RTTUZYUW RUEWMCS0000 1372307-UUUU--RUCRNAD
ZNR UUUUU
R 162307Z MAY 08
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
BT
UNCLAS //N01070//
NAVADMIN 134/08
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/MAY// 
SUBJ/DEATH GRATUITY BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION// 
REF/A/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/302150ZJUL07// REF/B/DOC/CONGRESS/28JAN08// 
NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 189/07.  REF B IS PUBLIC LAW 110-181, SECTION 
645.// 
RMKS/1.  THIS NAVADMIN ANNOUNCES A MODIFICATION OF REF A, WHICH ALLOWED 
SAILORS TO DESIGNATE SOMEONE OTHER THAN NEXT OF KIN OR FAMILY TO 
RECEIVE UP TO 50 PERCENT OF THE DEATH GRATUITY.  
REF A SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 30 JUNE 2008.
2.  EFFECTIVE 1 JULY 2008, THE DEATH GRATUITY POLICY WILL CHANGE AS 
FOLLOWS:
    A.  SAILORS MAY DESIGNATE 100 PERCENT OF THE DEATH GRATUITY IN 10 
PERCENT INCREMENTS TO ONE OR MORE BENEFICIARIES.
    B.  SHOULD A MARRIED SAILOR DESIGNATE ANY PERSON OTHER THAN THEIR 
SPOUSE TO RECEIVE ANY PORTION OF THE DEATH GRATUITY, THE SPOUSE SHALL 
BE NOTIFIED OF SUCH DESIGNATION IN WRITING.  THE NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE 
WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE UPCOMING CHANGES TO MILPERSMAN ARTICLE 1770-280, 
WHICH WILL BE PUBLISHED IN JULY 2008.
    C.  IF A SAILOR DOES NOT DESIGNATE A BENEFICIARY OR ONLY DESIGNATES 
A PORTION OF DEATH GRATUITY TO A BENEFICIARY, THE PORTION NOT COVERED 
BY A DESIGNATION SHALL BE PAID IN THE ORDER OF PRECEDENCE TO THE:
        (1) SURVIVING SPOUSE OF THE SAILOR.
        (2) SURVIVING CHILDREN AND THE DESCENDANTS OF ANY DECEASED 
CHILDREN.
        (3) SURVIVING PARENTS.
        (4) DULY-APPOINTED EXECUTOR OR ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE.
        (5) OTHER NEXT OF KIN ENTITLED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE DOMICILE 
OF THE SAILOR AT THE TIME OF THE SAILOR'S DEATH.
3.  SAILORS HAVE THE OPTION TO TAKE NO ACTION AND PREVIOUS DESIGNATIONS 
WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT.  BENEFICIARY DESIGNATIONS WILL CONTINUE TO BE 
MADE IN THE REMARKS SECTION OF THE RECORD OF EMERGENCY DATA, NAVPERS 
1070/602, BLOCK 78, IN THE FOLLOWING FORMAT:
    A.  NAME
    B.  RELATIONSHIP
    C.  ADDRESS WITH ZIP CODE
    D.  PHONE NUMBER
    E.  PERCENTAGE OF DESIGNATION IN 10 PERCENT INCREMENTS 4.  FORWARD 
A COPY OF THE COMPLETED NAVPERS 1070/602, SIGNED BY THE SAILOR AND 
WITNESS, TO NPC PERS-312 FOR ENTRY IN THE OFFICIAL MILITARY PERSONNEL 
FILE (OMPF).
5.  ALTHOUGH THESE OPTIONS ARE STRICTLY VOLUNTARY, ALL COMMANDS ARE 
DIRECTED TO ADVISE SAILORS THAT FAILURE TO DESIGNATE A DEATH GRATUITY 
BENEFICIARY WILL RESULT IN ALLOCATION OF THE ENTIRE DEATH GRATUITY IN 
ACCORDANCE WITH PARA 2C ABOVE.  DEPLOYING UNITS WILL ENSURE ALL HANDS 
ARE ADVISED OF THESE OPTIONS DURING PRE-DEPLOYMENT BRIEFS.  
SAILORS SHOULD CONTACT THEIR LOCAL PERSONNEL SUPPORT DETACHMENT OR 
PERSONNEL OFFICE TO MAKE CHANGES TO THEIR DEATH GRATUITY BENEFICIARY 
DESIGNATION.  QUESTIONS REGARDING DEATH BENEFITS AND OTHER ESTATE 
PLANNING DOCUMENTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE NEAREST NAVY LEGAL SERVICE 
OFFICE (NLSO) FOR GUIDANCE.
6.  POINT OF CONTACT:  MR. WILLIAM HARRIS, OPNAV N135C AT
(901) 874-4413/DSN 882 OR EMAIL AT william.k.harris@navy.mil.
7.  RELEASED BY VADM M. E. FERGUSON III, N1.// 
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