Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 07/01/2002

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
I disagree with the widow(er)s of deceased servicemembers who continually whine about losing their Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits should they remarry. The intent of that benefit is to assure that the surviving spouse, should she (or he) be unable to support herself decently in the workplace, not be left destitute once the insurance runs out. I don't believe it was ever meant to (or should) be a lifetime benefit (and a lifetime drain on the taxpayers) even after remarriage.

Were I to predecease my spouse in the service of my country, particularly if she was a mother with children at home, it is comforting to know that my government would provide those benefits. However, while I was still alive, these benefits didn't exist, and I don't believe that they should once the traditional family is again complete through remarriage. DIC unfortunately (to me) doesn't distinguish between surviving spouses who already have profitable careers outside the home (and don't really need benefits) and those who don't. Perhaps it should, along with the Department of Defense’s Survivor Benefit Program, although in the case of the latter, the servicemember does make a contribution from his retirement pay.

Dick B.
Falls Church, VA

Dear Dick:
I believe these words by Teddy Roosevelt are apropos in replying to your missive. 

It is not the critic who counts;
not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles,
or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, 
who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; 
because there is not effort without error and shortcomings;
but who does actually strive to do the deed; 
who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, 
who spends himself in a worthy cause, 
who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement 
and who at the worst, if he fails, 
at least he fails while daring greatly.

So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls 
who know neither victory nor defeat.

As you should know from my previous columns regarding DIC, I agree with the following words of the great veterans advocate and U.S. Representative from Florida, Mike Bilirakis:

Dependency and Indemnity Compensation is the benefit accorded to the surviving dependents of those members of the Armed Forces who died while on active duty or of a service-connected cause. DIC is the only federal annuity program that does not allow a widow who is receiving compensation to remarry after the age of 55 and retain her annuity.

I think it is a wonderful thing if an older person falls in love and decides to marry, and I don't think we should be discouraging such marriages by making them financially burdensome. For those remarrying after the age of 55, it is often the case that both partners are living on fixed incomes. The prospect of one partner losing financial benefits as a result of the marriage is a real disincentive. In fact, current law makes it virtually impossible for some couples to marry after age 55 because they simply cannot afford to do so and continue to support themselves.

I have heard from military widows from across the country who have found someone they would like to spend the rest of their lives with but cannot afford to do so because of the current law. Consequently, I have once again introduced legislation that would allow a military widow to remarry after age 55 and retain her DIC compensation. My bill, H.R. 1108, makes a simple change that could mean a great deal to those who find themselves in this predicament, and I hope you will join me in supporting this change.

Shaft Shot
The Sarge agrees with the American Legion and the Vietnam Veterans of America that the Bush Administration is turning its back on our service-disabled military retirees. At issue is legislation that would allow these service-disabled vets to concurrently receive their military retired pay and their disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs. On June 19, the Office of Management and Budget issued a policy statement recommending a presidential veto of any legislation that would authorize concurrent receipt of both retired pay and disability compensation. The administration reasons for not paying full concurrent receipt in their statement is “that the increase would require tradeoffs with war fighting capabilities”.

The debate impacts two major areas of concern: longevity of service pay and disability compensation. A much-outdated provision currently subtracts a dollar from a military retiree's retired pay for every dollar he or she earns in compensation for disabilities sustained in military service.

Career officers and noncommissioned officers fighting the war in Afghanistan risk losing their retirement pay if they are wounded or seriously injured. These servicemen and women, like those who have served before them, have chosen to serve our country, but they do not choose to get wounded or hurt. It is unfair and immoral to punish them for being wounded in the defense of democracy. There is enough support for concurrent receipt legislation in both chambers of Congress to override a veto.

A military career is filled with hardships, family separations, personal sacrifices, and all too often being placed in harm's way,” notes American Legion National Commander Richard J. Santos. “Denying a military retiree an the earned benefit –his or her military retirement pay -- is unconscionable.”

It is ironic that a veteran (non-military retiree) collecting disability compensation, who retires from any government or private employer, receives concurrently retired pay and disability compensation without penalty. It is time to stop penalizing military retirees by not allowing concurrent receipt.

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-462-4430 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

BAVF Home | Who We Are | Sgt. Shaft | Flag Week | Links | Financials | Search | Contact BAVF

BAVF - P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900

Copyright BAVF 2002