Jenkins brings deep legal knowledge and expertise to position
Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA), and its affiliate, 5Star Life Insurance Company (5Star Life), announced today the promotion of Erica L. Jenkins to Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary, effective March 14, 2025.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250416866434/en/

Erica L. Jenkins has been promoted to Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary of AFBA and 5Star Life.
“In her new role, Erica will lead our legal and compliance teams, and I am confident that under her leadership, the teams will continue to positively impact the enterprise while upholding the highest standards of professionalism and service,” said General Larry O. Spencer, USAF (Ret.), President of AFBA and 5Star Life.
Erica joined 5Star Life in June of 2023 with more than 20 years of insurance industry experience. She began her legal career working for State Farm Insurance as a litigation attorney. She transferred her analytical and problem-solving skills to Nationwide as in-house counsel where she honed her regulatory and advisory skills and advised on regulatory, procedural, product and claims matters impacting the organization. Continuing the growth in her legal career, Erica transitioned to a role within the legal department of Erie Insurance where she advised on legal issues with organizational, litigation, compliance, internal audit, and regulatory impact, including advising her primary client, Erie Family Life, on various issues affecting their product development, contracting, litigation, claims, and other impactful legal matters.
“I am deeply honored to assume this new position with AFBA and 5Star Life," stated Jenkins. “I look forward to supporting enterprise strategies and driving our mission forward.”
About AFBA
With the support of the General of the Army, Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA) was established in 1947 in the basement of the Pentagon to ease the strain on military members and their families who, at the time, could not purchase life insurance that would pay a death benefit if the member was killed in combat. Today, headquartered in Alexandria, VA, AFBA continues to honor its mission, in war and peace, promoting the welfare of its members by providing survivor and other benefits to those who serve this great nation, including members of the uniformed services, first responders, government employees, and their families. AFBA has 915,000 members with $57 billion of death benefits in force and has paid $2 billion of death benefits since inception. AFBA death benefits are primarily underwritten by its affiliate, 5Star Life Insurance Company (a Lincoln, Nebraska domiciled company).
About 5Star Life Insurance Company
5Star Life Insurance Company (5Star Life) is the primary underwriter of the Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA) member policies and is also a growing provider of group and worksite voluntary products. Its business model enables 5Star Life to serve the needs of a diverse clientele as an insurance advisor to individuals and organizations, and as a trusted partner to brokers. Headquartered in Alexandria, VA, 5Star Life is currently licensed in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250416866434/en/
Contacts
Raquel Fuentes
202-441-0794
rfuentes@afba.com