Casualty Assistance Office
| U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden

Casualty Notification/Assistance Officers (CNO/CAO) Training:

Active-Duty Soldier Members and DOD/DACs must attend a three-day certification course prior to performing assistance to survivors. The Europe and Africa Casualty Assistance Center, Casualty Trainor offers this course quarterly. To register for the course, contact the USAG Wiesbaden USAG Wiesbaden Casualty Assistance and Retirement Services Program Manager at the below information:

USAG Wiesbaden Casualty Assistance and Retirement Services Program Manager
Bldg. 1023E, Clay Kaserne 
Phone: (0) 611-143-548-1614
Email: usarmy.rsowiesbaden@mail.mil  

Benefits and Entitlements

Surviving spouses of retired and active Soldiers may receive casualty assistance through three methods:

• Live assistance: The Casualty staff serves as a survivor's advocate who processes Active-Duty benefit claims, coordinates services from support organizations, and answers questions related to entitlements.
• Guided assistance: The CAC can also arrange for a Casualty Assistance Officer (CAO) to visit the survivor at a location of choice on a case-by-case basis. The CAO will assist with completion of the forms and serve as a liaison between the survivor and the Casualty staff.
• Retiree death reporting and benefits: To report the death of an Army military retiree contact Defense Finance and Accounting (DFAS) at (800) 321-1080.  To request assistance applying for Army retiree benefits contact the USAG Wiesbaden Casualty Assistance and Retirement Services Program Manager at (0) 611-143-548-1614

What documents will the Casualty Office require prior to filing benefits:

• The American Death Certificate with the cause and manner of death on it.
• Optional Form 1199-i (International Banks)
• FMS 2231 FASTSTART Direct Deposit (American Banks)
• Marriage Certificate

What documents are required to request consular report of death from the Frankfurt Consulates Office:

• A Consular Report of Death Abroad (CRDA)
• The original German Death Certificate
• The Leichenschauschein which states the Cause and manner of death
• The original passport

What is a Consular Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen Abroad?

• A Consular Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen Abroad is: Issued by the U.S. embassy or consulate upon its receipt of the foreign death certificate or finding of death by a local competent authority. More information

Requesting Military Funeral Honors

The USAG Wiesbaden USAG Wiesbaden Casualty Assistance and Retirement Services Program Manager coordinates military funeral honors for eligible deceased veterans, retirees, and active-duty Soldiers in the Wiesbaden area of responsibility. To request a military honors funeral, complete the Funeral Honors Request Form and email or fax the request to (0) 611-143-548-1317.

U.S. Army Regional Mortuary Europe and Africa, Landstuhl:
Provides information on Mortuary entitlements and/or assistance for Active-Duty Services Members, Retirees, Dependents, and DOD/DACs for Mortuary Services to final disposition.
Phone: +49 162 2341532
Geb 3732, 66849 Landstuhl, Germany
Open 24 hours

Reporting the loss of a loved one who served in the US Army

1. Reporting the retiree’s death.

When reporting the death of a Retiree in the Europe Area of Responsibility, you must first have the following documents:

A Consular Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen Abroad (CRDA) - (Responsibility of the Surviving family member)

This document is required when applying for any American related benefits, please keep mind that the cause and manner of the Retiree’s death must be provided by the Doctor who pronounced the Retiree deceased.

When filling out the CRDA application, there will be a section where the doctor may annotate the cause and manner of death, however, there are two other options you may use if the Doctor is not available for signature.

1. An informal letter from the doctor stating the cause and manner of death on the Doctors letterhead.
2. A copy of the Leichenschauschein maybe used in lieu of the doctor signing the CRDA document.
    

When a Retiree passes, it is important to report the retiree’s death to Defense Finance and Accounting Services (DFAS) as soon as possible. Any retired pay received after the retiree’s death will be recouped by DFAS due to the Retiree not living through the entire month. Upon notification, DFAS will stop the monthly payments to prevent any overpayments. If you are not able to complete the online Notification of Death Fast Form, you can call DFAS at 001-800-321-1080 (ensure you have the decedents and your personal information handy when you call).

Within three to four weeks after reporting the Retiree’s death, you should receive a letter from DFAS along with an SF 1174 (Claim for Unpaid Compensation of Deceased Member of the Uniformed Service) and/or a DD Form 2656-7 (Verification of Annuity) account forms and instructions (The Survivor Benefit Packet will only be included if the Retiree participated in the benefit).

When you have completed the forms, return them to the address indicated in the letter along with a certified copy of the retiree’s American Death Certificate. If you require additional assistance, contact the USAG Wiesbaden Casualty Program Manager at (0)611-143-548-1614 or the Casualty Benefits Coordinator (0)611-143-548-1615.

If the Retiree was retired from a sister service other than the Army, please contact the applicable service casualty office. All sister service casualty offices are listed above.

 2. Survivor Assistance. The USAG Wiesbaden Casualty Assistance and Retirement Services Program Manager and/or USAG Wiesbaden Casualty Assistance Benefits Coordinator are here to assist survivors with their Military Benefits process. Please keep in mind that the following documents are required in order to start assistance:

• The Original American Death Certificate
• The Marriage Certificate
• Direct Deposit Form with a Voided Check or an International Direct Deposit Form signed by your bank.
• Two forms of Identification ·DD Form 214 (Member 4 copy)

a. Self Service. During the time of COVID, our office can assist with mailing you the applicable forms with instructions for completion. We will also provide you with a self-addressed envelope (requiring postage) so you may return completed forms to my office.

b. Full Service. Due to the large population of Retiree’s and Survivors in our Area of Responsibility, an appointment is required when assisting with any Casualty or Retirement military benefit and entitlements cases or issues.

c. Personalized Service. In Retiree cases, a Casualty Assistance Officer can be requested, but this is not automatic for all cases. While our office realizes that many cases may require special assistance during their overwhelming time of grief, the establishment of a qualified CAO is warranted by rank, need and circumstance.

Military Funeral Honors

When requesting US Army Military Funeral Honors, my office will require a 72 hour advance notice (Weather permitting) when coordinating Honors for the Veteran who has recently passed. My office will also need the following documents for review:

1. The DD Form 214 (Member 4 copy) which states the Character of Service. (Honorable, Under Honorable Conditions, Other Than Honorable, Bad Conduct, Dishonorable, Entry Level, Non-Characterized)
2. The Military Funeral Honors request form
3. VA Form 27-2008 processed through the Frankfurt Consulates Office for a Veterans US Flag.