[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: 32CFR716.7]

[Page 190]
 
                       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. 716.7  Payment of the death gratuity.

    (a) Claim certification and voucher for the death gratuity payment. 
The Comptroller General of the United States has approved DD Form 397 as 
the form to be used hereafter for claim certification and voucher for 
the death gratuity payment.
    (b) Active duty deaths (Navy). To effect immediate payment of death 
gratuity the following actions will be taken:
    (1) The commanding officer will ascertain that the deceased member 
died while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive-duty 
training, and will obtain the name, relationship, and address of the 
eligible survivor from the Service Record of the deceased. The 
Dependency Application/Record of Emergency Data (NAVPERS 1070/602) or 
Record of Emergency Data (DD Form 93), will normally contain this 
information. In addition, in the case of enlisted personnel, the 
Application for Dependents Allowance (BAQ [Basic Allowance for 
Quarters]), NAVPERS Form 668, may serve as a source of corroboration. He 
will, with the cooperation of the disbursing officer, initiate 
preparation of a Claim Certification and Voucher for Death Gratuity 
Payment, DD Form 397, in original and five copies, completing blocks 5 
through 14 inclusive, and the administrative statement in block 18. The 
administrative statement in block 18 will be signed by the commanding 
officer or acting commanding officer.
    (2) The disbursing officer will, upon receipt of the DD Form 397, 
draw a check to the order of the eligible survivor named in block 5, 
complete blocks 2, 3, 4, and the check payment data portion of block 18.
    (3) Under arrangements made by the commanding officer, the check and 
the original and one copy of the voucher, DD Form 397, will be delivered 
to the payee. The payee will be required to complete block 15, sign in 
block 17a, and have two witnesses complete block 17 on the original 
voucher at the time the check is delivered. Under no circumstances will 
the check be delivered to the payee until this action has been 
accomplished. The payee will retain the copy of the voucher, DD Form 
397, and the signed original voucher will be returned by hand to the 
disbursing officer by the person designated to deliver the check.

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