PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. (May 20, 2024) -- The Gold Star family is one that has experienced the loss of a child, spouse or parent who died as the result of active-duty military service. Losing a loved one is never easy, and coping with sudden loss can be extremely difficult and lengthy. Thankfully, the Army has resources to help surviving family members.
Nate Pleasantbey, support coordinator for the Presidio of Monterey's Survivor Outreach Services, assists Gold Star families daily to ensure they receive all the benefits and support they are entitled to.
"The primary function of the Gold Star program is to embrace and reassure survivors that they are a part of the Army family for as long as they see fit," Pleasantbey said. "We are here for them when they need us. That long-term support will be there for survivors throughout their lives."
Pleasantbey detailed the potential benefits a survivor could receive, including burial entitlements, Veteran Affairs pension benefits, Tricare medical insurance benefits, and GI Bill educational benefits. While Pleasantbey is not the person who provides those benefits, he can assist by pointing survivors in the right direction.
"We are here to answer any questions. Usually, the survivors are not veterans themselves, so it can be off-putting for them to talk to agencies, like the Department of Veterans Affairs, about entitlements that they are due," said Pleasantbey. "After all, since they are not the ones who signed up for these benefits, they would not have the same knowledge of programs and entitlements as the fallen Soldier would have. I want them to know they can come to me for help in pointing them in the right direction."
The Presidio of Monterey SOS program currently supports 283 Gold Star survivors. The office's geographic range includes Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. Army SOS programs are also available throughout the United States to ensure that all surviving families have localized support.
One of the ways that Pleasantbey tries to reinforce the idea that these families are still part of the Army is by organizing local events to bring families together. Most recently, Pleasantbey orchestrated a Mother's Day event at Stonepine Estate in Carmel Valley. Gold Star families were joined by military leadership at the event, which allowed survivors to reflect on the life and service of the fallen service members.
"One of the best things about my job is that I get to help people," Pleasantbey said. "Most of the people I get to meet in-person to help them reach their goals. It's a fulfilling job; it feels good to bring joy to people who deserve it."
Pleasantbey discussed a case where a Gold Star child had been without the benefits due to them for 12 years because their father was killed in service before the child's birth. Pleasantbey connected the family to the correct agencies to get them full retroactive benefits.
"Those kinds of benefits are life-changing to people," Pleasantbey said. "They went all that time thinking they weren't entitled to anything when they were. They got those 12 years of retroactive monthly benefits at once, along with the knowledge of the educational benefits. That child now knows they can go to school and hopefully go on to do great things."
Presidio of Monterey's SOS program provides long-term support to surviving families of fallen Soldiers. Their goal is to reassure survivors that they remain valued members of the Army Family. The SOS program connects survivors with resources that can help. Services include grief counseling, financial counseling, benefits coordination, support groups and garrison and surrounding area events.
For more information on the Presidio of Monterey's Survivor Outreach Services, please visit https://presidio.armymwr.com/programs/acs/survivor-outreach-services.
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