FORT HOOD, Texas - Department of Defense Form 93 is known to most Soldiers as their DD 93.
It is not only a top priority but the number one thing Soldiers need to keep updated, said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Maile Johnson, the 1st Cavalry Division G1 human resource technician.
Every year, units require Soldiers to update and or validate their DD 93 in case something happens to them. The only problem is some Soldiers fail to update the forms properly.
The information provided on the DD 93, or the record of emergency data, is what the Army uses to pay death gratuity benefits and other unpaid allowances if a Soldier is killed. This form also identifies the next of kin in the case of an emergency.
"It's important to keep the form updated, because life is full of surprises, and you never know when it's your time to go," said Spc. Brittany McHenry, who ensures her form is updated at all times.
"Anytime there is a change in my life, I make sure I update my form," said the 1st Cavalry Division protocol section administrator.
McHenry is on the right track. Johnson said major life changes, such as getting married, divorced or moving, warrant an update of the DD 93.
Other important information to keep updated includes phone numbers and addresses.
Johnson said the division has multiple checks in place to ensure Soldiers are updating their forms. These checks include birth month audits, where each month S1 personnel check to ensure Soldiers who have birthdays within that month are in compliance. The division also has mandated annual audits.
Bottom line - if a form has not been updated in a year, it is expired.
"If the form hasn't been updated in a year, it's expired, and the Army will have to use the most current form, which may or may not be updated, and ultimately decide who gets what," Johnson said. "Addresses and phone numbers could have changed, so when the Army reaches out to the next of kin, they have a hard time trying to get a hold of them."
To minimize a delay in notification of next of kin and to ensure the right people receive death benefits and any unpaid allowances, Soldiers should keep their DD 93s updated. The process takes less than 10 minutes.
For more information on the DD 93 or to update the form, Soldiers can visit their unit S1.
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