offering  supplemental  insurance  formally recognized and endorsed by the Navy. Formed in July 1879, the society is a nonprofit, tax exempt, voluntary membership association of sea service personnel and their families. The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) traditionally serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors. The purpose of the Navy Mutual Aid Society is to provide members, their dependents, or their beneficiaries aid through low-cost life insurance. It also helps dependents and beneficiaries secure, at no cost, the federal benefits to which they are entitled. While on active duty, you carry level term insurance (basic coverage only); after separation, it changes to decreasing term. Cost varies for smokers and nonsmokers and includes a yearly refund (see table 5-1 ). The toll free number for the Navy Mutual Aid Society is 1-800-628-6011. ENTITLEMENTS Naval personnel are guaranteed certain benefits not always offered by the civilian community: shipment of household effects, travel, survivor benefits, and retirement. Household Effects The Navy will pay for the movement of house- hold effects in connection with a permanent change of station move. You may also elect to move your household effects yourself and be reimbursed by the government. Weight allowances vary with paygrade. Under certain conditions you may be authorized to place excess household goods in storage at government expense. Personnel authorized travel for dependents and those persons who own a house trailer may be authorized a trailer allowance. Generally, payment is limited to the cost of moving the trailer and cannot exceed the cost to move the member’s authorized household goods weight allowance. Dependents are allowed transportation at government expense whenever you make a permanent change of station move. You may be entitled to a dislocation allowance to partially reimburse you for expenses incurred during a permanent change of station move. Dislocation allowance is equal to 1 month’s basic allowance for quarters (BAQ) for your dependency status and paygrade. Because the amount of money allowed with a permanent change of station move varies, check with your disbursing officer to ensure you receive the full amount. You and your family can take advantage of low-cost air transportation provided by space- available (Space-A) flights on military aircraft. Since some restrictions apply to Space-A travel, you should obtain a Space-A pamphlet from the Air Force or nearest military terminal if you are interested. Survivor Benefits Your dependents are entitled to certain benefits if you die on active duty. These benefits include a death gratuity, servicemen’s group life insurance, dependency and indemnity com- pensation (DIC), and social security. Your spouse would receive a one-time payment of ,000 death gratuity, 5 social security, and 0,000 service- men’s group life insurance. Your spouse would then receive monthly payments from Social Security and dependency and indemnity compen- sation. The amount of the monthly payments depends on the number and age of your children, your paygrade, and your base pay. Your local Family Service Center or professional organiza- tion can compute the monthly payments your spouse  would  receive. Retirement Travel During a permanent change of station move, you are eligible for monetary allowance in lieu of transportation (MALT) plus per diem. Per diem is an amount of money used to reimburse you for lodging, meals, and other incidental expenses incurred during travel under orders. You receive MALT in the form of cash payments when the government does not provide transportation. Everyone on active duty who meets the high- year tenure requirements has the opportunity to retire after 20 years of active federal service. All personnel on active duty who meet the high-year tenure requirements must retire after 30 years of active federal service unless they have a waiver. Retirement will be discussed in greater detail later in this chapter under “Fleet Reserve and Retirement.” 5-5