Survivor Link: Issue 7
The Survivor Link is the Army Survivor Outreach Services Newsletter. This newsletter is published on a quarterly basis to provide information about benefits changes, program updates, opportunities to connect with other survivors and to stay linked to the Army.
Army Survivors can subscribe to The Survivor Link at any time. To subscribe just follow the link in this newsletter. You can choose to have the Survivor Link delivered to your email address or as a text message to your cell phone.
When you subscribe you will be asked a few questions. Please complete your first name, the component of your Soldier (Regular Active Army, US Army National Guard or US Army Reserve), your relationship to the Soldier (spouse, child, parent, staff or other), and your State of residence.
Did you know that the Army has more than 150 Survivor Outreach Service Coordinators ready to assist Surviving Families who are having problems with benefits such as the Survivor Benefit Plan, TRICARE, or education benefits?
Click on the map to use the SOS Coordinator Locator and find the coordinator nearest to your home.
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 Register for the webinar at:
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4892987699316838926
Holiday Traditions
As we usher in the month of December, we also begin a season of holidays around the globe. Whether this is the first holiday season without your spouse, parent, child or sibling or it is one in a long line of missing your Soldier, holiday traditions are never quite the same after we have lost a person we loved.
You may feel that you need to keep everything exactly as the last holiday that your whole family was together to celebrate. You may find it easier to completely change how you celebrate holidays and milestones in your life. Or maybe this year, you do not feel like celebrating at all. All of these are natural reactions to grief and loss. There is no "right" way to experience your loss and there is no right answer for how you move forward.
As the holiday season is upon us, it is the wish of the Survivor Outreach Services Team, for you to find some measure of comfort in your memories and joy in the season.
Our team asked a few surviving families to share how they celebrate this season. We hope may you will find some inspiration and joy in how others are creating a new vision for the holidays.
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My husband died on November 3rd—right before some of the biggest holidays our family celebrates: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. That first year we were all pretty numb and still in shock. As that shock wore off, I felt a pressure to carry on every tradition we had ever had before my husband died. But I quickly learned that wasn’t practical. I had to let go of the aspects of “tradition” that caused stress and undo pressure, and embrace the aspects that feel more natural and come organically. A forced tradition is nothing to be celebrated. Instead, we try live a “Hybrid Holiday” life—hanging on to some of the things we have always enjoyed, while letting ourselves be open to new ideas without feeling any guilt about letting some things go and change naturally over the course of time. Jennie T. Surviving Spouse
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Our holiday traditions were always about food, family, movies, and sharing special gifts. After my son's death, the holidays were different. His presence was greatly missed during our celebrations and I didn't feel like baking the usual holiday treats. One day I picked up a cookbook my son had given me on a previous holiday. He had written on the inside cover of the book, "Mom, I thought you could use this book to feed the world." His words inspired me to start a new holiday tradition. I now bake several batches of my son's favorite cookies and package them in colorful containers. I share the homemade treats with his friends and other families who need an extra measure of love during the cold winter season. Karen M. Surviving Mother
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In the beginning, decorating and preparing for the holidays seemed to be the hardest part. I was reminded of how my husband brought family and friends together in our home for Thanksgiving and how special this was. So we began, again, to bring family and friends together for a day of gratitude. Gratitude for the holidays we were blessed to have with him, those we would share with others and the peace we would find in each other. Krista A. Surviving Spouse
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After my son passed on December 1, 2017, we endured our first Christmas without him. When we were getting the decorations out for Christmas I found his old stocking and wasn't ready to accept his passing. Since then we hang his childhood stocking with all the rest over the fire place. Dana J. Surviving Father
Surviving Children Currently Receiving SBP Optional Child Annuity Payments
If you are the surviving child (or the parent or guardian of a surviving child) of an Active Duty/Line of Duty member whose surviving spouse requested to have the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity paid directly to you, here is what you need to know:
If you are currently receiving the Survivor Benefit Plan annuity payment, we have started sending letters to provide you with information on what you can expect after January 1, 2023. The letters outline what a surviving child currently receiving the SBP payment because of the Optional Annuity for Dependent Children can expect in three different situations.
