[Decision Concerning Former Service Member's Widow's Claim for Survivor Benefit Plan Annuity]

A former service member's widow claimed that she was entitled to Survivor Benefit Plan benefits as his surviving spouse, contending that her marriage to the deceased was valid because he obtained a foreign divorce from his third wife. GAO noted that the deceased had elected his third wife as beneficiary. GAO held that it could not determine the proper beneficiary absent a determination by a competent jurisdiction of the validity of the divorce. Accordingly, the claim was denied.