News Letter 1941 Jul-Dec - Air Force Historical Studies Office

Your Lite insurance
SELF PROTECTION
By Major Waddell F. Smith
FOR AIR FORCES PERSONNEL
;
T
1£ Service Extension Act of 1941 was signed by
the President and became a law August 18. This
law gave the President authoritytoextend the periods
of service of all military classes for periods
not to exceed 18 months.
Section 3 of the act authorizes certain military
classes whose periods of service are extended by the
President, and who failed to apply for National Service
Life Insurance or the full amount of insurance
within 120 days of date of original induction into
service, to apply for now and obtain the insurance
without physical examination. The Act allows 120
days from signing or until December 16, 1941 within
which time application must be made.
aY this authority those who failed toapply originally
for National Service Life Insurance or for
the full $10,000 may now make application, provided
their periods of service are extended.
Order Not All-Inclusive
The President on August 21, 1941 issued an executive
order. The executive order did not extend the
periods of service of all military classes, therefore,
only the military classes whose service was
extended by the order are authorized now to apply
for National Service Life Insurance.
This article is presented to inform all military
classes of their rights to insurance and not as an
interpretation of the law affecting their periods
of military service.
Some military classes are not entitled to apply
for National Service Life Insurance in the current
120 day period from August 18 toDecember 16, 1941,
therefore, it is vitally important that all individuals
concerned be certain of their exact military
duty status.
Each military class will be taken up separately
and their rights toapply for National Service Life
Insurance during the current period set out.
Regular
Army
OFFICERS. No provision was made for regular officers
in the United States Army inasmuch as it was
not necessary by law to extend -the periods of service
of regular officers.
ENLISTED MEN. No provision was made for enlisted
men in the regular army. The add Lt Ioaa l opportunity
to apply for insurance wi thin 120 days of Au gus t
18 was intended to be extended only to the emergency
forces. Fnlisted men in the regular ar~, however,
are entitled to apply for National Service Life
OCTOBER 19-11 29
Insurance within 120 days of reenlistment without
examination. If the current enlistment should be
continued or extended, then application may be made
within 120 days of such continuance or extension
but subject to physical examination.
AVIATIrn CADETS and AVIATION srunssrs. Special
legislation enacted June 3, 1941 provided that all
aviation cadets and aviation students shall be issued
$10,000.00 or National Service Li fe Insurance,
the premiums thereon being paid by the Government
for the cadets and students. All classes of aviation
cadets, assigned to pilot training, or as bombardiers
ornavigators, or to photography, engineering,
armament, meteorology, or communications are
included and the premiums therefor paid by the Government
during training. Aviation cadets and aviation
students are entitled either upon graduation
or discharge from such status to continue their insurance
by paying the premiums themselves.
Due to the foregoing, aviation cadets and aviation
students are inno way concerned with the present
period in which certain military classes may
apply for insurance.
All aviation cadets and aviation students should
familiarize themselves wi th War Department Circular
no. 132, July 8, 1941, which may be found in any
headqua rt ers .
Reserve Officers On Extended Active Duty
AIR CDRPS RESERVE OFFICERS. All such officers now
on duty should examine their orders. If they were
originally ordered to active duty under authority of
Public No. 18, 76th Congress, passedApril 3, 1939,
and extension of active duty if any, authorized under
the same Act, then such officers are not entitled
toapply for National Service Life Insurance
during the 120 day period from August 18, 1941. The
periods of service of Air Corps Reserve Officers on
duty under authority of Public No. 18 may be extended
by authority of that law for periods up to
a total of seven years.
As there was nonecessity, the executive order of
the President, which extended the per~ods of military
service of various classes, as authorized by
the Service Extension Act of 1941. did not extend
the periods of service of such Air Corps Reserve
officers. Inasmuch as the executive order did not
make such extensions, therefore the current 120 day
period for making application for insurance does not
apply to such reserve officers.
It must he remembered, however, that the already