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R 191518Z MAR 12

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NAVADMIN 092/12
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/MAR//

SUBJ/FAMILYGRAM 01-12 - YOUR BENEFITS AND THE DEFENSE ENROLLMENT 
ELIGIBILITY REPORTING SYSTEM (DEERS)//

RMKS/1.  AS A MEMBER OF THE NAVY FAMILY, YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR MANY 
BENEFITS.  PROPER REGISTRATION IN THE DEFENSE ENROLLMENT ELIGIBILITY 
SYSTEM (DEERS) IS KEY TO RECEIVING AN ID CARD AND ELIGIBILITY FOR DOD 
SPONSORED BENEFITS SUCH AS TRICARE, MEDICAL, AND DENTAL SERVICES.  AS 
CHANGES OCCUR, INFORMATION MUST BE UPDATED. 

2.  IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER ABOUT DEERS:
    A.  SERVICE MEMBERS ARE AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLED.
    B.  A SERVICE MEMBER'S ENROLLMENT IN DEERS DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY 
ENROLL DEPENDENTS.  ENROLLMENT OF SPOUSES, CHILDREN AND OTHER 
QUALIFIED DEPENDENTS MUST BE MADE BY THE MEMBER AT A REAL-TIME 
AUTOMATED PERSONNEL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM (RAPIDS) (ID-CARD) SITE.
    C.  CHANGING THE RECORD OF EMERGENCY DATA OR DEPENDENCY 
APPLICATION (PAGE 2) DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY UPDATE DEERS STATUS.  
THESE ARE TWO SEPARATE DATA SYSTEMS.  
    D.  DEERS SHOULD BE UPDATED WHENEVER YOU EXPERIENCE A LIFE 
CHANGING EVENT.  EXAMPLES OF A LIFE CHANGING EVENT INCLUDE:  GETTING 
MARRIED OR DIVORCED, HAVING A BABY OR ADOPTING A CHILD, CHILD TURNS 21, 
MOVING TO A NEW ADDRESS, ETC.
    E.  FAILURE TO UPDATE DEERS WITHIN 30 DAYS OF ANY LIFE CHANGING 
EVENT COULD RESULT IN TEMPORARY LOSS OF BENEFITS ELIGIBILITY FOR FAMILY 
MEMBERS.  SOME COMMMON CONCERNS ARE:
        (1) IF YOUR DEERS INFORMATION IS INCORRECT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE 
TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AT A MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITY (MTF), OBTAIN 
MEDICAL SERVICE AT A CIVILIAN FACILITY THROUGH TRICARE, MEDICAL CLAIMS 
MAY BE DENIED, AND/OR YOU MAY HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES;
        (2) CIVILIAN RETAIL PHARMACIES CHECK DEERS TO VERIFY TRICARE 
ELIGIBILITY AND YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS WILL BE FILLED ONLY IF YOU ARE 
ENROLLED IN DEERS; AND
        (3) INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR BENEFITS, INCLUDING TRICARE, IS 
MAILED TO THE ADDRESS IN DEERS. 

3.  PROCEDURES FOR UPDATING INFORMATION.
    A.  TO UPDATE YOUR DEERS CONTACT INFORMATION, YOU MAY:
        (1) MAKE CHANGES ONLINE THROUGH THE MILCONNECT PORTAL AT 
HTTPS://WWW.DMDC.OSD.MIL/MILCONNECT OR TRICARE AT 
HTTP://WWW.TRICARE.OSD.MIL/DEERS/.  THE MILCONNECT PORTAL ALLOWS 
BENEFICIARIES TO REVIEW PERSONAL, HEALTH CARE, AND PERSONNEL 
INFORMATION FROM ONE RELIABLE SOURCE - DEERS.  CURRENTLY, SPONSORS, 
SPOUSES, AND ELIGIBLE BENEFICIARIES, WHO ARE OVER 18 YEARS OLD, ARE 
ABLE TO PERFORM THE FOLLOWING FUNCTIONS:  UPDATE CONTACT INFORMATION 
IN DEERS INSTANTLY, VIEW CURRENT HEALTH CARE ELIGIBILITY, MANAGE 
TRICARE ENROLLMENTS, LOCATE THE NEAREST MILITARY ID CARD ISSUING 
FACILITY, VIEW PERSONNEL INFORMATION, TRANSFER POST 9/11 GI BILL 
BENEFITS TO ELIGIBLE FAMILY MEMBERS, VIEW SERVICE MEMBERS' GROUP LIFE 
INSURANCE INFORMATION, OBTAIN PROOF OF INSURANCE IF CURRENTLY IN A 
TRICARE-MANAGED PROGRAM, FIND ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 
ABOUT HEALTH CARE ELIGIBILITY AND MORE.  
        (2) VISIT A LOCAL PERSONNEL OFFICE THAT HAS A UNIFORMED SERVICES 
ID CARD FACILITY.  TO FIND YOUR NEAREST FACILITY GO TO 
HTTP://WWW.DMDC.OSD.MIL/RSL/.
        (3) FAX ADDRESS CHANGES TO 1-831-538-8317.
        (4) CALL THE DEFENSE MANPOWER DATA CENTER SUPPORT OFFICE (DSO) 
TELEPHONE CENTER AT 1-800-538-9552.  TO AVOID DELAYS, THE BEST TIME TO 
CALL IS BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 0600-1500 (PACIFIC TIME), WEDNESDAY THROUGH 
FRIDAY.
        (5) MAIL CHANGE INFORMATION TO:  DEERS SUPPORT OFFICE, ATTN: 
CHANGE OF ADDRESS, 400 GIGLING ROAD, SEASIDE, CA 93955-6771.
    B.  TO ENROLL OR UPDATE INFORMATION OTHER THAN YOUR CONTACT INFO, YOU 
WILL NEED TO PROVIDE IMPORTANT PIECES OF DOCUMENTATION SUCH AS MARRIAGE, 
BIRTH, OR DEATH CERTIFICATES, DD214S, CERTIFICATION OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE 
FOR CHILDREN WHO ARE AGE 21 THROUGH 23 YEARS AND ENROLLED AS FULL-TIME 
STUDENTS, ETC.  CONTACT THE NEAREST MILITARY ID CARD FACILITY TO FIND OUT 
WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE NEEDED TO UPDATE ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION IN DEERS.  
THESE DOCUMENTS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO THE ID CARD FACILITY, OR INCLUDED IN 
A LETTER OR FAX TO THE DEERS SUPPORT OFFICE AT THE ADDRESS AND/OR FAX 
NUMBER NOTED ABOVE.
    C.  FOR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS REGARDING YOUR DEERS RECORD, CALL THE 
DSO TELEPHONE CENTER 1-800-538-9552.  THE HOURS OF OPERATION ARE 
0600-1500 (PACIFIC TIME), MONDAY-FRIDAY, EXCLUDING FEDERAL HOLIDAYS.

4.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ON YOUR NAVY BENEFITS, CHECK OUT THE NAVY PAY 
AND BENEFITS GUIDE AT HTTP://WWW.PUBLIC.NAVY.MIL/BUPERS-NPC/CAREER/
PAYANDBENEFITS/DOCUMENTS/NAVYPAYANDBENEFITSGUIDEFINAL01JUL10.PDF. 

5.  POINT OF CONTACT IS MS. BETTY TALLEY, N135F, (901) 874-4299/DSN 882 
OR VIA E-MAIL AT betty.talley@navy.mil.

6.  RELEASED BY VICE ADMIRAL S. R. VAN BUSKIRK, N1.//
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