Letter A – The Surviving Spouse is Documented as Eligible
In this situation, DFAS has received documentation that the surviving spouse is eligible for the SBP annuity. This means the surviving child’s last SBP annuity payment will be made on January 3, 2023 (for the December entitlement). Beginning with January 2023 entitlement paid on February 1, 2023, the SBP annuity payments will be made to the surviving spouse.
Letter B – The Surviving Spouse is Documented as Not Eligible
In this situation, DFAS has received documentation that the surviving spouse is NOT eligible for the SBP annuity. This means the surviving child can continue to receive the SBP annuity payment (even after January 1, 2023) as long as the child remains eligible.
Letter C – DFAS Has Not Received Documentation for the Surviving Spouse
In this situation, DFAS has NOT received documentation any documentation from the surviving spouse. This means the SBP annuity must be suspended and the surviving child's last SBP annuity payment will be made on January 3, 2023 (for the December entitlement). Beginning with January 2023 entitlement paid on February 1, 2023, the SBP annuity payments will be suspended until we receive documentation regarding the surviving spouse’s eligibility.
There are three situations where an eligible SBP child annuitant can continue to receive the SBP monthly payment after the elimination of the Optional Annuity for Dependent Children in 2023:
1-If DFAS receives documentation that the service member was not married at the time of death.
2-If DFAS receives documentation that the surviving spouse is deceased.
3-If DFAS receives documentation that the surviving spouse remarried prior to age 55.
If DFAS does not receive the documentation in the above situations, the SBP annuity will be suspended beginning with the January 2023 entitlement until documentation is received.
Survivor Benefits in 2023
The Department of Defense (DoD) provides an interactive Online Survivor Benefit Report (OSBR) for surviving families of service members. An initial Survivor Benefit Report should have been provided to eligible surviving spouses, dependent children, and their guardians by their Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO).
As the final phase of the SBP-DIC Off-Set goes into effect on January 1, 2023, this is a great time to review your benefits. The DoD developed the OSBR to provide current and estimated future benefits.
Highlights of the OSBR
•Is available for eligible survivors of service members who have died on active duty.
•Can be accessed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
•Requires survivors to have a Department of Defense self-service logon premium account — or DS logon premium account — and password. The DS logon is a secure, self-service logon ID that allows individuals affiliated with the Department of Defense or Department of Veterans Affairs to access several websites using a single username and password.
•Displays current and estimated future benefits and allows survivors to input “what if ” type changes to family members’ education, disability and marital status and save and print reports.
•If assistance is needed with recovering passwords or accessing reports, users should contact the Family Assistance Support Team at 877-827-2471 or by email at MFOSBR@magellanfederal.com.
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PACT Act:
Mark your calendar for the DoD/VA Survivor Forum
January 26, 2023, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time)
The PACT Act is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances.
The PACT Act adds to the list of health conditions that we assume (or “presume”) are caused by exposure to these substances. This law helps us provide generations of Veterans—and their Survivors—with the care and benefits they’ve earned and deserve.
This page will help answer your questions about what the PACT Act means for you or your loved ones. You can also call the VA at 800-698-2411 (TTY: 711). And you can file a claim for PACT Act-related disability compensation or apply for VA health care now.
On January 26, 2023 the DoD/VA Survivor Forum will be dedicated to a discussion of the PACT Act. Join the call on Microsoft Teams:
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 294 286 503 97
Passcode: ngaF9d
Download Teams | Join on the web
Or call in (audio only)
+1 872-701-0185,,352311504# United States, Chicago
Phone Conference ID: 352 311 504#
For information on the VA Survivor Benefits and the PACT Act you can read more here.
Dine and Dial
Wednesday, January 18, 2023 at 7:00 PM Central Time
Financial Education for Military Survivors
The call number is (1-605-475-5910; Access Code 7681905#)
These sesssions originated out of the Ft. Leonard Wood Survivor Outreach Office as an outreach way to inform military survivors of potential resources. The Jan 18, 2023, call will be on Financial and Estate planning considerations especially for Military Spouses and their Families.
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