Military dependent Military dependents are the spouse ( s ) , children , and possibly other familial relationship categories of a sponsoring military member for purposes of pay as well as special benefits , privileges and rights . This generic category is enumerated in great detail for U . S . military members . The term " Military Brat " is also commonly used in military culture to mean a military dependent that is either a child or a teenager . The term is not an insult but carries connotations of respect and affection . Currently the U . S . Department of Defense estimates that there are approximately 15 million individuals in the United States that are current or former military brats . It is also used in research studies . It also refers to the subculture of American military brats . Benefits in the United States . In Case of Service - member ' s Death The Department of Veterans Affairs ( VA ) automatically gives $ 100 , 000 to the next of kin of a service - member if he or she dies while on active duty . If a service - member died of a disease , injury , or disability that was incurred or aggravated on duty or during training , then the surviving spouse and other dependents can apply for additional monetary benefits . If the service - member died after January 1 , 1993 , then his or her surviving dependents can receive a monthly Dependency and Indemnity Compensation based on the deceased service - member ' s rank in the United States military . The base monthly rate for a surviving spouse is $ 1 , 154 per month , with an additional $ 286 for each dependent child and / or elderly person . The Department of Veteran Affairs also offers a death pension for surviving spouses and other dependents of the deceased service - member . To be eligible for the death pension , the surviving spouse cannot be remarried , and the children must be under 18 years of age unless they are in college , in which case they must be under 23 years of age . The death pension provides the surviving spouse with $ 7 , 933 annually with an additional $ 2 , 452 if he or she has one child . Each additional child or dependent receives an additional $ 2 , 020 each year . Finally , the VA also provides up to $ 2 , 000 for the deceased service - member ' s burial if the service - member or the service - member ' s family does not use a national Veteran Affairs cemetery . If a service - member is buried in a national VA cemetery , all costs and materials are covered , including a headstone and United States flag Education The Department of Veteran Affairs offers educational assistance to some spouses or child dependents . In order to receive the educational assistance , the service - member must ( 1 ) have died due to a service - related disability , ( 2 ) be missing in action for more than 90 days , or ( 3 ) be hospitalized with debilitating injuries . Surviving spouses cannot use the educational assistance if they remarry before the age of 57 , and or if they do not use the assistance within 10 years of their date of eligibility . Children must use their educational assistance between the ages of 18 and 26 . The VA provides $ 936 per month to eligible dependents if they are enrolled in a full - time educational program . Several collegiate institutions provide benefits for military dependents such as Colorado State University . Through the Military Tuition Adjustment Request , dependents can be granted in - state tuition status which can be financially beneficial . Housing Spouses of veterans gain loan eligibility if : 1 . They are unmarried , and their deceased spouse died as a result of service - connected causes . 2 . They remarry after the age of 57 , and their deceased spouse died while on active duty . 3 . They are the spouse of an active duty member who has been missing in action or a prisoner of war for at least 90 days .