Higher Gratuity Not for All Active Duty Deaths
 

Since 05-23-05

From: Waspscpo@aol.com [mailto:Waspscpo@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 4:11 AM
To: undisclosed-recipients
Subject: Increase in the military death gratuity,

http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,Philpott_052005,00.html

Readers of Tom Philpott's "Military Update" column sound off

May 20, 2005

Does the increase in the military death gratuity, which was moving through Congress, apply only to service members killed in combat? Some news articles say it applies to all those killed on active duty.

Also, what is the status of the increase now that it has been through both the House and the Senate?

RENEE P.
Via e-mail

The combat-related death gratuity of $100,000 took effect May 11 when the president signed the Emergency Supplemental Wartime Appropriations Act (Public Law 109-13).

It applies only to deaths in combat or in designated combat zones, or from combat-related training as defined under criteria set down in the law that determines a disabled retiree's eligibility for Combat-Related Special Compensation. Eligible deaths under those criteria include those caused by dangerous activities such as parachute, diving or demolition duty; resulting from war games and other conditions simulating war; or caused by tools of war such as mishaps with military vehicles or other combat equipment.

The bigger death gratuity is retroactive to Oct. 7, 2001, the start of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Lump-sum death payments for non-combat-related deaths remain at $12,400.

The new law also provides an additional special death gratuity of $150,000, also for deaths from combat or in combat zones going back to that date. This, in effect, is the way Congress chose to apply retroactively the increase in maximum coverage under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance, which is also part of the new law. 

Maximum SGLI coverage will jump to $400,000 from $250,000 effective Sept. 1, 2005. The increase will be automatic for all service members unless they opt out of SGLI or elect lesser coverage. Until Sept. 1, however, the additional $150,000 death gratuity, payable for active duty deaths in combat zones or resulting from combat-related training, remains in effect.

Because the wartime supplemental bill expires on Sept. 30, provisions to make permanent the combat-related death gratuity of $100,000 and SGLI coverage of $400,000 are included in fiscal 2006 defense authorization bills moving through Congress. –- Tom Philpott