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Traumatic injury protection not just for combat

  • Published
  • By Karen Naccarelli
  • Veterans Affairs Insurance Service
PHILADELPHIA --  Some Air Force reservists may not be aware they don’t have to be on active duty or serving in combat to receive assistance if they become severely injured.

The Traumatic Injury Protection program, which is part of the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance plan, went into effect Dec. 1, 2005. Traumatic SGLI pays benefits of between $25,000 and $100,000 to seriously injured service members.

The program has a retroactive provision for people injured in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom before Dec. 1, 2005.

“TSGLI was developed because the administration and Congress wanted to address the plight of injured service members and their families who were facing financial difficulties,” said Thomas M. Lastowka, director of the Veterans Administration Insurance Program.

Veterans’ organizations expressed the need for financial assistance because family members were leaving their homes and jobs behind to be with injured members at a medical or rehabilitation facility far from home during an extended period of recovery.

“This resulted in situations where service members and their families were living under very tight economic conditions while the member was recovering from a serious injury and often incurring large debts,” Mr. Lastowka said.

The strain on service members and their families often makes the recovery process more difficult, according to Mr. Lastowka.

“TSGLI is designed to provide rapid financial assistance to help members and their families during this difficult period,” he said. “The feedback we have heard on TSGLI so far has been positive. TSGLI is accomplishing its mission and making a difference in the lives of injured service members, veterans and their families.”

The program covers traumatic losses such as anatomical loss of limbs, quadriplegia, or loss of sight, hearing or speech. Payments depend on the severity of injuries. A complete list of covered losses is available at www.insurance.va.gov .

Reservists in the Selected Reserve, including those in the Air Force Reserve Command unit program, are covered by Traumatic SGLI even if the injury did not occur in the line of duty because they are covered full time by SGLI. For example, they are covered if they suffer a loss due to a traumatic injury while at their civilian job.

If traumatic injuries occurred before Dec. 1, 2005, while supporting Operations Enduring Freedom or Iraqi Freedom, some people may be eligible for a retroactive Traumatic SGLI payment if they were traumatically injured and suffered a qualifying loss between Oct. 7, 2001, and Nov. 30, 2005. They did not have to be enrolled in SGLI at the time of their injuries to qualify for retroactive payments.

If service members suffer a loss due to a traumatic injury and subsequently die, their SGLI beneficiaries can receive a Traumatic SGLI payment. However, they must have survived at least seven days after the traumatic event for their beneficiaries to receive the payment.

The program does not cover losses due to physical or mental illnesses or diseases, except in the case of certain infections or a biological, chemical or radiological weapon. The VA compensation program provides for people with these kinds of conditions.

Other program exclusions include losses as a result of committing or attempting to commit a felony, losses due to suicide attempts, self-inflicted wounds, or willful use of an illegal or controlled substance, unless used on the advice of a medical doctor. People who do not have basic SGLI coverage are not covered by the program.

More information about Traumatic SGLI is available on the VA Insurance Web site at www.insurance.gov/sgliSite/legislation/TSGLIFacts.htm . To file a claim, people need to download the certification form from the VA Insurance Web site at www.insurance.gov/sgliSite/legislation/TSGLIFacts.htm .They can also obtain the form by calling an Air Force representative at 210-565-3505 or e-mailing afpc.casualty@randolph.af.mil .(AFRC News Service)