What's Wrong with the Survivor Benefit Plan?

Abstract

Since its inception in 1972, the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) has been one of the most controversial pieces of military personnel legislation ever enacted by the Congress. While the Department of Defense has supported it as a valuable military benefit, it has been characterized by others as a plan primarily benefiting officers or even a gimmick using retired pay to reduce the national deficit. Regardless of one's opinion, the facts speak clearly. Only about one-half of all retirees elect to participate; among enlisted personnel the percentage is even lower. Using these statistics as a starting point, this article explains why participation has lagged and summarizes service member perceptions regarding the SBP, advances reasons for those perceptions, and then compares the SBP to private sector insurance plans. The paper concludes that better service member understanding of the real value of the SBP would increase participation in the plan.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 1986
Accession Number
ADA168425

Entities

People

  • Ralph A. Blakelock

Organizations

  • Air Command and Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

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  • Air Force
  • Business Administration
  • Classification
  • Congress
  • Department Of Defense
  • Enlisted Personnel
  • Governments
  • House Of Representatives
  • Information Exchange
  • Law
  • Military Personnel
  • National Governments
  • Periodicals
  • Students
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • Word Processors

Readers

  • Public Financial Management and Budgeting
  • Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Care for Military Service Members and Veterans with Limb Loss or Disability.
  • Systems Analysis and Design