An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Display

SOS aids families of fallen

  • Published
  • By Pascual Flores
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  For some families of fallen service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice, the grieving does not end once their loved one has been buried. For others, it is just the beginning.

The Army Survivors Outreach Service Program at Army Support Activity-Fort Dix, connects family members with others who can help them cope with their loss, even if the loss happened months or years ago.

"There is no such thing as an open and closed case here," said Susan Mullen, SOS licensed clinical social worker. "Anyone can come here anytime."

Funded through the Department of the Army, the SOS Program is an exclusively Army driven program with offices located throughout all 50 states and American Samoa, Belgium, Germany, Guam, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

"SOS is available to all surviving family members in New Jersey and doesn't care about the manner of death," said Mullen. "They support everyone, active duty, Army Reserve or National Guard."

The program provides support to surviving family of service members who died on active duty. The SOS, along with their counterparts from Army Reserve and National Guard, provide long-term assistance through support coordinators and financial counselors in the areas of benefits and entitlements, health care, education and housing transportation.

"It is an Army program, but helps survivors from all branches of the military for as long as the family chooses," said Mullen.

Support coordinators at SOS provide the long-term support survivors need while keeping them linked to the Army family for as long as they desire. Organization members also connects them with support groups, grief and bereavement counselors and offer information and referral services.

Figuring out what to do about finances during times of emotional distress, can create a heavy burden and require the assistance of a financial counselor.

"I handle the financial assistance for the survivor," said Gene Novitski, SOS financial counselor. "I get involved from the initial date of death."

Assisting the survivors in creating financial success and ensuring they are provided information necessary to make sound decisions is just one of the functions of the financial counselor.

"I provide guidance in matters of probate issues, insurance issues, credit cards, banking , legal, investments and legacy," said Novitski.

Novitski, a certified financial planner is the co-founder of 'Financial Forum' with the SOS office at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. The forum conducts a monthly conference call to discuss the best practices on insurance, finance and social security.

"We gather and explain information to survivor and work with financial professionals," said Novitski. "We are the sounding board for the survivors."

Visit www.sos.army.mil/Home.aspx for more information on Survivor Outreach Services.