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Shutdown Shame: Denying Troop Death Benefits

On Saturday, a U.S. Marine was killed in Helmand province. On Sunday, four troops were killed by an IED in southern Afghanistan. Until the shutdown ends, none of their families can expect to receive the “death gratuity” of $100,000 promised to immediately reach them within 24 to 36 hours. Grieving families also cannot expect the military to cover all the usual costs of family travel to meet their loved ones returning home for burial in American flag-draped coffins through Dover Air Force Base. And if the shutdown continues into November, monthly survivor benefits are in jeopardy because the Department of Veterans Affairs has warned it will be out of cash to pay them.

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Delay of the death gratuity compounds the tragedy of death in another dimension. It is SOP for the government to immediately put a temporary freeze the bank accounts of the deceased serviceman to prevent anyone (including joint account holders) from liquidating the accounts in the confused time immediately after the death notification is made. The death gratuity is explicitly for the purpose of covering any expenses of the surviving NOK prior to the bank accounts being unfrozen. Freezing bank and credit accounts may seem like a strange practice but it became necessary after cases where someone charged up massive debts to the deceased in the hours after news of the death became known to the world outside the deployed unit. Sad but true (according to information presented in CACO training).

^ good try!

Last Wednesday (10/9), the House passed a joint resolution that provides sums as necessary to pay for U.S. military death benefits. It includes the $100,000 death gratuity, funeral and burial expenses, and a housing allowance for dependents of service members who die on active duty. The funds would be available through Dec. 15, 2013. The motion passed without a dissenting vote in the House. On Thursday (10/10), the Senate passed the legislation by unanimous consent, and President Obama signed it later the same day.