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Navy death gratuity available electronically

NORFOLK, Va. — Death gratuity checks worth $100,000 can now be deposited electronically.

The new measure, which took effect Monday, makes the funds available to grieving family members within 24 hours.

Sailors designate who they want to receive the funds on their Page 2 information.

“We want to make those funds available,” said Lt. Karen Eifert, a Navy spokeswoman at the Pentagon.

Previously, the death gratuity checks for sailors were only available in paper form, often delivered during a visit from a casualty assistance calls officer. Eifert said it could take days or weeks for the funds to clear, resulting, according to recent news reports, in families not having money available for funeral services while banks held up the funds. In one case, a man was jailed over a dispute with his son’s check.

“That’s what sprang us into action, to make things easier for families that are grieving,” she said. “We recommend they take the electronic funds transfer.”

The $100,000 death gratuity is wholly separate from group life insurance available to military members, she noted. The Navy follows the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps in offering the electronic check to its members. Paper checks will still be available should sailors choose that option.