In this subsection, the term “designated duty assignment” means a permanent or temporary duty assignment outside the United States or its possessions in support of a contingency operation in an area that—

(1) In the case of a member of the armed forces who has insurance coverage for the member under the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance program under subchapter III of chapter 19 of title 38 and who serves in a designated duty assignment at any time during a month, the Secretary concerned shall pay the member an allowance under this section for that month in an amount equal to the amount of the deduction made under subsection (a)(1) of section 1969 of such title for the amount of Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance coverage held by the member under section 1967 of such title.

In this subsection, the term “designated duty assignment” means a permanent or temporary duty assignment outside the United States or its possessions in support of a contingency operation in an area that—

(A) has been designated a combat zone; or

(B) is in direct support of an area that has been designated a combat zone.

To the maximum extent practicable, in advance of the deployment of a member to a designated duty assignment referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary concerned shall give the member information regarding the following:

(1) The availability of the allowance under this section for members insured under the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance program.

(2) The ability of members who elected not to be insured under Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance, or elected less than the maximum coverage amount available for such insurance, to obtain insurance, or to obtain additional coverage, as the case may be, under the authority provided in section 1967(c) of title 38.

(Added Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title VI, § 613(a), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3291; amended Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title VI, § 606(a)–(c), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2246; Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title X, § 1063(c)(5), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 322; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VI, § 644(a)–(b)(2), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2166, 2167.)