NDAA Benefits for Military Families

January 17, 2006

By John Buhl

Military families will see several enhanced benefits now that the 2006 National Defense Authorization Act has been signed into law. The National Military Family Association (NMFA) highlighted initiatives it lobbied for in the bill.

NMFA said several provisions enhancing death gratuity benefits were included. Now, death gratuities will be paid to survivors’ families for all servicemembers on active duty, not just those killed in combat or combat-related training.

Also, NMFA and other military associations pushed for the removal of a measure that would have paid out higher gratuities to combat versus noncombat deaths. As currently written, all active duty survivor families would receive $100,000. Those enrolled in the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance would receive $150,000.

Survivor families have been allowed to either live in government housing or receive a basic housing allowance for one year. The bill made this housing program a permanent benefit.

Also, the three-year time period during which surviving children (of deceased servicemembers on active duty) are covered under TRICARE Prime and military care will be extended to cover children until they age out of care eligibility.

In addition, the appropriations bill puts $50 million toward child care services and another $10 million for family services—of that total, $20 million is for National Guard and reserve components.

The bill also provides relief for public school systems affected by military deployments and relocations—$30 million is available to civilian school districts impacted by reassignments of military families. There is another $10 million in funding for school districts impacted by base realignments and closures or activation of military units.

Other benefit enhancement provisions are:

• a Department of Defense (DoD) Mental Health Task Force to adjust DoD policy for better early identification and treatment of mental diseases;
• up to 21 days of leave for servicemembers adopting children;
• approval to use appropriated funds to ship goods to overseas military exchanges, ensuring shipping costs are not passed on to consumers; and
• comprehensive financial and insurance education for servicemembers and spouses.