This month, US Family Health Plan shines the spotlight on Survivor Outreach Services (SOS) HRCI Contractor, Christopher L. Peffley, based in Bordentown, New Jersey. SOS was established in 2008 as a U.S. military program that provides dedicated and comprehensive support to the survivors of deceased service members. SOS supports the families of the fallen by providing access to the information and services they need -- when they need it and for however long they need it. These families include our esteemed Gold Star Families and every other family who has lost a loved one who bravely served as part of our country’s military.
US Family Health Plan has enjoyed the benefit of a close working relationship with Chris. In his role at SOS, he assists surviving families who want to learn more about their TRICARE choices including a strong emphasis on US Family Health Plan – a TRICARE Prime option they may not know about. Chris refers eligible families to our staff so they can better understand the unique benefits US Family Health Plan offers.
Since retiring from the Army in 2015, Chris has worked as the SOS Coordinator in Northern NJ and Bucks County. He is part of an SOS team that covers the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania -- across every branch of the military.
Born in Philadelphia, Chris grew up in smaller towns in Upstate New York and Pennsylvania. He began his military career at the young age of 17, when he enlisted in the Army's delayed entry program as a Junior in high school. His decision was fueled by his desire to serve his country and to be independent – along with a group of like-minded young high school companions. He also knew the Army could help him achieve his academic goal to earn a college degree.
Starting as a Private in the 82nd Airborne Division, Chris’ first deployment was in 1983, where he encountered combat during a mission in Grenada. After this assignment, he returned to Ft. Bragg, where he applied for an ROTC scholarship and attended Campbell University. There he earned a degree in Business Administration and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army.
In 2015, Chris officially retired. But he still missed the comradery he cherished during his years of service. He knew that he still wanted to stay connected to the military. Upon learning of a job opening for a SOS HRCI Contractor position in New Jersey, he realized he had found his calling. His military experience, skill set, education and passions were ideally suited for this job. He had a thorough knowledge of the military, had experience working with military families, and had even lost comrades while serving in Iraq. At SOS, he was able to “hit the ground running” with the qualifications and sensibilities needed to provide strong, meaningful support to military families who had lost love ones.
In his role at SOS, Chris helps surviving families navigate a complex set of resources, benefits and options they need to get through this difficult transition. This includes information on TRICARE, bereavement benefits, and financial support. SOS can also help families achieve more financial security through resources that help with investing, estate planning, tax issues and basic budgeting. Most importantly, Chris is there to be a sounding board, a listener, and someone who genuinely cares about their welfare in their time of need. Chris sums up his work at SOS in this way. “It is an honor to be able to serve the families of our Fallen Heroes. This is what keeps me coming back to work every day.” He cited one instance where a survivor recently came to him with an immediate financial need. He was able to provide her with access to immediate financial assistance, including a grant that covered several months of much needed rent.
Chris has been married to his wife Laura for over 28 years. They have raised 6 beautiful children who are now between the ages of 27 and 6. In fact, the two six-year-olds are twins! Chris and Laura have selected US Family Health Plan as their TRICARE Prime option, not only because of the high quality comprehensive coverage, but because of the unique eye care benefits it provides. As it turns out, both twins needed glasses at a young age. Chris also wears glasses too. US Family Health Plan is the only TRICARE plan that provides eyeglass coverage. Now they have joined the ranks of the over 92% of US Family Health Plan members* who count themselves as very satisfied with their health plan.
Christopher Peffley, US Family Health Plan salutes you! We appreciate the work you are doing on behalf of the surviving families of our Fallen Heroes. We know this is a labor of love and that you are making a real difference for these families. Keep up the good work! And thank you for working so closely with us. We too aim to give our brave military families the support and benefits they have earned and deserve. Your mission is an important one that supports families who have sacrificed greatly for our country. For more information about SOS, please visit www.sos.army.mil or call 855-707-2769.
And by the way…. SOS will be hosting a Family Movie Night and Potluck featuring the movie Zootopia, on August 24, 2016 from 5pm to 9pm for our surviving families. The location is the Bordentown Joint Military Assistance Center, 1048 US Highway 208, Bordentown NJ 08505. If you’re interested in attending, please RSVP by August 21st to Ariel Bedaro at ariel.c.bedaro.civ@mail.mil or call 609-562-2186.
For more information on US Family Health Plan’s eyeglass benefit visit http://usfhp.net/your-plan/vision-benefits or call 1-800-241-4848.
*The independent CAHPS Assessment of 4,792 US Family Health Plan Members employed the most widely used set of performance metrics in the managed care industry to measure performance on important dimensions of care and service.