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Ft. Carson

AN OFFICIAL ARMY FAMILY AND MWR SITE

Fort Carson Survivor Outreach Services (SOS)

Survivor Outreach Services

SOS Mission: Build a unified program which embraces and reassures Survivors that they will be continually linked to the Army Family for as long as they desire.

SOS Purpose: The Army SOS Program ensures a seamless transition from the initial support provided by the Army’s Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Division (CMAOD) to long-term, ongoing referral assistance for eligible survivors. Services are portable and, where available, may be provided at an Army location (including joint installations, ARNG installations or State headquarters, and USAR centers) closest to the survivor’s current residence.

SOS Support Coordinators

SOS Support Coordinators are the Surviving Families link to finding resources and answers that work best for them. They can assist Survivors to obtain copies of documents, navigate local, state, and federal agencies. They can also connect Survivors with local and national support groups and bereavement resources. They also provide information and referral on a wide range of other topics.

The SOS Program connects you with people who can help . Our services include grief counseling, financial counseling, benefits coordination, support groups, peer to peer support and information about garrison and surrounding events. 

 

Say Connected: For up-to-date information, remembrances, and events; follow us on Facebook: Fort Carson ACS SOS

Gold Star Rememberance Days
Survivor Outreach Services FactSheet :
Education Benefits

Federal Student Aid

All survivors of Veterans are encouraged to apply for federal student aid. Survivors may receive loans, grants and work-study options to help pay for college or career school. To apply students must complete the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA).

Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant

Students with a parent or guardian who died while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan after 9/11 may apply for an Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant. To qualify, a student must have been under age 24 at the time of a parent’s or guardian’s death or enrolled in college or career school at least part time.

There is no application for the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant. The FAFSA will be compared with the file from the DOD, and the student will receive a letter explaining a potential increase in funding. Students must complete the FAFSA using their name as it appears in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).

Veterans Affairs (VA) Education Benefits

VA education benefits are available to many survivors and dependents of veterans.

  • There are two main VA education benefits available to survivors.
    • The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Fry Scholarship) is for children and spouses of services members who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001.
    • The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program offers education and training to qualified dependents of veterans who are permanently disabled because of a service-related condition or who died while on active duty.

For eligibility and program details, visit VA Survivor and Dependent Education Benefits.

Some survivors may be eligible for education benefits under the Post 9/11 Montgomery GI Bill. Eligible Soldiers may transfer their Post 9/11 Montgomery GI benefits to a spouse or dependent children.

  • Visit VA Transfer of Post 9-11 GI Bill Benefits for information about transfer of eligibility.
  • The VA has a dedicated phone line for GI bill beneficiaries of active-duty service members who died in the line of duty. Beneficiaries such as surviving spouses and children can call 1-888-442-4551 (option5) for assistance with education benefits. A trained agent with survivor benefits expertise will assist. Agents are available Monday–Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT.

Other Types of Aid

Veterans service organizations, survivor groups and other local organizations provide opportunities for surviving family members. Contact an SOS coordinator for state, local and nonprofit resources.

Finances and Survivor Benefits

Financial stability and security are an important part of supporting surviving Family members today and in the future. There are several resources for Families to help them adjust to financial changes and to plan wisely.

Beneficiary Financial Counseling Service (BFCS)

This service provides Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance beneficiaries with free advice from Financial Point, an independent company with a team of experts who handle many types of financial matters. Beneficiaries can access this service online 24/7 to request a financial plan. *Note: The service is available for two years from the date the claim is paid; it includes 40 hours of personal counseling and access to the program’s online resources. https://www.benefits.va.gov/insurance/bfcs.asp

Financial Readiness Program

This program provides general information about military benefits, spending plans, retirement, TSP, debt repayment, tax planning, identity theft, managing consumer credit, and consumer safety and rights. The Army’s personal financial counselors and managers (PFCs and PFMs) offer education. *Note: PFCs and PFMs cannot provide investment advice. To find a PFC or PFM, visit the Financial Readiness website: https://www.financialfrontline.org/.

HEART Act of 2008

The Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008 (HEART Act Public Law 110-245, §109) allows recipients of a death gratuity and/or SGLI to contribute all or part of the payments to a Roth IRA and/or a Coverdell Education Savings Account (CESA) without restrictions on contributions or distributions. Contributions must be made within one year of receiving the benefits. If you are the recipient of a death gratuity and/or the SGLI, you can protect and grow these assets for long-term financial security. For more information, read the  HEART Act for Beneficiaries.

MilTax

Military life can make for tricky taxes. To help, the Defense Department offers MilTax software through Military OneSource. It takes into account deployments, combat and training pay, housing and rentals, multistate filings, living OCONUS and more. Visit the website for more details: https://www.militaryonesource.mil/financial-legal/tax-resource-center/miltax-military-tax-services/.

myPay

Survivors who receive annuity pay from the Defense Department can access myPay, the online pay management system for the DOD’s Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). MyPay provides convenient access to information about your payments and lets you easily update your account information and submit your annual certification. Those who provide an email address in myPay can receive important messages from the DFAS about their account and information from their loved one’s branch of service.

New to myPay?

There is a large menu of Frequently Asked Questions with answers on how to use myPay. You can browse more Frequently Asked Questions with answers or submit a question using  AskDFAS. There are also helpful videos on using myPay.

Survivor Benefit Plan

The Survivor Benefit Plan is a program the Defense Department sponsors and subsidizes that provides up to 55 percent of a service member’s retired pay to an eligible beneficiary after the member dies. The program provides no-cost automatic coverage to active-duty members and to reserve members who die of a service-connected cause while performing inactive-duty training. In addition, those on active duty can purchase coverage upon retirement, and reserve members can receive coverage when they have 20 years of qualifying service for reserve retirement pay.

Need information about the repeal of the SBP-DIC offset? Please see: SBP-DIC Offset Phased Elimination News.

Resources

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