Military Personnel

You are a military service member whose job responsibilities place you in contact with the family of a fallen or injured service member.  Most likely, you're not a trained therapist or psychologist; you're a service member, called to perform the toughest duty of your career.  Casualty assistance is an emotionally charged experience for both the family and the service member.  It may be new territory for you.  You want to get it right—for your fallen comrade, his or her family and the uniform you wear.

You are the...

• Commissioned or non-commissioned leader
• Casualty assistance personnel
• Chaplain or JAG officer
• Survivor outreach provider

Through your guidance, you have afforded our senior leaders
an opportunity to assist the families of our fallen with care, dignity and grace.
Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Center, US Army

Civilian Contractors

You are a civilian contractor, playing a critical role in support of our military personnel and their dependents or providing essential services in support of our national interests. You’re not a uniformed service member, but you have a key role in sustaining operational readiness and national defense. The nature of your job places you within the unique culture of military life and you experience firsthand the powerful ramifications of loss and death in the line of duty.

You are the...

• Private military contractor
• CEO and senior leadership team
• Call center or other support personnel
• In-field representative

My team really appreciated her words of wisdom on a seldom discussed topic.
Civilian contractor, Pennsylvania

Civilian Professionals

You are a civilian professional who provides an important service or product to the family of an injured or fallen service member.  In your area of expertise, you may provide some critical or essential assistance to family members that can affect their present and future well-being.  As a civilian, there's a good chance you're venturing into unknown territory when working with military dependents.  The military is a profession unlike any other; it has a culture and a way of doing things all its own.  As a civilian, you may feel like a visitor in a foreign land.

You are the...

• Behavioral health provider
• Medical or dental professional
• Clergy or religious leader
• First responder
• Financial planner, attorney and insurance agent

A powerful, yet practical presentation.  I appreciate the style in which she shared
her personal and professional experience without artificially evoking emotions.
Financial Planning Association, Virginia

Volunteers

You are a family member or friend, with a strong connection to the service member.  You try to set aside your personal feelings about the loss and focus on the family.  You want to say and do the right things, but you don't know how to help.  It's not going too well and you feel helpless and frustrated.

You are the...

• Family readiness group
• Care team and spouses group
• Concerned family and friend

Our Battalion conducted CARE team training and I was reminded
of how much I benefited from your Grief briefing/training.
I'm constantly reminded of your words that you spoke that day.
Battalion Family Readiness Group Leader, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington

Survivors

You are a cross-section of America, a blend of ages, races, nationalities, and backgrounds.  You are an ordinary American, coping with the unthinkable.  You've been dealt an unexpected and life-changing blow, and you struggle, often with great difficulty, to survive and adjust to a world you dread—a world without your loved one.

You are the...

• Surviving mother or father
• Widow or widower
• Brother or sister
• Surviving partner, fiancée or former spouse

Joanne, you inspired us with your poignant wisdom,
hard-earned insights and very practical guidance. Your poise and calm presence
in the face of such pain was exactly what we needed.
Gold Star Family Retreat, Minnesota

end faq