CHAPTER 504
MILITIA

Table of Contents

Sec. 27-61a. Additional pay for active service in a combat zone on or after September 11, 2001. Regulations.
Sec. 27-67. Inquiry into disability or death. Compensation under Workers' Compensation Act.
Sec. 27-68. Payments for injuries.
Sec. 27-69a. Death benefits for deaths between September 11, 2001, and June 30, 2006.
Sec. 27-73d. Service ribbons for military operations after September 11, 2001.
Sec. 27-73e. Ribbons and medals for veterans who served in time of war. Regulations.
Sec. 27-100a. Military Family Relief Fund: Established; grants; application process; evaluation of program; report.
Sec. 27-100b. Volunteer service program.
Sec. 27-100c. Contact list for members of the armed forces and veterans.
Sec. 27-100d. Toll-free telephone number for referrals for benefits and services.
Sec. 27-100e. Therapy support groups.

PART VI
PAY, ALLOWANCES AND BENEFITS

      Sec. 27-61a. Additional pay for active service in a combat zone on or after September 11, 2001. Regulations. (a) As used in this section, "eligible member or veteran" means a member or former member of the Connecticut National Guard who (1) is or was called to active service on or after September 11, 2001, (2) is or was in such active service for at least ninety consecutive days, (3) during such active service, is or was deployed to an area designated as a combat zone by the President of the United States, and (4) if discharged, is or was honorably discharged or discharged for injuries sustained in the line of duty.

      (b) On and after July 1, 2005, the Adjutant General shall pay each eligible member or veteran the amount of fifty dollars for each month or major part thereof of active service by such eligible member or veteran on or after September 11, 2001. The maximum payment to any eligible member or veteran shall not exceed five hundred dollars. No payment shall be made to any eligible member or veteran who makes application for such payment later than three years after the date of the cessation of such operations in which such member or veteran served.

      (c) The Adjutant General, in consultation with the Commissioner of Veterans' Affairs, shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to implement the provisions of this section. Such regulations shall include procedures for verification of eligibility of an eligible member or veteran and for the application for and payment of the amounts specified in this section.

      (June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3, S. 14.)

      History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3 effective June 30, 2005.

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      Sec. 27-67. Inquiry into disability or death. Compensation under Workers' Compensation Act. The commanding officer of any officer, soldier or sailor wounded, disabled or killed, when such disability or death is incident to the service, shall immediately make or cause to be made, by one or more officers detailed for the purpose, full inquiry and report concerning such injury or death, in writing, through channels to the Adjutant General, with the names and addresses of qualified witnesses and a full statement of the testimony of each concerning the nature and extent of the injury and the manner of its occurrence. Each member of the armed forces of the state who, when on duty or assembled therefor, in accordance with orders of competent authority, or when called in aid of any civil authority, is injured or contracts any disease while in the performance of his or her duty or assembly therefor, without fault or neglect on his or her part, and thereby is temporarily or permanently disabled from continuing to perform his or her usual duties or occupation, shall, during the period of disability, receive benefits in accordance with the provisions of chapter 568.

      (1949 Rev., S. 1282; 1951, S. 867d; 1957, P.A. 365, S. 35; 1963, P.A. 461; P.A. 77-552, S. 1; P.A. 05-236, S. 1.)

      History: 1963 act changed from ninety days to six months the time limit over which disability not considered temporary; P.A. 77-552 substituted more precise language to define disease, injury and relationship to duty and provided compensation for permanent as well as temporary disability, deleting time limit distinction between the two; P.A. 05-236 placed members of the armed forces of the state who are injured or contract disease under Workers' Compensation Act, eliminated authority of Adjutant General to designate medical officer or board to examine claimant, inquire into merits of claims and fix amount of award, approve or disapprove finding of examiner or board, reopen claims and conduct appeals, and made technical changes for purposes of gender neutrality, effective July 1, 2005.

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      Sec. 27-68. Payments for injuries. Section 27-68 is repealed, effective July 1, 2005.

      (1949 Rev., S. 1280; 1949, S. 866d; 1957, P.A. 365, S. 36; P.A. 74-321, S. 10; P.A. 05-236, S. 3.)

