SURVIVING SPOUSES

The following websites are intended to provide you with information regarding survivor benefits and assistance.

  • Arlington Cemetery - Link to the official Arlington Cemetery Website.
  • The Army Casualty & Mortuary Affairs Operations Division (CMAOD) website assists Families and the many dedicated professionals trying to aid those Families in the emotionally stressful time of bereavement. To report a Retired Soldier's death, call 1-800-626-3317 or, from overseas, call collect 502-613-3317.
  • Army Emergency Relief Survivor Assistance - AER is available to help surviving spouses get through the initial period of adjustment following the death of a Soldier or Retired Soldier while waiting for benefits such as the Survivor Benefit Plan, Death & Indemnity Compensation (DIC), and social security to start.
  • Burial - Veterans Burial and Memorial Benefits - VA National Cemetery Administrations' website, designed to assist you with information on VA's national cemeteries and other burial benefits.
  • Disability Resources is a central gateway to the federal government's disability-related information and resources. This easy-to-use Web portal is a directory of government Web links relevant to people with disabilities, their Families, employers, service providers and other community members.
  • Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) claim - Information about applying for an SBP annuity.
  • Filing a Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP) claim - Information about processing an RCSBP claim.
  • Education - Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) Program - Dependents' Educational Assistance provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of certain veterans. The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate programs, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training.
  • POWs - Former POWs and their Survivors - This VA site is designed to assist POWs, their Families and survivors in obtaining needed VA benefits and VA health care services.
  • Records Request - National Archives - Use this system to create a customized order form to request information from your, or your relative's, military personnel records.
  • Social Security Administration - Official Social Security Website
  • Survivors and Eligible Dependants VA Benefits - The homepage of the VA Veterans Services Outreach Web site for surviving spouses and dependents of veterans.
  • Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) - Retired pay stops with the death of the retiree. SBP was established by PL 92-425, 21 September 1972, to provide the continuation of a portion of retired pay to beneficiaries designated by Retired Soldiers.
  • US Army Survivor Outreach Services (SOS) - The official Army program designed to provide long-term support to surviving Families of Fallen Soldiers. Conceived of and developed by Survivors, this program is continually refined based on Survivor feedback and involvement by senior Army leaders.
  • VA Benefit Information - Compensation & Pension Service administers a variety of benefits and services for veterans, their dependents and survivors, including, but not limited to: service-connected compensation, DIC, non-service connected pension, burial & accrued benefits, guardianship and public contact services.