Casualty Assistance/Survivor Benefit

Casualty Assistance Representative

The Casualty Assistance & Survivor Benefit Office is located at the Military and Family Readiness Center.

Air Force Casualty Services provides assistance to next of kin of active and retired members:

Active Duty: For active duty death, the Casualty Assistance Representative (CAR) facilitates prompt reporting, dignified and humane notification and efficient, thorough and compassionate assistance to active duty family members and beneficiaries. The CAR also provides assistance to active duty members to make claims with SGLV in the death of a dependent.

Retiree Death: In the case of a retiree death, the member’s next of kin should call the Casualty Assistance office to notify us of the death. The Casualty Assistance Representative will notify Defense Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS) of the retiree’s death and make an appointment with the next of kin to complete claims for any benefits they are eligible to receive from DFAS, such as arrears of pay and the Survivor Benefit Plan annuity. For information or to make an appointment, call 719-333-2129

Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)

The Survivor Benefit Plan is an annuity plan that retiring members may choose to pay into in order to provide 55% of their retired pay to their spouse or children when they die. Every retiree must attend a one-on-one briefing with the SBP Counselor prior to retirement to complete their SBP election and set up their retired pay account. If a married retiree chooses less than full coverage or chooses to decline participation in SBP, their spouse’s signature agreeing to that decision must be notarized. The SBP Counselor also assists retirees to make changes to their SBP Plan after retirement (suspend premiums after death of spouse or divorce, add new spouse or dependents to their plan, etc.)

For more information or to make an appointment with the SBP Counselor, call 719-333-2129