When the Veteran passes away, the surviving spouse or family can communicate with the physician, hospital, hospice or medical personnel to ensure the language on the death certificate is specific enough to reflect the same language as the VA service-connected condition or presumptive service condition. This is crucial in qualifying for service-connected death benefits from the VA , Veterans should make sure their spouse, family or physician is familiar with any VA service-connected condition(s) the Veteran is rated for. If the Veteran falls into one of the “presumptive condition” groups, where specific disabilities are automatically considered to be caused by military service, make sure the Veteran’s family is familiar with the list of qualifying presumptive conditions. For example, if the Veteran was in Vietnam, their family should be familiar with presumptive conditions caused by exposure to Agent Orange. Presumptive conditions can be found on the VA website. , For further information, contact an AAFMAA Member Benefits representative at 888-862-5932, select option 2, then option 2 again anytime.