Taking care of your Family if you become a casualty - Casualty docs are a Soldier’s responsibility

Photo By Benjamin Wocken | U.S. Army Alaska and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson leaders, along with Gold Star Families and community members, remember the fallen and honor military veterans as part of Wreaths Across America, Dec. 14, at Fort Richardson National Cemetery. Following the ceremony, they joined community members and volunteers in placing the nearly 4,000 donated wreaths at head stones throughout the cemetery.  

FORT KNOX, KY, UNITED STATES

03.09.2020

Story by Benjamin Wocken 

U.S. Army Human Resources Command

Let me tell you a little story about myself. I am an Army NCO. My ex-spouse and I did not end our marriage on good terms. In fact, our divorce last year was downright ugly…but, I had some great and happy changes in my life since, and it looked like things were ‘looking up’ in my world. I remarried, had a son and my spouse and I were glowing with joy and planning our future together as a Family. My military career was looking also very promising, I enjoyed leading my troops, ensuring they were well trained and ready to go when our country calls on us.

Unfortunately, all these good things ended as I was I driving home one night. A speeding vehicle ran a red light, impacting my car on the driver side. Sustaining severe head and torso damage, I immediately succumbed to traumatic injuries. I was declared dead on-scene by paramedics.

In addition to the shock and stress my sudden death gave my Family, I added other, and very unnecessary shocks and stress for them. Simply stated, I failed to update my most important military document and have those ‘tough but much needed’ discussions with my new Family as we planned our future together.

Because I failed to update my DD Form 93, my ex-spouse remained the beneficiary of my death gratuity, unpaid pay and allowances, and was still the person authorized to make disposition. In the end, my ex-spouse is $100,000 richer and had me buried in a cemetery far away from where my current spouse and son live.

DD Form 93 (Record of Emergency Data)

The Army Casualty Program depends upon the DD Form 93 having accurate, up-to-date information. This form is extremely important, as it designates beneficiaries for certain benefits in the event of a Soldier’s death. It is a guide for the disposition of that Soldier’s pay and allowances if captured, missing, or interned. It also indicates the name and address of the persons the Soldier desires to be notified in case of emergency or death.

The DD Form 93 is one of the most important documents you will complete; if you are unable to speak for yourself, the DD Form 93 becomes your voice. Should you become a casualty, it establishes your wishes for the next of kin notification and the distribution of applicable entitlements. It also identifies the person responsible for making your funeral arrangements.

Not having current and accurate information could result in issues such as:

1. Delayed Notification
2. Delay in payment to beneficiary and/or beneficiaries
3. Payment to an ex-spouse
4. Family disputes over benefits
5. Family not transported in timely manner to Soldier’s bedside

If you are Active Duty, you must update the DD Form 93:

-During out-processing for a permanent change of station (PCS) and/or pre-separation processing
-When you arrive at a new duty station
-During any record audit
-In conjunction with the Soldier Readiness Program (SRP)

In addition, you must review and update DD Form 93 whenever the status of any family member changes, such as a new address, a marriage, a divorce, the birth of a child, or the death of a family member.

If you are a member of the Army Reserve or Army National Guard, you must review your form at a minimum:

-During in-processing to a new troop program unit
-In conjunction with a nationwide deployment or mobilization readiness exercise
-Annually, in your month of birth
-Whenever the status of your family situation changes
-During an annual personnel and finance review

LEADERS
Leaders at all levels must take an active role educating their Soldiers to understand the elements of the DD Form 93. Leaders and Soldiers must understand the ramifications when inaccurate information is placed in the DD Form 93 or unusual beneficiary/beneficiaries are designated. Leaders must ensure the Human Resource specialist assisting the Soldier completing the DD Form 93 understands the different definitions and importance of the elections made by the Soldier. They also need to provide guidance to each Soldier so their intent is captured. It is critically important each and every Soldier fully understands the ramifications of their own actions or inactions.

Leaders also need to make every effort to encourage Soldiers to have discussions with their Family members about these elections. In the event of an unfortunate incident, the Family members will then have a better understanding of the elections the Soldier made, why the elections were made, and the impact of those elections. Information, education, and communication are key!

KEY DEFINITIONS YOU SHOULD KNOW AND UNDERSTAND BEFORE FILLING OUT THE DD FORM 93
Beneficiary: The person (or persons) who, according to law or written designation of the Soldier, is entitled to receive certain benefits.

Death Gratuity (DG): The death gratuity is a one-time, non-taxable payment to help surviving family members, or designated beneficiaries deal with the financial hardships that accompany the loss of a Soldier. If you are married but elect to give any part of the death gratuity to anyone other than your spouse, the law (10 U.S.C. § 1477) requires the Army to notify your spouse. This is called a "spousal notification." The Army will not tell your spouse who you elected to give the death gratuity to, nor will the Army tell your spouse how much of the death gratuity will go to someone else.

Person Authorized to Direct Disposition (PADD): This person will be asked to make all important decisions related to the return of your remains if you die while on active duty.

He or she will decide whether you are buried or cremated, where you'll be buried or interred, whether or not there will be a church service or a graveside service, whether you will have military funeral honors rendered, in what kind of attire you will be buried or cremated, and what will happen to any subsequent remains that may be recovered.

Think about this designation carefully and discuss it with your family beforehand. The PADD should be someone who you trust to carry out your wishes and, ideally, who other family members respect and trust as well.

Primary Next of Kin (PNOK): The person most closely related to the casualty is considered PNOK for casualty notification and assistance purposes, decisions pertaining to media access, receiving reports of investigation and updates

Unpaid Pay and Allowances (UPPA): Upon the death of a Soldier, any pay and allowances due, but not paid to the Soldier, are paid to the designated beneficiary or beneficiaries. Unpaid pay and allowances include: unpaid basic pay, payment of accrued leave, amount due for travel, per diem expenses, clothing allowances and unpaid installments of variable reenlistment bonuses. You are strongly encouraged to designate a beneficiary for unpaid pay and allowances.

Remember: Information that is not current can delay notification of your loved ones; give rise to Family disputes regarding benefits; prevent a Family member from traveling to your bedside if you are injured, ill or wounded; delay payment of benefits to your beneficiaries; and/or make payment to an unintentional (ex-spouse) beneficiary.

Author: Christopher Geeding / [e-mail]

• Date Taken: 03.09.2020
• Date Posted: 03.10.2020 17:04
• Story ID: 364929
• Location: FORT KNOX, KY, US