WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) announced today that his bipartisan plan to support Gold Star Families has been added to the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The “Cheryl Lankford Memorial to Improve Assistance for Gold Star Spouses and Other Dependents” amendment will help keep bereaved military families from slipping through the cracks and ensure that dependent children can easily access the benefits they are owed.
When a military member dies, the surviving family is visited by a Casualty Assistance Officer who advocates for the family, answers questions, logs complaints, and assists with processing benefits. However, if a Gold Star Spouse dies and leaves behind dependent children, the military does not provide any help at all. Phillips’s amendment would provide, at the request of the children or guardian, a Casualty Assistance Officer to support eligible dependents if the spouse of a deceased servicemember also passes away. Continue reading “Phillips Improves Support for Gold Star Military Families with Bipartisan Defense Bill Amendment”