Moving This Summer? Don't Forget DEERS

WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES

06.28.1998

Courtesy Story

Defense.gov         

It's summer, a time when service members frequently pack up their family households and head for new assignments.

One great benefit active duty service families enjoy is uninterrupted access to medical care. That access is dependent, however, on each eligible beneficiary being properly registered in DEERS -- the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System.

For example, DEERS enrollment is required before you can elect the Prime option of TRICARE, DoD's managed health care plan. Enrollment in TRICARE Prime provides you with the highest priority medical care available in DoD.

So when you move, you need to notify DEERS of your new address. It's easy. You can go to your base, post or ship personnel office, anywhere in the world, to update your DEERS information. You also can mail your change of address to:

DEERS Support Office
Attn: COA
400 Gigling Road
Seaside, CA 93955-6771

If you have access to United States toll-free telephone numbers, you can call DEERS directly, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pacific time, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, at:

Or you can change your DEERS address information on the Internet at http://www.ochampus.mil/DEERSAddress/.

However you access DEERS, be prepared to provide your sponsor's full name and Social Security number; your e-mail address; mailing address; date your new address takes effect; and a telephone number, including area code, where you can be reached. Also be prepared to provide the names of other family members affected by the change of address and, if applicable, addresses of geographically separated family members who also are eligible for DEERS enrollment.

If you fill out the online form, click on the "send form" box. You should receive immediate confirmation that the data has been transmitted and a follow-up e-mail message once DEERS processes the change of address information (usually within a few hours).

Story by Douglas J. Gillert, American Forces Press Service

• Date Taken: 06.28.1998
• Date Posted: 07.04.2025 00:35
• Story ID: 529826
• Location: WASHINGTON, US