service creditable for retirement purposes under chapter 67 of title 10; and

(D) a member, cadet, or midshipman of the Reserve Officers Training Corps while attending field training or practice cruises.

(6) The term "uniformed services" means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, and the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

(7) The terms "widow" or "widower" means a person who is the lawful spouse of the insured member at the time of his death.

(8) The term "child" means a legitimate child, a legally adopted child, an illegitimate child as to the mother, or an illegitimate child as to the alleged father, only if (A) he acknowledged the child in writing signed by him; or (B) he has been judicially ordered to contribute to the child's support; or (C) he has been, before his death, judicially decreed to be the father of such child; or (D) proof of paternity is established by a certified copy of the public record of birth or church record of baptism showing that the insured was the informant and was named as father of the child; or (E) proof of paternity is established from service department or other public records, such as school or welfare agencies, which show that with his knowledge the insured was named as the father of the child.

(9) The term "parent" means a father of a legitimate child, mother of a legitimate child, father through adoption, mother through adoption, mother of an illegitimate child, and father of an illegitimate child but only if (A) he acknowledged paternity of the child in writing signed by him before the child's death; or (B) he has been judicially ordered to contribute to the child's support; or (C) he has been judicially decreed to be the father of such child; or (D) proof of paternity is established by a certified copy of the public record of birth or church record of baptism showing that the claimant was the informant and was named as father of the child; or (E) proof of paternity is established from service department or other public records, such as school or welfare agencies, which show that with his knowledge the claimant was named as father of the child. No person who abandoned or willfully failed to support a child during the child's minority, or consented to the child's adoption may be recognized as a parent for the purpose of this subchapter. However, the immediately preceding sentence shall not be applied so as to require duplicate payments in any case in which insurance benefits have been paid prior to receipt in the administrative office established under subsection 1966(b) of this title of sufficient evidence to clearly establish that the person so paid could not qualify as a parent solely by reason of such sentence. (Added P.L. 89-214, § 1(a); amended P.L. 91-291, § 1; P.L. 92-185, §1; P.L. 92-315; P.L. 93-289, §§ 3, 10(1); P.L. 99-576, 8701(35); P.L. 102-54, § 14(b)(16); P.L. 102-83, §5(a), (c)(1).)

§1966. Eligible insurance companies

(a) The Secretary is authorized, without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes, as amended (41 U.S.C. 5), to purchase from, one or more life insurance companies a policy or policies of group life insurance to provide the benefits specified in this subchapter. Each such life insurance company must (1) be licensed to issue life insurance in each of the fifty States of the United States and in the District of Columbia, and (2) as of the most recent December 31 for which information is available to the Secretary, have in effect at least 1 percent of the total amount of group life insurance which all life insurance companies have in effect in the United States.

(Added P.L. 89-214, § 1(a); amended P.L. 97-295, §4(29); P.L. 102– 83, §§ 4(b), 5(a).)

(b) The life insurance company or companies issuing such policy or policies shall establish an administrative office at a place and under a name designated by the Secretary.

(Amended P.L. 102-83, §§ 4(b), 5(a).)

(c) The Secretary shall arrange with the life insurance company or companies issuing any policy or policies under this subchapter to reinsure, under conditions approved by the Secretary, portions of the total amount of insurance under such policy or policies with such other life insurance companies (which meet qualifying criteria set forth by the Secretary) as may elect to participate in such rein

surance.

(Amended P.L. 99–576, § 701(36); P.L. 102–83, §§ 4(b), 5(a).)

(d) The Secretary may at any time discontinue any policy or policies which the Secretary has purchased from any insurance company under this subchapter.

(Added P.L. 89-214, § 1(a); amended P.L. 99-576, § 701(36); P.L. 102-83, §§ 4(b), 5(a).)

