Notifying the DOD CAO when someone dies
Family member is responsible for notifying the DOD CAO
OverviewWhen someone dies
Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) — Survivor Benefit Plan
Phone1-800-321-1080
WebsiteLearn about benefits→
Military OneSource — Casualty Assistance
Phone1-800-342-9647
Timeline
CAO/CACO/CAR notification typically within hours of confirmed death. Death Gratuity paid within roughly 72 hours of DD Form 397. SGLI payout generally within 1 to 2 weeks of complete claim. DIC claims processed by VA on standard claim timelines. Transitional TRICARE survivor benefits continue for 3 years.
WebsiteLearn more →
Hours24 hours a day, 7 days a week (CAO/CACO/CAR is dispatched by the service branch directly)
Verified Jul 2026
When someone dies, the DOD Casualty Assistance Program (DOD CAO) must be notified. The family member is responsible for notifying the DOD CAO.
Notification deadline: CAO/CACO/CAR contact is initiated by the service branch within hours of confirmed death; families have no notification obligation.
Steps to take
Steps for notifying the DOD CAO and applying for survivor benefits:
1
Wait for the service branch to contact you. A uniformed Casualty Assistance Officer is dispatched to the primary next of kin in person, typically within hours. The CAO/CACO/CAR remains assigned to your family throughout the benefits process.
2
Work with the assigned Casualty Assistance Officer on immediate benefits:
- •Death Gratuity ($100,000 tax-exempt) — paid via DD Form 397 within roughly 72 hours
- •SGLI claim (up to $500,000) — beneficiaries file VA Form SGLV 8283
- •Unpaid pay and allowances, accrued leave, and travel entitlements
- •Personal effects (PE) processing and return
3
Coordinate burial and funeral arrangements through the CAO:
- •Military funeral honors (flag folding, Taps) at no cost
- •Burial in a VA national cemetery, if elected
- •Government-furnished headstone or marker
- •VA burial allowance reimbursement
4
Update DEERS and family ID cards:
- •CAO assists with DEERS updates for surviving spouse and dependents
- •Issue new dependent ID cards reflecting survivor status
- •Confirm TRICARE enrollment (transitional survivor benefits for surviving spouse for first 3 years, then survivor benefits)
5
File ongoing benefit claims with assistance from the CAO:
- •Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) — VA Form 21P-534a for active-duty deaths
- •Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity — reported to DFAS at 800-321-1080
- •FSGLI claim if a spouse or dependent child is also deceased
6
Contact Military OneSource at 800-342-9647 (24/7) for grief counseling, financial counseling, and survivor support. Long-term survivor case management transitions to your branch's dedicated program: Army Survivor Outreach Services (833-313-1960), Navy LTAP (877-270-2162), Marine Corps Long-Term Assistance Program (866-210-3421), Air Force Families Forever (866-299-0596).
Required Documents
- Certified copies of the death certificate (multiple — request 8 to 12 from the funeral home)
- DD Form 1300 (Report of Casualty), provided by the service branch
- DD Form 93 (Record of Emergency Data) — beneficiary designations on file
- SGLI election record (from the SGLI Online Enrollment System)
- Marriage certificate (for surviving spouse claims)
- Birth certificates for dependent children
- Surviving family member's government-issued photo ID
- Divorce decrees from any prior marriages (if applicable)
- Adoption decrees (for adopted children, if applicable)
Timeline
CAO/CACO/CAR notification typically within hours of confirmed death. Death Gratuity paid within roughly 72 hours of DD Form 397. SGLI payout generally within 1 to 2 weeks of complete claim. DIC claims processed by VA on standard claim timelines. Transitional TRICARE survivor benefits continue for 3 years.
Survivor benefits
Death Gratuity
A lump-sum, tax-exempt payment paid to the designated beneficiary of a service member who dies on active duty, on active or inactive duty for training, or within 120 days of release from active duty when the death is service-connected. The service member designates beneficiaries (in 10% increments, totaling up to 100%) on DD Form 93 (Record of Emergency Data). If no designation exists, a statutory hierarchy applies. Payment is typically issued within 72 hours of receipt of DD Form 397.
