DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE POLICY ON BLOOD CHITS

     To provide United States Department of Defense (DoD) policy clarification and guidance relating to “Blood Chit” use and compensation.

     Through the blood chit program, the United States Government promises to compensate anyone who assists an American service member or other Department of Defense personnel to survive, evade, resist, or escape in hostile territory and return to friendly control. Blood chits, as identified in Joint Publication 3-50.3 Annex E, are a tool used by an evader or escapee after all other measures of independent evasion and escape have failed and the evader(s) considers assistance vital to survival. Upon receiving assistance, the evader or escapee provides the assistor with the blood chit number. When the assistor or his representative presents the blood chit number to American authorities and the U.S. Government has validated the claim properly, and upon the service member’s return to friendly control, the blood chit represents an obligation of the U.S. Government to compensate the claimant, or his immediate family if the claimant is deceased, for services rendered to DoD personnel.

     The U.S. Government policy is to compensate individuals who assist American service members and other DoD personnel in hostile areas to return to friendly control, independent of whether or not the individual was issued a blood chit. The U.S. Government may also compensate individuals who risk their life, livelihood, or freedom to assist DoD personnel, who do not survive or remain missing, when reliable sources can validate the claim. Due to the sensitivity of the issue, DoD must ensure that it communicates this policy clearly and consistently.

     DoD activities shall brief their personnel on this policy and ensure that it is followed.