New rules for families of deceased soldiers - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

New rules for families of deceased soldiers

A recent change to Defense Department policy authorizes eligible relatives of deceased service members round-trip travel and transportation allowances to a memorial event that occurs at a location other than the burial site.

The policy change, directed by the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, took effect May 11, and will be included in an upcoming revision of Army Regulation 600-20 (Command Policy).

Army policy already requires commanders to conduct a unit memorial event for all deceased soldiers, to include those who commit suicide.

As part of the Army Family Covenant, commanders also are required to inform family members about any memorial event that is conducted by the unit in a combat theater.

The new policy further requires commanders to invite, at government expense, surviving family members to one memorial event that is conducted at the home station within two years of the soldier’s death.

Family members will not be invited to events conducted in a combat theater, such as Afghanistan or Iraq, or in any other deployed location.

Qualifying memorial event locations are limited to the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. territories, and the last permanent duty station or home station of the deceased soldier.

While commanders may invite family members to additional memorial events, only one event qualifies for government-funded travel.

Authorized allowances include travel to and from the memorial service location, plus two days of per diem at the memorial site.

Units also will provide any required “in-and-around” local transportation, and assistance in making travel and hotel arrangements, escorts as needed, and assistance in filing reimbursement claims.

Family members eligible for the special allowance include surviving spouse; deceased member’s children, regardless of age; parents; brothers and sisters, and any other person, including a former stepparent, who has stood in “loco parentis” to the deceased member at any time for a continuous period of at least five years before the member became age 21.

Commanders with questions about the new policy should contact their supporting Army casualty assistance center.

SEE a listing of casualty assistance centers