Eligibility: Beneficiaries designated on DD Form 93, or the statutory next-of-kin hierarchy if no designation exists
Amount: $100,000 (tax-exempt, lump sum)
How to apply: The assigned Casualty Assistance Officer initiates the claim using DD Form 397 (Claim Certification and Voucher for Death Gratuity Payment); no separate family application is needed
Learn more →Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI)
Low-cost group term life insurance for active-duty service members. Active-duty members are automatically enrolled at the maximum coverage level unless they opt down. Beneficiaries are designated by the service member through the SGLI Online Enrollment System (SOES) via milConnect. After a death, the designated beneficiaries file VA Form SGLV 8283 (Claim for Death Benefits) to receive the payout.
Eligibility: Beneficiaries named by the service member on the SGLI election; payable on the death of any covered service member
Amount: Coverage up to $500,000 in $50,000 increments
How to apply: File VA Form SGLV 8283 (Claim for Death Benefits) — the Casualty Assistance Officer assists with the form and required documentation
Learn more →Family Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (FSGLI)
Life insurance on the spouse and dependent children of a service member who has full-time SGLI coverage. Spouse coverage is elected by the service member (premium based on spouse age); dependent child coverage is automatic and free. If a covered family member dies, the service member files the claim and receives the payout.
Eligibility: Spouses and dependent children of service members enrolled in full-time SGLI; the service member is the claimant
Amount: Spouse: up to $100,000 (not exceeding the service member's SGLI coverage). Dependent child: $10,000 per child at no cost
How to apply: Service member files VA Form SGLV 8283A (Claim for Family Coverage Death Benefits) with assistance from the CAO/CACO
Learn more →Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
A tax-free monthly payment from the VA to eligible survivors of service members who died in the line of duty or veterans whose death was service-connected. The CAO assists with the initial DIC claim, which is processed by the Department of Veterans Affairs separately from DOD benefits. Surviving spouses, unmarried children under 18 (or under 23 if in school), and qualifying parents may be eligible.
Eligibility: Surviving spouse (subject to marriage-duration and remarriage rules), unmarried children under 18 (or under 23 if in school), and qualifying low-income parents of a service member who died on active duty or a veteran whose death was service-connected
How to apply: File VA Form 21P-534a for active-duty deaths (or 21P-534EZ for veteran deaths) through VA.gov, by mail, or with help from the assigned Casualty Assistance Officer
Learn more →Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)
A continuous monthly annuity that replaces a portion of military retired pay for surviving spouses and dependent children. For active-duty deaths in the line of duty, surviving spouses are generally eligible for an SBP annuity (often paid through the Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance and related programs). Premiums are deducted from the retiree's gross retired pay during life; the government partially funds the cost. Beneficiaries report a death to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) to begin annuity payments.
Eligibility: Surviving spouse and dependent children of an active-duty service member who dies in the line of duty, or of a retiree who elected SBP coverage
How to apply: Report the death to DFAS at 800-321-1080; the Casualty Assistance Officer initiates the active-duty SBP claim with the family
Learn more →Military Funeral Honors
Eligible veterans and active-duty service members receive military funeral honors at no cost to the family. Honors include the folding and presentation of the U.S. flag and the playing of Taps by a uniformed military detail. The Casualty Assistance Officer or funeral director coordinates the request.
Eligibility: Most active-duty service members and eligible veterans; coordinated by the assigned CAO/CACO/CAR or the funeral director
Amount: No cost to the family
How to apply: The CAO/CACO/CAR or funeral director contacts the appropriate service branch Military Funeral Honors program manager
Learn more →VA Burial Allowance and Memorial Items
The VA provides a burial allowance to help pay for funeral, burial, and transportation costs, plus burial in a VA national cemetery, government-furnished headstones and markers, and Presidential Memorial Certificates. Many of these items are coordinated by the Casualty Assistance Officer alongside the VA.
Eligibility: Service members who die on active duty and eligible veterans; specific allowance amounts depend on circumstances of death
How to apply: The CAO/CACO/CAR coordinates VA burial benefits; families can also call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117
Learn more →TRICARE Survivor Coverage
Surviving spouses and dependent children of a service member who dies on active duty remain eligible for TRICARE health coverage. Surviving spouses are categorized as "transitional survivors" for the first three years (with active-duty family member benefits) and as "survivors" thereafter. Dependent children remain eligible under their normal rules. The Casualty Assistance Officer helps the family update DEERS (Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System) and obtain new dependent ID cards.
