The Department of Defense is hosting its first Survivor Symposium, focusing on educating surviving family members of service members who died on active duty about their benefits, entitlements, and available resources. This virtual event will take place on June 21 from noon to 3 p.m. EDT and is also geared toward service providers assisting military families.
"Military service requires great sacrifices from all those who serve, whether in uniform or in support of someone in uniform," said Deborah Skillman, the DoD's Director for Casualty and Mortuary Affairs. "When a military-connected family grieves the death of a loved one who was serving their country, they face both emotional and administrative challenges. Providing benefits to these survivors is the Department's way of taking care of its people and demonstrating that they will not be forgotten."
Survivors can register for the symposium by using an online registration form. They will then receive an email with a link to join the conference. Participants will need an internet-connected device or can dial in from a phone.
The topics for the event were based on survivor questions and feedback received through surveys, survivor events, and the Surviving Family Member Inquiry Form. The virtual symposium will feature three one-hour sessions where subject matter experts will discuss:
- How survivor benefits change after remarriage (noon-1 p.m.)
- How guardians can apply for the death gratuity on behalf of a surviving child (1-2 p.m.)
- How a beneficiary survivor annuitant keeps their account up to date with the Defense Finance Accounting Service and the Department of Veterans Affairs (2-3 p.m.)
The Department of Defense's Casualty Assistance program provides support for military families should their service member become missing, deceased, or suffer a serious illness or injury. This support includes making them aware of their benefits and other forms of assistance. The program assigns eligible survivors a casualty assistance officer who provides professional and compassionate support during this difficult time.
Military Community and Family Policy is directly responsible for establishing and overseeing quality-of-life policies and programs that help service members, their families, and survivors be well and mission-ready. Military OneSource is the gateway to programs and services that support the everyday needs of 5.2 million service members and immediate family members within the military community. These DoD services are accessible 24/7/365 around the world.
