What the Oliver Stone docu says about the nuclear bombing of Japan is...

[MADem]

208. Yes; the wills were strongly suggested, the letters were encouraged, and one

had to tell personnel where one wanted the last paycheck to go. They also had a ten grand "National Service" insurance policy (seems like chickenfeed but it went further back then): http://www.insurance.va.gov/gli/general/nsli.htm

Nowadays they have gotten way better at institutionalizing this process-- because everyone has a SGLI http://benefits.va.gov/insurance/sgli.asp policy (worth $400K unless you actively ask for a lesser amount--the premiums are cheap as hell, it's worth it), one has to designate a beneficiary in boot camp. The Services are supposed to get everyone to recertify their choices every two years or so, or when they change duty stations. Also, single parents have to designate a person, in writing, who will care for their kids while deployed and if something happens to them.

The whole issue of writing a will is personal, but the JAG offices still encourage people to it and they help them complete the process.