Reminder: Keep SGLI up to date Published Sept. 22, 2010 By 375th Mission Support Group SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Editor's Note: This is the first of a series of articles on the importance of ensuring Servicemember's Group Life Insurance & Virtual Record of Emergency Data forms are kept current. You wouldn't take out $500,000 in civilian life insurance, pay monthly premiums and not name a beneficiary--leaving the laws of the State of Illinois to decide who gets the money. Nor would you leave your former spouse listed as your beneficiary. But this is exactly what happens when military members fail to update their Servicemember's Group Life Insurance and Virtual Record of Emergency Data forms. "I had a colleague who had the unpleasant experience several years ago of telling a current spouse that the member's former spouse would be receiving the SGLI payment," said Tim Seaney, casualty assistance representative at the Airman and Family Readiness Center. "It could have been entirely avoided had her husband updated his SGLI beneficiary form when he married his current wife," he said. "The SGLI form on file was accomplished during his first marriage, and since he never updated it, it was a legal binding document requiring the entire amount to go to the first wife." Updating these records takes only a few minutes and is vital to ensuring that your loved ones are appropriately taken care of in an unfortunate event. Emergency Data Card can be updated through the Virtual MPF. For more information on both of these forms please contact the base Casualty Assistance representatives at the Airman and Family Readiness Center, 256-6508.