10 U.S.C. § 1479

For the purpose of making immediate payments under section 1475 of this title , the Secretary concerned shall— (1) authorize the commanding officer of a territorial command, installation, or district in which a survivor of a person covered by that section is residing to determine the beneficiary eligible for the death gratuity; and (2) authorize a disbursing or certifying official of each of those commands, installations, or districts to make the payments to the beneficiary, or certify the payments due them, as the case may be.