50 Resources for Veterans

Election Day passed rather uneventfully (thank goodness) and this week we are on to Veteran's Day which will take place this Wednesday.  In honor of Veteran's Day, here are 50 resources for veterans.

1. All veterans should register at VA.gov which is an online portal that allows veterans to do everything from managing their military records to accessing medical, educational, and other resources.
2. MyHealtheVet is another online portal that focuses on veteran's healthcare and includes options for ordering prescriptions, downloading medical records, making appointments with the VA, etc.
3. EBenefits is yet another online portal to access VA records and services that all vets should register for.  I'm not sure why there are three separate VA portals but every time I go into one, it seems I end up in another of these...odd.
4. The VA has a pretty good blog full of the latest news and information for vets which can be found here.
5. The VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars organizations) is a well-known veteran's organization that offers a range of services--from bars with bingo to free assistance to vets and many other services--either in person at their VFW halls or online.
6. If you are having difficulty getting VA disability compensation, there are services to help vets with this issue which range from free (often provided at VFW halls and at VA facilities) to consulting services (I'll offer only a lukewarm recommendation for Vet Comp and Pen which is one of several companies that offer VA benefits consulting).
7. Every Veteran's Day, many restaurants and retail stores give things like free meals, discounts, freebies, and other things to vets.  A list of these deals can usually be found online a week or so prior to Veteran's Day and can be found by Googling.
8. Did you know that vets can often get discounts and freebies even if it isn't Veteran's Day?  Here is a huge list of businesses that regularly give discounts to vets.
9. MilitaryBenefits.info is a great website which provides info on a wide range of veteran resources, benefits, as well as updated news and information of interest to vets.
10. Be sure to sign up for the free VetResources newsletter which delivers a weekly newsletter to your email box full of news and information of interest to vets.
11. Military One Source is another good website which provides a wide range of useful information for both active duty and veterans.
12. Similar to Military One Source, Military.com is another comprehensive resources for active duty and veterans.
13. This is an interactive map of VA medical facilities.
14. For vets who are interested in using their GI Bill to further their education, it can be a bit complicated wading through all of the information that goes along with this.  An overview of the program can be found here and many colleges and universities have service centers to help vets navigate the college/GI Bill maze.
15. For vets who don't plan to use their GI Bill, it may be possible to transfer their GI Bill benefits to their spouse or child.
16. Speaking of training, there are a number of organizations that focus on job training for vets (examples here, here, and here).
17. A popular perk for vets is the "veterans preference" veterans are entitled to when applying for federal jobs.
18. By the time you are a vet, you probably have your banking and investing figured out, but there are several financial institutions that cater to active duty military and vets including USAA, Navy Federal Credit Union, Armed Forces Bank, etc.
19. Another great benefit for veterans is the opportunity to receive zero-down home loans.
20. Not only for vets, VA REO properties are an inexpensive way to buy foreclosed properties which had VA loans on them.  This is something for vets and well as non-vets to check out.
21. The SBA has programs specifically for veterans who need assistance starting their own businesses.
22. The Vets First Verification Program is another veteran-specific business program which provides benefits to veteran-owned businesses.
23. There are a lot of veteran's service organizations, find a 75-page list of these organizations here.
24. You can also Google 'veteran's service organizations' and you local town or nearest city and find local vet's centers (examples here, here, and here).  Note that these centers can be government-sponsored agencies, non profits, and private organizations which are dedicated to helping veterans.
25. Every state and territory has a state level veteran's office, find your state's veteran's service office here.
26. In addition to VA health services, veterans are also covered by TriCare when they retire.  Find more info on this here.
27. SNAP and FSSA are "food stamp" programs which provide funding for food for low-income people.  The SNAP program is open to everyone and the FSSA program is specifically for active duty and vets.  For more information on how these programs work together as well as how to apply if you are in need of food, check here.
28. The DAV is a non-profit organization which focuses on helping disabled veterans and their families.
29. The Wounded Warrior Project is another non-profit which focuses on helping disabled veterans and their families.
30. There are several housing assistance programs for low-income and homeless vet.  Again, Google your location and homeless vet services and you will get a list of local resources (examples here and here).
31. Space A/MAC flights are a nice perk for vets who like to travel.  Veterans can use Space A to travel around the globe for free or cheap with the caveat that they are the very lowest priority for boarding (which means you may or may not get a flight for days or even weeks depending on how busy the flight service is).
32. There are some cell phone companies that offer special plans just for military folks; this usually includes active duty and vets.
33. The USO is well known as an organization that entertains the troops but they also offer other useful services for vets, including the popular USO lounges in airports (one of my favorite perks when I travel!).
34. An interesting housing options for vets, living in base housing even after you have retired.  Apparently it's a thing now.
35. State veterans homes are an option for ill, elderly, and disabled vets.
36. And for disabled vets who are housebound, there is an Aid and Attendance benefit for caregiver support.  Find more info on caregiver benefits for vets here.
37. A program I just learned about while researching this post, there is a Veterans Justice Outreach Program which helps vets who are involved in the criminal justice system.
38. Veterans are also at particularly high risk for suicide.  The Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers special suicide prevention resources just for vets.
39. Veterans are also prone to drug and alcohol addiction as well.  Here is a good overview of the problem.  And here are some good treatment options for vets.  Note that AA and NA may have specific meetings for vets only.
40. VITA offers free tax prep services for vets.
41. When a veteran dies, the family can receive burial benefits from the VA.
42. Many cities offer tax exemptions for veterans (in my area the exemption covers vehicle registration and property tax discounts).
43. Veterans can usually enjoy full access to military base facilities (commissary, gym, exchange, MWR, etc).  Note that during the covid shut downs in our area, the base was closed to everyone except mission-essential personnel but in general, vets can use many of the services and facilities on base.
44. Veterans can now get a free lifetime National Parks Pass.  Finally.  This has been an overlooked group since active duty get a free annual pass to the parks and seniors can buy a discounted lifetime pass but until now, younger vets didn't get any discount at all.
45. For disabled vets, make sure your dependents (spouse, kids, others) are included in your VA file.  Even if your dependents are in the DEERS system, they will not be included in the VA system unless you specifically add them (why these two systems don't talk to each other I have no idea).
46. Did you know that most states offer some interesting benefits for veterans?  Here's a list.  And here is another list.
47. For vets who are considering relocating, note that there are several states that don't tax military retirement pay.
48. There are several military-focused websites which provide news and information which can be useful for vets including the Military Times, Stripes, Task and Purpose, and Veterans Today.
49. Here is a huge 'Federal Benefits for Veterans' guidebook.
50. And here is another good list of resources and benefits for veterans.

