Flight 293 Remembrance Act
The Flight 293 Remembrance Act would require the Department of Defense, in consultation with the Department of Veterans Affairs, to identify and document all non-combat military plane crashes categorized as “Operational Loss/Non-War Loss,” using Defense records going back to 1984 and other sources for earlier incidents. It would also create and maintain a publicly accessible database listing the names, ranks, and service details of service members who died in those crashes.
In addition to the database, the bill directs DoD and VA to provide support to families of the deceased, including help accessing benefits, resources, counseling, survivor benefits, and peer support networks. It also requires the Secretary of Defense to establish a designated point of contact to guide families through the benefits process, provide updates on new programs and legal changes, and coordinate with other agencies and support organizations. The bill further requires a report to Congress within two years on implementation, family participation, database progress, effectiveness, and any recommended legislative changes.
The bill would create a new federal program within the Department of Defense, with VA consultation, to memorialize service members lost in non-combat military aircraft crashes and to centralize family support services. It would not directly change existing veterans’ benefit statutes, but it would require DoD and VA to coordinate outreach, benefits navigation, and reporting, and it would impose nondiscrimination and regulatory requirements on any federally assisted assistance activities carried out under the program.
The available context suggests the bill is generally sympathetic and commemorative in nature, focused on honoring fallen service members and helping surviving families access benefits and support. There are no recorded votes or committee transcript excerpts indicating opposition or debate, and the bill’s referral to the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs is consistent with its survivor-support and memorialization goals.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential areas for implementation questions include the scope of crashes covered, the feasibility of reconstructing records before 1984, how the database will be maintained and verified, and the administrative burden of coordinating family outreach across DoD, VA, and outside organizations. However, no named members, committees, or stakeholders are shown as opposing these provisions in the available record.