army widow benefits why i can't get it?
553887
Did he retire from the Army or did he just do 3 years and thaN GOT OUT OF THE MILITARY ALL TOGETHER???  IF HE ONLY SPENT 3 YEARS IN THE ARMY YOU ARE NOT ENTITILED TO ANY BENEFITS. HOWEVER IF HE RETIRED AND LEFT YOU A sURVIVORS BENIFITS PACKAGE THAAN YOU ARE ENTITLED TO SBP.
852080
This is sweet of you it meant alot to me and my men!  \n\nThe United States armed forces cannot recieve cards to "any serviceman" this year due to fears of terrorism.  Instead, the Pentagon has set up a secure email system that allows anyone to send a message to "any serviceman." Just pick the branch of the service, type your message and click send.\n\nThe story behind the "to any serviceman" cards:\nSince 1967, when Sgt. Billy Thompson wrote Abigail Van Buren and mentioned that a wonderful Christmas present to our armed forces would be "just a letter from home," American citizens have been sending holiday wishes to servicemen and women stationed overseas every holiday season. Dubbed "Operation Dear Abby," the program has brought holiday joy to hundreds of thousands of U.S. military personnel deployed away from home.\n\nTo access the site, visit http://anyservicemember.navy.mil/\nMilitary Exchange Prepaid Calling Cards\nThe Department of Defense Military Exchanges have been authorized to sell the following prepaid calling cards to individuals and organizations who wish to purchase these cards for our troops serving overseas in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.\nhttps://thor.milexch.com/scs/default.aspx\n\n12 Ways to Support Our Troops\nBy Lance Helgeson\nhttp://www.aarp.org/bulletin/yourlife/Articles/a2004-12-07-12support.html\n\nYou can adopt a specific or random service person for a prayer circle.\n\nhttp://www.presidentialprayerteam.net/troopsadopt.php  \n\nYou can write to a service person.\n\nhttp://anyservicemember.navy.mil\nThere are dozen of organizations, which allow you to purchase items and present it to a service person, but there are other options you might consider.  Visit the closest VA Hospital or for something really unique try: \nwww.snipersonline.org (They ask for contributions to buy items that the Government refuses or that is out of stock.\n\nGod Bless You and The Southern People
695537
Read your papers everyday. Don't worry. I am a military wife and I know how it feels not to hear from someone who's over there. Don't think the worst. There are many reasons why they may not be able to call you. When my husband was over there, someone compromised the unit by revealing to much info to a loved one on the phone. Consequently, they weren't able to call home for two weeks. Also they may be moving and they may not be able to communicate in anyway. If you have contact info, write or email. Many soldiers (along with everyone else now!) have Myspace pages. See if they have one. Next of kin is contacted as soon as all of the proper procedures are complete. The person the soldier listed on his paperwork is the person that will be called. It is not always a spouse or a parent. After that, it is up to that person to contact everyone. But please, be patient, relax, and pray. Things are tough but you will be okay and he is ok.
256051
If you are a widow/widower, one of the best sites is Widownet.org. They are totoally made up of other widows/widowers, and no one would really understand what it is you're going through unless they've been through this themselves.
327120
Found this on the social security website:\n\nHow much will a widow receive?\n\nThe amount you will get is a percentage of the deceased's basic Social Security benefit. The percentage depends on your age and the type of benefit you are eligible for. A widow or widower, full retirement age or older, will receive 100 percent deceased's basic Social Security benefit.\n\nA widow or widower can receive full benefits at age 65 or older (if born before January 2, 1940) or reduced benefits as early as age 60. The age for receiving full benefits is increasing for widows and widowers born after 1939 until it reaches age 67 for people born in 1962 and later.
1005406
i was on a soldiers angels web group. for them, i would get a priority flat rate box, and fill it to the brim with everything!! even the little gaps i would put little candies in. they love things like what the person above mentioned. but also they love cleaning items...such as shavers, toothpaste, and playing cards, puzzle books, stationary, anything & everything! it's thoughtful of you asking this. to be honest, with the fact that they really have nothing, than anything from home is a blessing to them.\nand remember the one's who do not ever get mail. it's sad. they have no family, and they are alone...while others get mail, they get nothing. if you're interested, you can send to one of these unfortunate ones by posting the address, then mention for the name "a lonely soldier". then the sergeant guy (or whoever, not clear on it) gives it to someone who is in need & never gets mail. i have my kids send pictures they drew & stuff. it's all the little stuff that counts.
