PERSONAL AFFAIRS & SURVIVING SPOUSES

Personal Affairs and Surviving Spouses go hand in hand. We encourage all our members to prepare for the inevitable and prepare their families. Surviving Spouses have experienced the loss of a loved one. As an organization, we work to ensure our members, including surviving spouses, receive the benefits they were promised. 

Surviving Spouses of military officers are eligible to join MOAA as full members of the organization and participate in all activities and events to share in our “Camaraderie with a Purpose!” Many chapters offer full chapter membership to spouses of eligible officers as well.

If you have specific questions for our Personal Affairs Team or need chaplains support, reach out to your local chapter, or contact the Council at:  PresFCoC2024@gmail.com

SURVIVING SPOUSES

Surviving Spouses of Military Officers meeting the eligibility requirements of MOAA can join MOAA as a “Member in Full Standing” of the Organization.  Go to the MOAA website to Join.

We also encourage Surviving Spouses and spouses to join a chapter. MOAA also has a Surviving Spouse Virtual Chapter (SSVC) which Surviving Spouses may join and obtain information.  Questions sent to the Virtual Surviving Spouse Chapter and are answered by a member of the MOAA Surviving Spouse Advisory Council—email questions to:  mssvc02@gmail.com.

The Florida Council of MOAA has a Surviving Spouse Chairperson who works with Florida Chapter Presidents, Surviving Spouse Liaisons (SSL), and individuals concerning Surviving Spouse issues and benefits.

The best source of information is often your local Florida Chapter, and you will find there a network of other spouses ready to provide assistance.  Locate your closest Florida Chapter.  An officer or the Surviving Spouse Liaison in the Chapter can point you to the local Veterans Service Officer to start your quest for information and ensure that your earned benefits are received.

Other information specifically for Surviving Spouses can be found on the MOAA website.   There you will find Articles, publications, and financial tools that may help.

The Florida Council newsletter, The Council Communiqué and your Chapter newsletter also have articles that provide current and useful information. 

If you have specific questions, contact us by emailing PresFCOC2024@gmail.com.  We will connect you with our Council Surviving Spouse Liaison who will personally assist you with problems or questions about benefits. 

There is help, just ask!

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PERSONAL AFFAIRS

The Personal Affairs Committee of the Florida Council of Chapters, (FCOC) promotes personal affairs and financial readiness with an emphasis on Survivor Assistance throughout the Florida Chapters of MOAA. The major thrusts of our efforts are:

  • To educate the membership of the importance of maintaining a complete and concise record of their personal affairs, especially as related to their military service, and making those records available to their spouse or next of kin, and,
  • To ensure that every Chapter has a Personal Affairs Committee and that those committees have the information, the guidance, and the materials they need to carry out their responsibilities and especially to provide assistance to the spouses or next of kin of deceased military retirees.

The Personal Affairs Chairman will gladly assist any Chapters which ask for help to adapt the recommended programs to fit their individual situations. Send any Requests for assistance to PresFCoC2024@gmail.com.

Personal Affairs Guide
FEDERAL BENEFITS
BEFORE THE FACT
AFTER THE FACT

Form a Chapter
personal affairs committee

Review the chapters by-laws as they refer to a PA committee. Amend as necessary to insure that the duties and responsibilities of the committee are clearly spelled out. For example, the committee should:

  • Maintain a library of pertinent personal affairs publications from MOAA, the VA, local military bases, or other pertinent sources.
  • Maintain a database of the addresses and telephone numbers of:
    • Casualty assistance offices at local and regional military offices and the Finance Center for each Service,
    • Veterans Administration and Social Security Offices,
    • MOAA’s Personal Affairs and Survivor Assistance Services.

Provide information on earned benefits to members and survivors by giving reports at Chapter Meetings, contributing regularly to the Chapter Newsletter, and organizing an Email network (with “snail mail” backup) to disseminate time critical information.  Information is also available in the Council Newsletter, The Council Communique.  

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Assist members and surviving spouses in the submission of inquiries, applications, and claims to government agencies, e.g., military personnel offices, finance centers, VA, and Social Security offices. Notify MOAA National of chapter member deaths. (By telephone, (800) 234-6622 or (703) 549-2311, or by e-mail to MSC@MOAA.org).  

Provide on a monthly basis, death notices to your Chapter Secretary to update of the Member Database and to the Editor of your Chapter’s newsletter for publication.  Recruit a Chairperson and Co-Chairperson with emphasis on persons who enjoy helping people.  Other committee members could include the chaplain and surviving spouse liaison.  Others with administrative and personnel experience will be extremely helpful as well.  Ask MOAA for a list of all MOAA members in your geographical area. This list will be handy for recruiting chapter members as well as calculating the number of retired military personnel in your area.  Review the information provided on the MOAA website and decide on exactly how the committee will be set up.  FCOC is available to assist–Contact us!