Fact Sheets

Soldier’s Benefits Service (SBS) Project Information Paper

DAPE-HRI
30 November 2007

SUBJECT: Soldier’s Benefits Service (SBS) Project

1. Purpose. To provide current status of the Soldier’s Benefits Services (SBS).

2. Background. Benefits information is disseminated through a variety of channels, and no integrated system existed to respond to Soldier and Family needs - a shortcoming that has been highlighted during the current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2004, Congress mandated the Army to evaluate the benefits process and to implement strategies to improve benefits understanding and awareness. The Army commissioned a fact-finding study into the overall awareness and knowledge levels of Soldiers and their Family members regarding their benefits. In 2006, the G-1 with Congressional oversight approved the Soldiers’ Benefits Services (SBS) website prototype. The SBS website is currently operational. Feedback to SBS by numerous stakeholders such as the Army G-1, HRC, Army Casualty, Army Wounded Warrior Program, and Army Well-Being is positive.

3. Program Features. The SBS website is the Army’s official one-stop resource for all benefits information in two distinct areas. First, SBS website contains general benefits information that is easy to use, current, and accessible by Soldiers, Family members, retirees, as well as the general public. Second, the Army Knowledge Online (AKO) site is for all Soldiers who are on active duty (AKO password) that links to current DEERS data and provides personalized survivor, disability, and retirement benefits reports. The SBS website features include:

a. Fact Sheets. Each fact sheet is customized by Army component and Soldier status and contains essential benefits information, in both English and Spanish, on over 100 topics. Also, the 54 state and territory fact sheets identify specific benefits and eligibilities for Soldiers residing in those states and territories.

b. Benefit Resources. This feature provides information on local benefit resources at all major Army installations worldwide.

c. Survivor Planning. This calculator feature requires Soldiers on active duty to log in via their AKO account to personalize a report that projects the lifetime stream for the Family’s benefits that would be provided to beneficiaries upon death on active duty.

d. Retirement Planning. This feature also requires active duty Soldiers to log in via AKO account to personalize their retirement planning. Both the Retirement and the Survivor Planning features allow Soldiers to perform “what if” drills.

e. Army Wounded Warrior (AW2) Assistance. The calculator and interactive tool allow a Soldier to calculate his/her estimated disability rating and disability retirement income based on the combat and combat-related injuries listed.

f. Casualty and Survivor Assistance. This feature enables Casualty Assistance Officers to provide surviving Family members with a clear, accurate, integrated benefits report.

4. The MyArmyBenefits is a seven-minute DVD, overview that has been developed as part of the SBS strategic communications process.