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      Sec. 27-69a. Death benefits for deaths between September 11, 2001, and June 30, 2006. (a) If any member of the armed forces of the United States or of any state or of any reserve component thereof who is domiciled in this state and who is called to active service and deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom is, on or after September 11, 2001, and before July 1, 2006, killed in action or dies as a result of an accident or illness sustained while performing active military duty with the armed forces of the United States and is survived by:

      (1) A spouse and a dependent child or children under eighteen years of age, the Comptroller shall draw (A) an order on the Treasurer for the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, payable in equal monthly installments over a period of not less than ten years to such member's spouse, except that any such payments shall terminate on the death or remarriage of such spouse during said ten-year period, and (B) an order on the Treasurer for monthly payments of fifty dollars for each dependent child under eighteen years of age, payable to such spouse or the guardian of each such child, until such child reaches eighteen years of age;

      (2) No spouse and a dependent child or children under eighteen years of age, the Comptroller shall draw (A) an order on the Treasurer for the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, payable in equal monthly installments over a period of not less than ten years to the guardian of such child or children on behalf of and for the care of such child or children, except that any such payments shall terminate when the youngest of such children reaches eighteen years of age during said ten-year period, and (B) an order on the Treasurer for monthly payments of fifty dollars for each dependent child under eighteen years of age, payable to the guardian of such child, on behalf of and for the care of such child, until such child reaches eighteen years of age;

      (3) A spouse and no child or children under eighteen years of age, the Comptroller shall draw an order on the Treasurer for the sum of fifty thousand dollars payable in equal monthly installments over a period of not less than five years, to such spouse, except that any such payments shall terminate on the death or remarriage of such spouse during such five-year period;

      (4) No spouse and no child or children under eighteen years of age but a parent or parents dependent upon such member, the Comptroller shall draw an order on the Treasurer for the sum of fifty thousand dollars, payable to such member's parent or parents in equal monthly installments over a period of not less than five years, except that (A) on the death of one such parent, the surviving parent shall continue to receive the entire monthly payments under the provisions of this subdivision, and (B) on the death of such surviving parent during such five-year period, such payments shall cease.

      (b) The amount paid to any person under this section shall be reduced by the amount of any death benefit that is paid to such person for the death of such member under any federal law.

      (June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3, S. 8.) Effective July 1, 2006.

      History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3 effective July 1, 2006.

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PART VII
HONORS

      Sec. 27-73d. Service ribbons for military operations after September 11, 2001. The Adjutant General may issue an appropriate service ribbon to members of the National Guard or organized militia who were called to active service in the armed forces of the state or United States for at least thirty consecutive days in support of any military operation commencing after September 11, 2001, during a time of war, as defined in section 27-103. A bronze service star shall be issued in lieu of succeeding awards and a silver service star shall be worn in lieu of five bronze stars. The ribbon may be awarded posthumously.

      (P.A. 91-400, S. 4, 5; P.A. 05-21, S. 1.)

      History: P.A. 05-21 changed reference to "Connecticut National Guard" to "National Guard or organized militia", added requirement that service be for at least thirty consecutive days, deleted reference to "Operation Desert Shield or Operation Desert Storm" and substituted reference to "any military operation commencing after September 11, 2001, during a time of war", and added provision re issuance of bronze service star and wearing of silver service star in lieu of five bronze stars, and made technical changes, effective May 9, 2005.

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      Sec. 27-73e. Ribbons and medals for veterans who served in time of war. Regulations. The Commissioner of Veterans' Affairs in conjunction with the Adjutant General shall award a ribbon and medal to each veteran who served in time of war, as defined in subsection (a) of section 27-103, and who either (1) was a resident of this state at the time he or she was called to active duty for such service, or (2) is domiciled in this state on the date of such award. The commissioner in conjunction with the Adjutant General shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, setting forth the process for designing the ribbon and medal, identifying veterans who are eligible for the ribbon and medal under this section and establishing procedures for distributing the ribbon and medal to each eligible veteran. The cost of the ribbons and medals shall be paid from the funds appropriated to the military assistance account within the Military Department. Awards under this section may not be made posthumously.

      (June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3, S. 15.)

      History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3 effective July 1, 2005.

