To every veteran reading this: thank you for your service.
Anyone who has served knows that nobody heads out without a plan, a backup plan, and a clear chain of command. If the lead goes down, everyone already knows who's next. No confusion, no committee meeting, no waiting on a judge.
Most families run on the opposite system. When Dad lands in the hospital, nobody knows who's in charge, nobody can get into the bank account, and the doctors won't talk to anyone without paperwork. That's not a mission. That's chaos.
Your estate plan is your chain of command. Your Durable Power of Attorney handles the money. Your Health Care Surrogate handles the medical decisions. Your Successor Trustee runs the trust. Your Guardian raises the kids. Each one should have a backup.
Action plan
- Write down your chain of command: who's first and who's second for each role. If you can't fill in a name, that's your gap.
- Tell those people they've been chosen. Nobody likes a surprise promotion during a crisis.
- Veterans: keep a copy of your DD-214 with your estate documents. Your family will need it to request burial and memorial benefits.