FORT EUSTIS, Va. –
It's the visit that no one wants to receive. Yet throughout the armed forces, it is one that unfortunately has to be made.
When a Soldier loses his or her life, the dedicated people with the Fort Eustis Casualty Assistance Center are the ones to break the sad news to the family, and provide loved ones with long-term assistance throughout the entire bereavement process.
"We are a 24-hour operation," said Debra Stancil, CAC's operations coordinator.
The Army established Casualty Assistance Centers throughout the country to help shepherd families through losing a loved one, or assist a family after a Soldier has been injured. They are tasked with making sure a deceased Soldier is ready for burial, and coordinating the disbursement of benefits to surviving family members.
The CAC nearest the deceased Soldier's loved ones handle the call. For example, if the family lives near Fort Eustis, even though the Soldier may not have been based at Fort Eustis, a casualty notification officer handles the case, and provides an official notification or condolences with an Army chaplain to the family.
On a recent Wednesday at the CAC office on Fort Eustis, the staff worked on six cases, waiting on documentation or other decisions to be made. In a nearby room, Soldiers from various units received casualty notification and assistance officers' certification training. Classes are offered once a month for two, eight-hour days, or can be scheduled when needed.
Officers watch videos of Soldiers discussing the process and what to expect, said Marlon James, CAC chief. They also talk about dealing with the emotions that come with having to tell a spouse, mother, father or child a loved one has died, Stancil said.
One of the main items on the CAC to-do list is to ensure when a deceased Soldier arrives or departs the Fort Eustis area, he or she is properly prepared for burial. The center's staff is also a conduit to ensure family member(s), or a Soldier's named beneficiary, receive payment of death gratuity up to $100,000, normally paid within 72 hours of a Soldier's death.
Those funds can be used to bring certain people to the funeral, to pay for a mortgage, food or a car payment, James said, adding that it helps the family until long-term benefits kick in. The CAC staff also works out long-term benefits, such as Social Security, the Survivor Benefit Plan and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation. If necessary, they also work families through converting from Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance to Veterans Group Life Insurance.
The CAC also assist survivors of retirees prepare and submit documentation to request payment of benefits and entitlements, as well as updating the survivor's military dependent identification card. They also ensure the retiree receives proper military funeral honors.
Another facet of CAC is Survivor Outreach Services. SOS is an Army-wide program which provides dedicated and comprehensive support to survivors of deceased Soldiers. The program is a joint effort of the Installation Management Command, Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command, Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operation Center, Army National Guard and Army Reserve. The mission statement of Forr Eustis' SOS is, "to build a unified support program which embraces and reassures survivors that they are continually linked to the Army family for as long as they desire."
The SOS team helps family members find what the military can do for them after their loved one has made the ultimate sacrifice. This includes support from families of other fallen soldiers, and financial-management help from an SOS financial counselor.
"We are committed to continuing to provide first-class service to the families of our fallen soldiers, as well as training and resources to the members of our Casualty Assistance Centers," said Col. Kerk B. Brown, director of the Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Center for the U.S. Army. "Casualty support, for current and past conflicts, has a strategic value that supports survivors and the nation. Our mission is to 'Get it right the first time.' We only get one opportunity to show our families, and the Nation, that we are professionals and that this mission is sacred."
James and Stancil concur. Both say they enjoy their jobs immensely, but realize how stressful it can be; dealing with the death of a soldier and advocating for Army benefits on behalf of the family. Stancil, who used to be the point person for all calls regarding deaths or injuries, still sleeps with her phone, just in case, even though she doesn't have to.
"It's like Groundhog Day for us every day," said Stancil, who retired from the U.S. Marines. "It may be our two-hundredth case, but it's their first," which means staff has to reset every day, "like it's our first."
Dealing with death on a daily basis means the six-member staff needs to decompress every once in a while.
The office has gone to a flexible schedule, allowing employees to work 80 hours with a three-day weekend every pay period. When the weather is nice, they barbecue when they can, and recently they visited Equi-Kids therapeutic riding program in Virginia Beach for a team-building exercise with horses.
James, who retired 2000, said it's his way of giving back to the Army. He also likes being able to guide people through the process, and in some cases, fight for them.
"It takes a special person to do what we do," Stancil said. "It's an honor to do what I do."
For more information, call the Casualty Assistance Center at (757) 878-1118, or Marlon James directly at (757) 878-3917.