How quickly can you, your spouse or a designated survivor access a copy of your DD Form 214, retirement orders or marriage certificate?
All of these documents should be at one’s fingertips in a simple, but well organized, record-keeping system. Stashing documents in various drawers, in a shoebox under the bed or in a manila envelope somewhere in the hall closet can create headaches when they are needed in a hurry.
Even worse, many people inadvertently toss out important records that should be safely filed away. Upon the death of a military retiree, missing documents and lax record-keeping can prove costly and emotionally draining to the retiree’s survivors.
The U.S. Army Garrison Retiree Support Center can provide retirees with a Retiree Casualty Assistance checklist that can serve as an at-a-glance guide to the management of their affairs. It can also be an invaluable resource for family members should their retiree die or become incapacitated.
The Retiree Support Center, located in Room 307, Building 2915, Panzer Kaserne, is open on Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m., and by appointment. For more information, call 431-3510/3052 or civ. 07031-15-3510/3052.