Eligibility: Surviving spouse (transitional survivor benefits for 3 years; survivor benefits thereafter) and dependent children of a service member who dies on active duty
How to apply: The CAO/CACO/CAR helps update DEERS, issue new dependent ID cards, and confirm TRICARE plan options
Learn more →Frequently asked questions
The service member's branch dispatches a uniformed Casualty Assistance Officer to the primary next of kin in person, typically within hours of confirming the death. The Army calls this officer a Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO); the Navy and Marine Corps call them a Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO); the Air Force and Space Force call them a Casualty Assistance Representative (CAR). The family does not need to initiate any contact — notification is the branch's responsibility.
The Death Gratuity is a $100,000 tax-exempt lump-sum payment. It is paid to beneficiaries designated by the service member on DD Form 93 (Record of Emergency Data), in 10% increments totaling up to 100%. If no designation exists, a statutory next-of-kin hierarchy applies. The Department of Defense typically pays the gratuity within 72 hours of receipt of DD Form 397.
Designated beneficiaries file VA Form SGLV 8283 (Claim for Death Benefits) along with a certified copy of the death certificate. The Casualty Assistance Officer assists with the form and required documentation. SGLI claims are processed through the VA; payment generally arrives within 1 to 2 weeks of a complete claim.
Military OneSource is the Department of Defense's 24/7 family support line at 800-342-9647. Surviving families can call any time for grief counseling, financial counseling, benefit questions, and connections to long-term survivor support. The line operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, with secure live chat also available.
DIC is a tax-free monthly payment from the Department of Veterans Affairs to eligible survivors of service members who died in the line of duty or veterans whose death was service-connected. Surviving spouses, unmarried children under 18 (or under 23 if in school), and qualifying low-income parents may be eligible. Active-duty death survivors apply using VA Form 21P-534a, with help from the assigned Casualty Assistance Officer.
Yes. Surviving spouses and dependent children of a service member who dies on active duty remain eligible for TRICARE. The surviving spouse is categorized as a "transitional survivor" for the first three years (receiving active-duty family member benefits) and then as a "survivor" thereafter. Dependent children remain eligible under their normal rules. The Casualty Assistance Officer helps update DEERS and obtain new dependent ID cards.
Military funeral honors — the flag folding and presentation, the playing of Taps, and the uniformed military detail — are provided at no cost to the family. The VA also provides burial benefits including a burial allowance, burial in a VA national cemetery, and a government-furnished headstone or marker. The Casualty Assistance Officer coordinates these benefits with the funeral director.
Once the initial benefits and arrangements are complete, the surviving family transitions to their service branch's long-term survivor support program: Army Survivor Outreach Services (833-313-1960), Navy LTAP (877-270-2162), Marine Corps Long-Term Assistance Program (866-210-3421), and Air Force Families Forever (866-299-0596). These programs provide ongoing case management, benefit updates, and survivor community resources.
The Survivor Benefit Plan is a continuous monthly annuity that replaces a portion of military retired pay for surviving spouses and dependent children. For active-duty deaths in the line of duty, surviving spouses are generally eligible for an SBP annuity automatically. Beneficiaries report a death to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) at 800-321-1080; the Casualty Assistance Officer initiates the active-duty SBP claim.
After completing the notification process, eligible survivors can apply for 8 benefits through the DOD CAO. Each benefit has its own eligibility requirements and application process.
Keep copies of all documents submitted to the DOD CAO. Original documents submitted for verification are typically returned after processing.
Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) — Survivor Benefit Plan
Phone1-800-321-1080
WebsiteLearn about benefits→
Military OneSource — Casualty Assistance
Phone1-800-342-9647
Timeline
CAO/CACO/CAR notification typically within hours of confirmed death. Death Gratuity paid within roughly 72 hours of DD Form 397. SGLI payout generally within 1 to 2 weeks of complete claim. DIC claims processed by VA on standard claim timelines. Transitional TRICARE survivor benefits continue for 3 years.
WebsiteLearn more →
Hours24 hours a day, 7 days a week (CAO/CACO/CAR is dispatched by the service branch directly)
Verified Jul 2026