Title 38 — Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-73
§1911 Forfeiture
Title 38 › Part PART II— - GENERAL BENEFITS › Chapter CHAPTER 19— - INSURANCE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - NATIONAL SERVICE LIFE INSURANCE › § 1911
Summary
People guilty of mutiny, treason, spying, desertion, or who refuse to serve or wear the uniform for conscience reasons lose National Service Life Insurance. If death is lawful punishment for a crime or military/naval offense (unless caused by an enemy), no benefit pays, but any cash surrender value on that date must go to beneficiaries under section 1916(b).
Full Legal Text
Title 38, §1911
Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Any person guilty of mutiny, treason, spying, or desertion, or who, because of conscientious objections, refuses to perform service in the Armed Forces of the United States or refuses to wear the uniform of such force, shall forfeit all rights to National Service Life Insurance. No insurance shall be payable for death inflicted as a lawful punishment for crime or for military or naval offense, except when inflicted by an enemy of the United States; but the cash surrender value, if any, of such insurance on the date of such death shall be paid to the designated beneficiary, if living, or otherwise to the beneficiary or beneficiaries within the permitted class in accordance with the order specified in section 1916(b) of this title.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1991—Pub. L. 102–83 renumbered section 711 of this title as this section and substituted “1916(b)” for “716(b)”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
38 U.S.C. § 1911
Title 38 — Veterans' Benefits
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73