Casualty notification is a subject we don't like to think about, but one we can't ignore. A friend and fellow spouse wrote to me to suggest I write about this issue. "I think it would be very beneficial to know as spouses, and in case we need to inform a friend during this time of war," she wrote.

Read the column on this subject. (Spouse Calls, July 29)

     Here are some links to additional information regarding casualty notification and bereavement.

• Department of Defense discussion of casualty notification procedures: transcript
• Lists of benefits at Military.com
• Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors
• Phishing scam claiming to be Red Cross casualty notifications: Warning from the Federal Trade Commission.
• Kristin Henderson, a military spouse, writes about deployment, including casualty notifications, in her book "While They're At War."