§1967. Persons insured; amount

(a) Any policy of insurance purchased by the Secretary under section 1966 of this title shall automatically insure against death

(1) any member of a uniformed service on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training scheduled in advance by competent authority;

(2) any member of the Ready Reserve of a uniformed service who meets the qualifications set forth in section 1965(5)(B) of this title; and

(3) any member assigned to, or who upon application would be eligible for assignment to, the Retired Reserve of a uniformed service who meets the qualifications set forth in section 1965(5)(C) of this title;

in the amount of $100,000, unless such member elects in writing (A) not to be insured under this subchapter, or (B) to be insured in an amount less than $100,000 that is evenly divisible by $10,000. The insurance shall be effective the first day of active duty or active duty for training, or the beginning of a period of inactive duty training scheduled in advance by competent authority,

or the first day a member of the Ready Reserve meets the qualifications set forth in section 1965(5)(B) of this title, or the first day a member of the Reserves, whether or not assigned to the Retired Reserve of a uniformed service, meets the qualifications of section 1965(5)(C) of this title, or the date certified by the Secretary to the Secretary concerned as the date Servicemen's Group Life Insurance under this subchapter for the class or group concerned takes effect, whichever is the later date.

(Added P.L. 89-214, § 1(a); amended P.L. 91-291, §2; P.L. 93–289, §4(1); P.L. 97-66, §401(a)(1); P.L. 99–166, §401(a); P.L. 102–25, § 336(a); P.L. 102–83, §§ 4(b), 5(a), (c)(1).)

(b) Any member (other than one who has elected not to be insured under this subchapter for the period or periods of duty involved)

(1) who, when authorized or required by competent authority, assumes an obligation to perform (for less than thirty-one days) active duty, or active duty for training, or inactive duty training scheduled in advance by competent authority; and

(2) who is rendered uninsurable at standard premium rates according to the good health standards approved by the Secretary, or dies within one hundred and twenty days thereafter, from a disability, or aggravation of a preexisting disability, incurred by such member while proceeding directly to or returning directly from such active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training as the case may be;

shall be deemed to have been on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training, as the case may be, and to have been insured under this subchapter at the time such disability was incurred or aggravated, and if death occurs within one hundred and twenty days thereafter as a result of such disability to have been insured at the time of death. In determining whether or not such individual was so authorized or required to perform such duty, and whether or not such member was rendered uninsurable or died within one hundred and twenty days thereafter from a disability so incurred or aggravated, there shall be taken into account the call or order to duty, the orders and authorizations of competent authority, the hour on which the member began to so proceed or to return, the hour on which such member was scheduled to arrive for, or on which such member ceased to perform such duty; the method of travel employed; such member's itinerary; the manner in which the travel was performed; and the immediate cause of disability or death. Whenever any claim is filed alleging that the claimant is entitled to benefits by reason of this subsection, the burden of proof shall be on the claimant.

(Added P.L. 89–214, § 1(a); amended P.L. 91-291, §2; P.L. 93–289, § 4(2); P.L. 99–576, § 701(37); P.L. 102-83, §§ 4(b), 5(a).)

(c) If any member elects not to be insured under this subchapter or to be insured in any amount less than $100,000, such member may thereafter be insured under this subchapter in the amount of $100,000 or any lesser amount evenly divisible by $10,000 upon written application, proof of good health, and compliance with such other terms and conditions as may be prescribed by the Secretary.

Any former member insured under Veterans' Group Life Insurance who again becomes eligible for Servicemen's Group Life Insurance and declines such coverage solely for the purpose of maintaining such member's Veterans' Group Life Insurance in effect shall upon termination of coverage under Veterans' Group Life Insurance be automatically insured under Servicemen's Group Life Insurance, if otherwise eligible therefor.

(Added P.L. 91-291, §2; amended P.L. 93–289, § 4(3); P.L. 97–66, §401(a)(2); P.L. 99-166, §401(a); P.L. 99-576, § 701(37); P.L. 10225, § 336(a); P.L. 102-83, §§ 4(b), 5(a).)

