Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a tax free monetary benefit paid to eligible survivors of military service members who died in the line of duty or eligible survivors of Veterans whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease.
Impact of Benefits in Event of Suicide: Please note that in the event that a service member's death is determined to be self-inflicted, surviving family member benefits may be subject to modification IAW 38 CFR 3.302, Willful Misconduct and Line of Duty. For more information call toll free to 1-800-827-1000.
Information for survivors with PACT Act related claims: If you think you are eligible for VA DIC under the PACT Act, you can submit a new application. If your claim was denied in the past and the VA thinks you may be eligible now, the VA will try to contact you. Your claim may be able to be reevaluated, but you do not need to wait for the VA to contact you before you reapply. For more information on the PACT Act, please visit: https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/
Learn more about what the PACT Act means for you as a survivor: https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/#information-for-survivors
- Regular Army: Active Duty
- Regular Army: Retired
- Army National Guard: Active Duty Under Title 10 USC or Title 32 USC (Full-Time National Guard Duty)
- Army National Guard: State Active Duty
- Army National Guard: Drilling
- Army National Guard: Retired
- Army Reserve: Active Duty
- Army Reserve: Drilling
- Army Reserve: Retired
The return home from combat can often leave servicemembers feeling out of place with the most important people in their lives - their families.
"In deployment, Soldiers grow accustomed to a new lifestyle and a new 'family' - those buddies that bond together to defend each other," said Maj. Ken Williams, 14th Military Police Brigade chaplain. "This lifestyle change is prolonged and becomes familiar, i.e., the new normal."
The families also change while the Soldier is deployed.
"The family is a system," Williams said. "When one family member is absent, the whole system changes. All members of the family adapt to a new 'normal' way of life."
When the servicemember returns, the family may feel uncomfortable with each other, and the servicemember may withdraw from the family.