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PART X
SERVICES TO MEMBERS OR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES

      Sec. 27-100a. Military Family Relief Fund: Established; grants; application process; evaluation of program; report. (a) As used in this section, (1) "department" means the Military Department, (2) "fund" means the Military Family Relief Fund established in accordance with this section, (3) "eligible member of the armed forces" and "eligible member" means a member of the armed forces, as defined in subsection (a) of section 27-103, including the Connecticut National Guard, who is on active duty and who is domiciled in this state, (4) "immediate family member" means an eligible member's spouse, child or parent who is domiciled in this state, or any other member of an eligible member's family who lives in the same household as the eligible member, and (5) "essential personal or household goods or services" includes, but is not limited to, repairs, medical services that are not covered by insurance, transportation, babysitting, clothing, school supplies or any other goods or services that are essential to the well-being of an eligible member's immediate family.

      (b) There is established, within the General Fund, a separate, nonlapsing account to be known as the "Military Family Relief Fund". The account shall contain (1) any amounts appropriated or otherwise made available by the state for the purposes of this section, (2) any moneys required by law to be deposited in the account, and (3) gifts, grants, donations or bequests made for the purposes of this section. Investment earnings credited to the assets of the fund shall become part of the assets of the fund. Any balance remaining in the account at the end of any fiscal year shall be carried forward in the account for the fiscal year next succeeding. The State Treasurer shall administer the fund. All moneys deposited in the account shall be used by the Military Department for the purposes of this section. The Military Department may deduct and retain from the moneys in the account an amount equal to the costs incurred by the department in administering the provisions of this section, except that said amount shall not exceed two per cent of the moneys deposited in the account in any fiscal year.

      (c) The Military Department shall use the Military Family Relief Fund to make grants to immediate family members of eligible members of the armed forces for essential personal or household goods or services in this state if the payment for such goods or services would be a hardship for such family member because of the military service of the eligible member. The department shall not make any grant that exceeds the balance available for grants in the fund.

      (d) The department shall establish an application process that is simple for immediate family members. The department shall act on each application no later than seven days after the date on which the completed application is submitted to the department.

      (e) On or after six months from June 30, 2005, after evaluating the performance of the program during the preceding six months, including available resources and applications received, the department may commence the process to adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, that would facilitate the purposes of this section, including, but not limited to, establishing a maximum amount of each grant, of each type of grant or of grants to the immediate family members of any eligible member, and establishing criteria for the approval of grant applications. The department may implement the policies and procedures contained in such proposed regulations while in the process of adopting such proposed regulations, provided the department publishes notice of intention to adopt the regulations in the Connecticut Law Journal no later than twenty days after implementing such policies and procedures. Policies and procedures implemented pursuant to this subsection shall be valid until the earlier of the date on which such regulations are effective or one year after the publication of such notice of intention.

      (f) On or before October 15, 2005, and on or before the fifteenth day following the close of each calendar quarter thereafter, the department shall submit a report to the select committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to veterans' and military affairs, in accordance with section 11-4a, that contains the following information for the preceding calendar quarter: (1) The number of applications received, (2) the number of eligible members whose immediate family members received grants under this section, (3) the amount in grants made to the immediate family of each such eligible member, (4) the uses for such grants, and (5) any recommendations regarding the Military Family Relief Fund, including any proposed legislation to facilitate the purposes of this section. Such reports shall not identify the name of any eligible member or of any immediate family member. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of section 1-210, all information obtained by the Military Department that contains the name or address of, or other information that could be used to identify, an eligible member or an immediate family member shall be confidential.

      (June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3, S. 10.)

      History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3 effective June 30, 2005.

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      Sec. 27-100b. Volunteer service program. (a) As used in this section, (1) "member" means a member of the armed forces, as defined in section 27-103, including the Connecticut National Guard, who is on active duty and who is a resident of this state, (2) "services" includes, but is not limited to, repairs, gardening, transportation, babysitting, tutoring, cooking or any other services that a member or member's family would find helpful, and (3) "local organizations" includes not-for-profit organizations that serve members and veterans and their families, and other organizations that seek to volunteer services to members and their families.