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, any member who on May 1, 1991 is a member of the Retired Reserve of a uniformed service (or who upon application would be eligible for assignment to the Retired Reserve of a uniformed service) may obtain increased insurance coverage in the amount of $100,000 or any lesser amount evenly divisible by $10,000 if—

(1) the member

(A) is insured under this subchapter on May 1, 1991; or (B) within one year after May 1, 1991, reinstates insurance under this subchapter that had lapsed for nonpayment of premiums; and

(2) the member submits a written application for the increased coverage to the office established pursuant to section 1966(b) of this title within one year after May 1, 1991.

(Added P.L. 97-66, §401(a)(3); amended P.L. 99–166, § 401(a); P.L. 102-25, § 336(a); P.L. 102–83, § 5(a), (c)(1).)

(e) In addition to the amounts of insurance otherwise provided under this section, an eligible member may, upon application, obtain increased coverage beyond that provided under this section in the amount of $100,000, or any lesser amount evenly divisible by $10,000.

(Added P.L. 102-568, § 201.)

§ 1968. Duration and termination of coverage; conversion

(a) Each policy purchased under this subchapter shall contain a provision, in terms approved by the Secretary, to the effect that any insurance thereunder on any member of the uniformed services, unless discontinued or reduced upon the written request of the insured, shall continue in effect while the member is on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training scheduled in advance by competent authority during the period thereof, or while the member meets the qualifications set forth in section 1965(5)(B) or (C) of this title, and such insurance shall cease—

(1) with respect to a member on active duty or active duty for training under a call or order to duty that does not specify a period of less than thirty-one days

(A) one hundred and twenty days after the separation or release from active duty or active duty for training, unless on the date of such separation or release the member is totally disabled, under criteria established by the Secretary, in which event the insurance shall cease one year after the date of separation or release from such active duty or ac

tive duty for training, or on the date the insured ceases to be totally disabled, whichever is the earlier date, but in no event prior to the expiration of one hundred and twenty days after such separation or release; or

(B) at the end of the thirty-first day of a continuous period of (i) absence without leave, (ii) confinement by civil authorities under a sentence adjudged by a civilian court, or (iii) confinement by military authorities under a courtmartial sentence involving total forfeiture of pay and allowances. Any insurance so terminated as the result of such an absence or confinement, together with any beneficiary designation in effect for such insurance at such termination thereof, shall be automatically revived as of the date the member is restored to active duty with pay or to active duty for training with pay.

(2) with respect to a member on active duty or active duty for training under a call or order to duty that specifies a period of less than thirty-one days insurance under this subchapter shall cease at midnight, local time, on the last day of such duty, unless on such date the insured is suffering from a disability incurred or aggravated during such period which, within one hundred and twenty days after such date, (i) results in death, or (ii) renders the member uninsurable at standard premium rates according to the good health standards approved by the Secretary, in which event the insurance shall continue in force to death, or for one hundred and twenty days after such date, whichever is the earlier date.

(3) with respect to a member on inactive duty training scheduled in advance by competent authority insurance under this subchapter shall cease at the end of such scheduled training period, unless at such time the insured is suffering from a disability incurred, or aggravated during such period which, within one hundred and twenty days after the date of such training, (i) results in death, or (ii) renders the member uninsurable at standard premium rates according to the good health standards approved by the Secretary in which event the insurance shall continue in force to death, or for one hundred and twenty days after the date such training terminated, whichever is the earlier date.

(4) with respect to a member of the Ready Reserve of a uniformed service who meets the qualifications set forth in section 1965(5)(B) of this title, one hundred and twenty days after separation or release from such assignment

(A) unless on the date of such separation or release the member is totally disabled, under criteria established by the Secretary, in which event the insurance shall cease one year after the date of separation or release from such assignment, or on the date the insured ceases to be totally disabled, whichever is the earlier date, but in no event prior to the expiration of one hundred and twenty days after separation or release from such assignment; or

(B) unless on the date of such separation or release the member has completed at least twenty years of satisfactory service creditable for retirement purposes under chap