Have you listed the right emergency contacts and next of kin on your forms? Think about your loved ones…
April 21, 2022 - Defence Stories
Capt Leigh Pinard (Casualty Admin 2I/C, Director Casualty Support Management) in collaboration with George Saliba (Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group Comms O)
Caption
Over the years, you may have gotten married, had children or changed marital status
Do you have the right contacts listed on your CF 742 Emergency Contact Notification (ECN) and DND 2587 Next of Kin Identification (NOK) forms? If you’re like the majority of us, you joined the CAF right out of high school or during university. At that point, your parents and possibly a sibling or two were likely the only people listed on these forms. Over the years, you may have gotten married, had children or changed marital status, which requires an update to your emergency contacts and next of kin designations.
As the years in uniform add up, and each Annual Personnel Readiness Verification (APRV) seems to come around more frequently than the holidays, we often become complacent with our ECN and NOK updates. Before I started working at the Directorate of Casualty Support Management, I had no idea of the true importance of these two forms and the potential benefits to my loved ones.
We invite you to review the toolkit on the HR-Civ intranet website or the HR Go RH app, which you can access on your mobile device while you are on leave.
ECN Form
The ECN form (CF 742) is used by the chain of command to inform those you have identified if you become ill, injured, are missing or pass away. The ECN form is distinct from your NOK form, as it only serves for emergency notification purposes should anything happen to you, it does not entitle anyone listed to potential benefits. Members need to ensure that they select the right individual(s) that they would want to be contacted in case of an emergency. The ECN form can include immediate family or persons most close to you. They can be related to you, or not, but they must be of legal age (18 years or older). They can be your spouse, children, step-children, parents, siblings, in-laws, or friends. Incorrect ECN forms have led to significant delays in emergency contacts being notified and in some cases, the wrong person(s) have been informed.
NOK Form
The NOK form (DND 2587) on the other hand, is for you to identify the next of kin who you would want to be at your bedside or funeral should anything serious happen to you. Next of kin means persons whom you consider to be part of your immediate family or persons most close to you.They can be related to you, or not, they can be adults or minors. They can be your spouse, children, step-children, parents, siblings, in-laws, or friends. NOK should be identified in order of preference, and you may identify as many “additional NOK” in order of importance as you consider appropriate.
There are NOK travel benefits that may be available to your loved ones if you become ill, injured or pass away, but these benefits can only be granted to those who are identified on your DND 2587. In some cases, NOK travel benefits can be granted for up to 14 NOK per QR&O 209.02. It is important to note, however, that if someone is not listed, there remains no entitlement to NOK travel benefits, regardless of the personal relationship to the member.
You are the only person who can add or remove names from your ECN and NOK forms. They cannot be amended or changed by anyone else if you are unable to do so yourself. During your next APRV, or if your family status changes throughout the year, take five minutes to update your forms. Your loved ones will be thankful you did.
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