      (b) The family program of the Connecticut National Guard shall establish a volunteer service program in which a volunteer service coordinator coordinates with municipalities and local organizations throughout the state to provide services by volunteers to members and their families. No person shall volunteer any services for which a license, certificate of registration, permit or other credentials issued by a state agency is required unless such person holds such license, certificate of registration, permit or other credentials.

      (c) The volunteer services coordinator shall identify municipalities and local organizations that provide volunteer services to members and their families in communities throughout the state and shall assist such municipalities and local organizations.

      (d) On or before January 31, 2006, and annually thereafter, the family program of the Connecticut National Guard shall report to the select committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to veterans' and military affairs, in accordance with section 11-4a, on the services provided by volunteers to members throughout the state, including, but not limited to, the level of services in different geographical areas.

      (June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3, S. 12.)

      History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3 effective June 30, 2005.

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      Sec. 27-100c. Contact list for members of the armed forces and veterans. (a) As used in this section, (1) "department" means the Department of Veterans' Affairs, (2) "service member" means a member of the armed forces, as defined in subsection (a) of section 27-103, including the Connecticut National Guard, (3) "veteran" has the same meaning as provided in subsection (a) of section 27-103, and (4) "committee" means the select committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to veterans' and military affairs.

      (b) The Department of Veterans' Affairs shall develop and maintain a service members' and veterans' contact list, consisting of only the names and mailing addresses of service members and veterans who reside in this state, using information in the department's records and information submitted to the department by (1) the Military Department, as provided in subsection (c) of this section, (2) the assessor of each town, as provided in subsection (d) of this section, and (3) service members or veterans, as provided in subsection (e) of this section.

      (c) On or before September 1, 2005, the Military Department shall submit to the Department of Veterans' Affairs a list of the name and mailing address, but no other information, of each service member who is a resident of this state that is in the records of the Military Department.

      (d) On or before the sixtieth day following the date on which an exemption pursuant to subdivision (19) of section 12-81 takes effect, as provided in section 12-95, the assessor of each town that granted any such exemption shall submit to the Department of Veterans' Affairs a list of the name and mailing address, but no other information, of each individual who has such exemption.

      (e) A service member or veteran who is a resident of this state may add his or her name and mailing address to the contact list by submitting such information to the Department of Veterans' Affairs in person or by mail. A service member shall include a copy of his or her military identification card and a veteran shall include a copy of his or her military discharge document, as defined in section 1-219.

      (f) Any individual who is included in the contact list may cause his or her name to be removed from the contact list by notifying the Department of Veterans' Affairs in writing.

      (g) (1) The Department of Veterans' Affairs or the Military Department may use the contact list solely for the purposes of notifying service members or veterans of benefits, proposed or enacted legislation that affects service members or veterans or their families, or other information that the Department of Veterans' Affairs or the Military Department believes will be helpful to service members or veterans or their families. The Department of Veterans' Affairs shall provide a copy of the contact list to the Military Department, upon receipt of a written request signed by the Adjutant General.

      (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of section 1-210, the Department of Veterans' Affairs and the Military Department shall not disclose any information in the contact list to any person other than as provided in this subsection. No person shall use the contact list for any purpose other than as provided in subdivision (1) of this subsection.

      (June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3, S. 22.)

      History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3 effective July 1, 2005.

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      Sec. 27-100d. Toll-free telephone number for referrals for benefits and services. The Department of Veterans' Affairs shall provide a toll-free telephone number for use as a clearinghouse by active members of the armed forces in this state, including the National Guard, and their families to obtain, in response to their requests about benefits or services that may be available to such members or their families, referrals to entities that provide such benefits or services. The toll-free telephone number shall be staffed by employees of or trained volunteers working at the Department of Veterans' Affairs on weekdays during regular business hours, and on weekends and holidays from nine o'clock a.m. to five o'clock p.m.

      (June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3, S. 21.)

      History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3 effective July 1, 2005.

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      Sec. 27-100e. Therapy support groups. The family program of the Connecticut National Guard shall publicize to all members of the armed forces, as defined in subsection (a) of section 27-103, including the Connecticut National Guard, and their families the availability throughout the state of therapy support groups for such members and their families. The publicity shall include contact information for referral to support groups in locations that are convenient for such members and their families.

      (June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3, S. 13.)

      History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3 effective June 30, 2005.

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