There's a new service on post to help surviving family members of fallen Soldiers navigate Army benefits.

Survivor Outreach Services, an Armywide program of Army Community Service, opened its doors at Fort Benning in April. Available to parents, spouses, siblings and children of Soldiers who were killed while on active duty, SOS provides free long-term assistance with financial issues, benefits and entitlements, counseling and social services.

While the Army provides casualty assistance officers to help survivors with paperwork and benefits immediately following a loss, they generally conclude their duties after four to six months - and that's where SOS comes in, said Jennifer Pierce, SOS support coordinator.

"After the relationship with the casualty assistance officer fades, we take over and are the advocate for that survivor," she said. "The CAOs are immediate and temporary, and sometimes after they leave, the survivor is left saying, 'There's no one for me to talk to.' They may not know of other services on post they can have access to, so we provide long-term support. We want to keep them part of the (Army) family."

There is no time limit on SOS, Pierce said.

"When you first have a tragedy, your mind is blank," said Monica Waddell, SOS financial counselor. Because survivors may be distracted immediately after their loss, they might be better prepared to understand their benefits after several weeks or months have passed, she said.

One of the ways SOS helps survivors is clearing up confusion about which office or organization can best help them, Waddell said.

"They may think they need to go to Army Emergency Services, when in fact, they need to talk to an attorney," she said.

SOS offers financial classes covering issues such as estate planning, budget management, insurance, credit repair and investment. The first class at Fort Benning is tentatively scheduled for late July.

Waddell, who conducts the classes, said she tailors her instruction to meet survivors' needs and ensure they learn how to become financially independent.

For help with emotional and social issues, SOS can recommend counseling and support services, and will also provide its own support group, which is in the planning stages.

The first support group meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Follow Me chapel, and will be a time for survivors to discuss the direction they would like the support group to take, Pierce said.

Waddell and Pierce are working to put survivors in touch with members of Gold Star Wives, a national organization for military widows and widowers.

"Gold Star Wives are big activists on the congressional level, and one of the most powerful things survivors can do is get involved, give feedback and be active in changing laws," Pierce said. "It honors their Soldier and can give them a sense of healing to have their voice heard."

Rachel Ganczewski, whose husband, SGT Steven Ganczewski, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, was killed in Iraq in 2007, said having an SOS office near her home has helped tremendously.

"I kept getting fliers in the mail about SOS in North Carolina, but I can't travel that far," she said. "Then I got a packet in the mail about from Jennifer (Pierce) and I was very glad to have something closer. So far they've been doing a really good job keeping me informed and giving me phone numbers of counselors."

SOS provides a quarterly forum for survivors to give feedback about services they received before and during their Soldier's deployment, as well as after their loss.

Ganczewski attended the first forum on Fort Benning, which took place in May.

"It helped to meet other survivors because I felt like I was the only one (dealing with issues)," she said. "One of the biggest things I've gotten out of SOS is that I know I'm not alone."

"I really care about them," Pierce said. "I have the utmost respect for survivors. I think

they have made the ultimate sacrifice anybody can make."

SOS is located in Building 2624 in Soldiers' Plaza. It is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 706-545-7517 or visit www.benningmwr.com/acs-sos.php.