By Dr. Vivianne Cisneros Wersel, Surviving Spouse Advisory Council member

MOAA’s mission is to improve the lives of those who serve and their families. As a MOAA member, surviving spouses have opportunities to connect with kindred surviving spouses in addition to receive information about benefits and programs that might be new to them.

Understandably, when someone becomes a surviving spouse, there is a certain knowledge gap to navigate. Surviving spouses of MOAA work to help close that gap.

It’s also important to note many survivors might not be aware they are eligible to join MOAA even if their military spouses were not MOAA members.

Depending on your membership level, surviving spouses will have a consistent line of communication as well as support regarding their eligibility for various MOAA benefits, such as discounts, advocacy, scholarships, and membership to their virtual chapter. Communication options include telephone, emails, literature, social media, and webinars.

Read more about the benefits of membership on MOAA.org.

A great example of the support MOAA provides is the MOAA Surviving Spouse Virtual Chapter and the Surviving Spouses and Friends Facebook group, which unites military survivors from different war eras. Through these avenues, a surviving MOAA spouse has ample opportunity to relate to like members with similar backgrounds. Local chapters also can provide a spouse with a tangible sense of community and connection.

Read past Surviving Spouse Corners.