Honoring Our Heroes: The Veteran Affairs Legacy Memorial

The VA Legacy Memorial (VLM) stands as a testament to the bravery and sacrifice of our nation’s heroes. This is the nation’s first digital memorial devoted to nearly 10 million Veterans. The VLM is a place of reflection and gratitude for the men and women who have dedicated their lives to protecting our freedom. One of the key aspects of the VLM is to preserve the history and memory of those who served. This is done through an interactive feature which allows family, friends, and the public to submit Tributes, images, biographical information, and historical documents. This interactive feature also allows you to create a timeline of the Veteran's military service and personal achievements timeline; and generate a Word Cloud that describes their Veteran.

The VLM stands as a powerful tribute to the men and women who have served our country with bravery and honor. It serves a reminder of the sacrifices made by our veterans and the importance of honoring their legacy. By documenting the names and stories of veterans, this memorial ensures that their legacy lives on for the future generations to learn from and honor. It allows us to connect with the past and appreciate the sacrifices made by our veterans. For more information please visit About the Veterans Legacy Memorial (VLM) - National Cemetery Administration (va.gov) or to find your veteran please visit Veterans Legacy Memorial | U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (va.gov)

Non-profit Summer Camp Spotlight

As Summer 2024 approaches, we would like to share a few summer camps that may be of interest to our surviving eligible families. Please note that this announcement is intended for informational purposes; any participation is solely the responsibility of the individual. Neither the USMC nor any other part of the Federal Government officially endorses or warrants, either expressly, or implied any company, sponsor, or their products or services.

• Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) has a variety of summer events for the whole family. For more information please go to https://www.taps.org/events/?category=Survivor+Programs
• LifeCamp aims to guide children of fallen U.S. Military, Law Enforcement, and First Responders. For more information, please visit their website at www.lifecampusa.org.
• Echo Hill Ranch provides camperships, at no cost to families of fallen U.S. Military. For more information you can visit their website at www.echohill.org.
• Gold Star Sailing aims to provide unique adventures to the surviving children of fallen military service members. For more information and to apply, please visit their website at https://goldstarsailing.org/.

If you would like additional information on camps, please reach out to our office. 

Survivor Benefit Plan Changes

The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) provides an ongoing monthly annuity payment to military spouses or dependent children when a military member dies on or after September 10, 2001, while on active duty and is determined to be in the line of duty. As of February 2023, the SBP-DIC offset was eliminated. This phase out occurred beginning in 2021. If you are an eligible surviving spouse, you should have started to receive your full SBP payment on February 1, 2023. The second part to the February 2023 SBP changes, included the reversion of the SBP Optional Annuity for Dependent Children. This means that as of January 3, 2023, eligible children receiving SBP would have received their last payment if there is an eligible surviving spouse. Eligible surviving spouses who were not receiving SBP, would have had to apply for their first annuity payment for it to begin February 3, 2023. We have now reached one year since the final phase was implemented. If you believe that you should be receiving SBP and are not at this time, please reach out to LTAP at 1-866-210-3421 ext. 2 and we can assist with answering your questions.

VA Vet Centers

The Department of Veterans Affairs Vet Centers offer bereavement counseling to family members of the Armed Forces personnel who died in service to our country. The VA Vet center is a space for individuals to navigate the complex emotional journey after the death of a loved one. Individuals can access a range of services tailored to their needs, such as individual counseling, support groups, and referrals. Grief is a deeply personal experience and seeking support from a VA Vet Center can make a significant difference in one’s healing journey. Bereavement counseling can assist in providing valuable tools and techniques for managing grief in a healthy way.

VA Vet Centers play a crucial role in supporting veterans and their families through the grieving process. By providing a range of tailored services, and a compassionate environment, these centers offer valuable support and guidance to those in need. If you are struggling with grief, don’t hesitate to reach out and seek the help you deserve. To find a Vet Cent near you, please visit Bereavement Counseling - Vet Centers (Readjustment Counseling) (va.gov) or you may call the Vet Center Call Center at 1-877-927-8387 available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

ID Renewal Online information

https://www.cac.mil/Next-Generation-Uniformed-Services-ID-Card/Renewing-Online/

ID Card Office Online is now accepting Uniformed Service ID (USID) Card renewals online. The USID can now be requested online, and once approved, will be mailed directly to the card recipient. Below you will find the requirements:

• Sponsor may be a Common Access Card (CAC) holder or a DoD Self-service Logon credential holder and requesting a renewal of an active USID card.
• The Sponsor and the card recipient must have email addresses listed in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) that they have authorized DoD to use for contacting them.
• Authorization to use email for official contact can be made under "My Profile" on the IDCO website ID Card Office Online.
• The Sponsor's personnel status must extend at least 30 days in the future from the renewal request date.
• The card recipient has a photo saved in DEERS taken in the last 12 years.
• The card recipient's mailing address is present in DEERS and in the continental United States, Hawaii, or Alaska. ***Cannot be a Post Office (PO) Box.

According to cac.mil the process for renewing a USID Card is as follows:

• The sponsor will request a USID card renewal in ID Card Office Online, continuing through “Family ID Cards” with the “Renew Family Member ID Card” listed as an option.
• Once the request is successfully processed, the card will be created and mailed to the card recipient via U.S. mail.
• An email will be sent to the sponsor and card recipient once the card is shipped directing the sponsor to acknowledge the receipt of the card via IDCO.
• Once the sponsor acknowledges receipt of the card, the new USID card will be activated, and the prior card will be terminated.
• The prior card should then be returned to the government.
• If the renewal request is not approved or fails, the card recipient will receive an email.
• Depending on the reason for the failure the sponsor will be instructed to submit a new request in IDCO or to visit a RAPIDS site for issuance of the card.

Education

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) is currently taking applications for their TAPS Education Care Packages. These Education Care Packages are available to current high school seniors/2024 high school graduates. You can apply for these at https://www.taps.org/educationcarepackage.

Children of Fallen Patriots can assist with financial support surviving families need to fund their college education. For more information, please visit https://www.fallenpatriots.org/enroll-a-student

DOD Survivor Symposium

This June, as part of the Defense Department’s commitment to support survivors of active-duty deaths, the DOD will host its first Survivor Symposium to address critical questions survivors may have about their benefits.

The virtual event is scheduled for June 21, 2024, from noon to 3 p.m. ET. Topics that will be covered include:

• How survivor benefits change when you remarry, from noon to 1 p.m.
• How guardians can apply for the death gratuity on behalf of a surviving child, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
• How a beneficiary survivor annuitant keeps their account up to date with the Defense Finance Accounting Service and the Department of Veterans Affairs, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Those interested in attending the symposium can fill out this registration form available on Military OneSource.