[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 32, Volume 5]
[Revised as of July 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 32CFR716.5]

[Page 189]
 
                       TITLE 32--NATIONAL DEFENSE
 
                   CHAPTER VI--DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
 
PART 716_DEATH GRATUITY--Table of Contents
 
    Subpart A_Provisions Applicable to the Navy and the Marine Corps
 
Sec. 716.5  Delegation of authority.

    (a) Pursuant to the authority contained in title 10 U.S.C., section 
1479, as to deaths described in section 1475 thereof, the Secretary of 
the Navy has delegated to commanding officers of naval commands, 
installations, or districts, with respect to naval personnel, and to 
Marine Corps commanding generals and officers in command of regiments, 
battalions or equivalent units and of separate or detached commands who 
have custody of service records, with respect to Marine Corps personnel, 
authority to certify for the payment of death gratuity the lawful spouse 
or designated beneficiary(ies) of the deceased service member who was 
residing with him at or near his place of duty at the time of his death, 
except in cases in which a doubt may exist as to the identity of the 
legal beneficiary. Disbursing officers are authorized to make payment of 
the death gratuity upon receipt of certification from the Commanding 
Officer.
    (b) The Secretary of the Navy has delegated authority to the Chief 
of Naval Personnel as to naval personnel, and to the Commandant of the 
Marine Corps (Code MSPA-1) as to Marine Corps personnel, the authority 
to certify the beneficiary(ies) for receipt of payment of death gratuity 
in all appropriate cases of payment of death gratuity under the 
Servicemen's and Veterans' Survivor Benefits Act (now reenacted in 10 
U.S.C. 1475-1480), including, but not limited to:
    (1) Cases in which a doubt may exist as to the identity of the legal 
beneficiary; and
    (2) Cases in which the widow or designated beneficiary(ies) of the 
deceased service member was not residing with him at or near his place 
of duty at the time of his death.

[24 FR 7523, Sept. 18, 1959, as amended at 44 FR 25647, May 2, 1979]