The Surviving Spouse Advisory Council (SSAC) was established in 2004 as the Auxiliary Member Advisory Committee to report to and advise the MOAA president about issues that are important to the surviving spouses of MOAA members. Its main goal is to represent YOU — not only survivors but military spouses as well — about issues that impact each of us.

The SSAC has had numerous major accomplishments, including:

• Creating and designing the Survivor’s Planning Guide: A Handbook for One of Life Toughest Assignments.
• Starting, in 2018, the Surviving Spouse Virtual Chapter. The chapter currently meets via phone on the third Tuesday of each month and has grown from 10 members to 160 members from 33 states. Learn more about the chapter.
• Assisting with the 2019 passage of the bill that eliminated the Survivor Benefit Plan-Dependency and Indemnity Compensation offset, which took 40 years to accomplish.
• Developing and producing the Surviving Spouse Liaison Training, which is held several times each year in conjunction with the regional chapter leadership training.

Current members of the council represent all services and several states and bring a broad swath of experience. Each member was nominated by her chapter and then thoroughly vetted and selected by members of the SSAC. Meet the current members of the SSAC.

While the SSAC initially was organized to work with surviving spouses, the council has expanded its role to work with military spouses to help better prepare them for the future.

If you have questions or concerns, the SSAC is your conduit for answers and to make things happen. Please get in touch when and where you see a need at sscomm@moaa.org. We look forward to meeting you.  

Read past Surviving Spouse Corners.