about benefits changes, program updates and opportunities to connect with other survivors. To subscribe just follow the link below. You can have the newsletter delivered to your email address or as a text message to your phone. Subscribe here.
The Army has a network of SOS coordinators at locations across the U.S. Contact phone numbers are listed by state and county, or by country.
Contact the Army Gold Star and surviving family member representative (GSSFMR) at:
Phone: 210-834-0494
IMCOM toll free number: (833) 313-1960
Email: SOS Survivor Advocate