For reasons I shan’t go into here, I am trying to get information on what benefits would have been received by the family of an active duty United States Marine who died in 1983. I’ve googled the obvious–“death gratuity” + Marines +1983" and thus far have come up with a seventy-six bazillion hits to slog through. (And a similar number for “death benefits” rather than “death gratuity.”) I’m checking the USMC web site right now, but if anybody has any thought on where I could find the information I’d be grateful.
SGLI, or Servicemembers Group Life Insurance, fits what you are looking for pretty well. In 1983 the payout was $35,000 (1981 to 1986).
The best I can do right now is find that the death gratuity (not SGLI) was increased in 2005 from $12,400. Sorry, can’t find what it was in 1983, but the authorities to issue a death gratuity were in place.
I believe the numbers woudl be standard across the entire DOD. The Marines would not have had their own programs. You may get better info by not restricting your search with the word “marines”
I was in the USAF in 1983. My recollection was the SGLI was $35K as noted above. IIRC there was a death gratuity paid as well, but it was minimal, a couple grand tops, and it might have been $500.
In 1980 most of the bennies (& wages) in the DOD hadn’t been increased in years, and their economic value had been largely destroyed by the 70s inflation. So while the list of bennies looked good on paper, often the dollar amounts where surreal. e.g. An extra $25 a month allowance to get an apartment off base versus living on base, at a time when relevant size/quality apartments rented for $400/mo.
When Reagan came in in 80 that began to change. ISTR the SGLI & related veterans stuff was some of the last to increase.
So while I don’t have a good pointer to where you can find the no-kidding info, I can confidently say that there’s not a very big pot of gold there to be found.
Thanks to all who answered.