COMDTINST 12550.21B governs the Coast Guard’s additional discretionary death gratuity policy, procedures, eligibility, and payment limits.
View COMDTINST 12550.21B on armypubs.army.mil
It covers Coast Guard civilian employees and Auxiliary members who die in the line of duty, including survivor notification and personal representative payments. It requires an OWCP FECA Death Benefits Claim for eligibility, provides payment exceptions for untimely claims, and offsets Department of Labor payments and authorized expenses.
Applies to: This Instruction applies only to the additional discretionary death gratuity authorized by Reference (a) and is totally separate from the non-discretionary death gratuity amounts provided under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA).
Coast Guard Death Gratuity payment may be made to the personal representative of any Coast Guard civilian employee or Coast Guard Auxiliary member as per paragraph 8, Scope and Authorities.
Survivor or Representative must file a FECA Death Benefits Claim with OWCP after speaking with Commandant (CG-123) as outlined in Paragraph 12.a, above, to be eligible for the Coast Guard Death Gratuity payment.
Coast Guard Death Gratuity payment may be paid if OWCP disapproves FECA Death Benefits solely for FECA claim denial for untimely filing.
Coast Guard Death Gratuity payment will not be paid if OWCP denies claim for FECA Death Gratuity for reasons other than an untimely filed claim for benefits.
Unfiled OWCP Claim: A gratuity will not be paid on an unfiled OWCP claim.