844046
i have been a navy wife and i have been an army wife.  it depends on where you end up being stationed for either on what it's like.  when you are in your home city (or close enough where you don't live on post or deal with the FRG) you're only real source of what's going on is your husband - which is actually helpful as you don't hear 40 different things - none of which are right, and you don't get 4 billion emails about crap you don't care about, and you don't get stuck in the damn rumormill.  \nit was fine in the navy - when he left, i stayed with my parents in san diego because that was where he was stationed.  we are abroad now and we did the blue to green so we are now army.  it's a wonderful experience, but at the same time totally frustrating!  my FRG (i'm sorry, FRG is Family Readiness Group and you refer to the leader as the FRG) never  sends me any relevant information about my husband's unit and yet i get all this useless information that i don't care about.  there is supposed to be a POC (point of contact person) who calls at least once a month - i've been here 6 months, 2 months with my husband gone and she has never called - i don't even know who my POC is!  granted, i don't go to the FRG meetings - but why would i go when they don't do anything that is relevant to me and they make it difficult for me to go with a 14 month old?  \nalso living on post leaves you very vulnerable to the rumor mill, it seems especially the higher ranked enlisted wives do it.  they also tend to wear their husband's rank - abosolutely unacceptable!  myself and the 3 ladies i have made friends with are the wives of an E3, an E5, and 2 E6's (one E6 is only friends with me) so we don't care, and that's the way it is supposed to be in housing.  your rank does not go with you when you are out of uniform.  everyone gets the same respect out of uniform and since wives are never in uniform... yeah.  but it tends to not work that way.  there is this whole web of crap to deal with.  i tend to not.  i have also already made it clear that if i am included in this rumormill i will take them to court on charges of slander and defemation of character - i won't put up with it, but most wives will and that's why it's so widespread.\n\nif you are going to be stationed abroad, don't expect any help from the army to get you to your husband quickly - it was 6 months for all the paperwork to go through because no one could tell us everything we needed to do it so as we got one thing done we were then told another thing we needed to do and since he was already in europe and i was in arizona it was very difficult.\n\nother than that, it's fine.  you get to meet new people, have new experiences - if you live on post it's like it's own little world... kinda wierd to me, but you may like it.  and depending on your personality and what your husband does in the army you may not ever notice the rumors spreading like wildfire.\n\nmy tips, make friends with your housing person before you get a residence on base, find out where everything you NEED is at on base (they give you lots of useless info you have to sift through) and try to make friends with your neighbors, they are going to be the people you see most.
52001
Yes, the military only recognizes your relationship if you are married. Even being engaged doesn't count.
775675
Have you tried contacting the local military base? They may have some "adopt" as solider programs or you may deliver a gift to be donated as part of a larger program. They would love that. A great gift would be an MP3 player.
315637
If you genuinely can't hack the AIT for the MOS you've selected, I believe you get to reclass for something that may be more your speed.  Otherwise, you get recycled to the next Co. coming through.  At least that's what happened in my unit.  I've actually never heard of anyone getting put out of the Army altogether.
405640
You should get in touch with the VA.  My uncle had the same problem as was able to collect $100K for back benefits.  Talk about a life changing event!
711909
The strange thing is that the Army Active Duty Monthly Basic Pay chart lists wages for 0-5's (LTC's) starting at 2 years or less.  Now, I don't think they'd list it if it wasn't a very remote possibility... so I'd say yes... somehow it's possible that 12 years will get it.  (Possibly through a combination of prior service or other merits.)  \n\nI mean, there's probably a way that's not normally exercised.  Like for instance, any soldier who was awarded a Medal of Honor is to be saluted even if he's a PFC enlisted ranks soldier because once he gets the Medal of Honor, he receives also the honorary rank of 0-1 or 2LT, 2nd Lieutenant.\n\nI vote yes.  But I also add to that - no matter what - It CAN'T be easy.
951244
I believe only spouses can claim benefits. She would have ceased to be a qualified dependant once she reached a certain age (which is now 23 if you're in school, I'm not sure what it would have been back then) or when she got married.\n\nMy dad is retired military and I lost all claim to military benefits when I turned 23. My sister will lose them when she gets married at 21.\n\nBut, when in doubt, have her call the local Veteran's Affairs in her area.
599665
There are probably no benefits from the Army unless he was given a disability retirement.\n\nYou may have various VA benefits, based on the classification of his discharge, reason for discharge, and length of service.  Contact the nearest VA office for information, or go here:  http://www.va.gov/
400935
The Navy has a department in it's Fleet & Family Service Center on each base that assists in retired and survivor benefits programs. You will need to contact them and have verification as next of kin.
322826
If your family is large( more than 2 kids, typically), then yes, you would have to prove that your spouses' income would prove to be sufficient to support your family.  E1s do NOT make very much money at all.  This isn't just for women looking to enlist, this is for anyone looking to enlist that already has a spouse and children.
505386
you need to get in touch with the army. they can and will help. there may be a story.