A Thanks to Our Vets

Today is Veterans Day so just a quick note to say thank you to those who have served our country.  Whether you are just getting your toes wet in boot camp or have been retired for decades, your service to our country is valuable, necessary, and much appreciated by all!

10 Things You Can Do For Veterans Day

Sunday, November 11th, will be Veterans Day.  To celebrate the holiday and show your support of our military vets, consider doing the following:

1. Attend an event at a Veteran's cemetery.
2. Attend a Veterans Day parade.
3. Visit a state or national veterans memorial.
4. Send a card or care package to those who are serving on the front lines (here, here, or here).
5. Volunteer at a veteran's organization (examples here, here, and here).
6. Visit veterans at a state VA nursing home.
7. Visit a military museum (examples here).
8. Support veteran-owned businesses.
9. Participate in the Veterans History Project.
10. Chat up a veteran when you have the opportunity.  From thanking someone for their service to talking about random stuff, vets are some interesting people to talk to.  I've had the opportunity to talk to many WWII vets, met another guy who was in the original army special forces (now Green Berets) who had more than 1000 jumps under his belt, and talked to a Vietnam vet who decided that if he lived through the war he would send all of his own kids plus all of his nieces and nephews through college so they would have better options for their future than he had (he actually was able to do this which changed the course of his entire family).  

Veterans Day

A special thanks to all who have--or currently are--serving in the US Armed Forces.  It is not an easy life and it is usually a thankless job but our vets are the people who have held this country together over the past couple of centuries and they do an exceptional job (despite all of the political BS but that is another rant).  Hats off to all who have served and thank you for your service!

Remembering Those Who Served on Veteran's Day

Today is Veteran's Day.  Take a minute to remember those who served, thank those who served for their sacrifice and, if possible, help those who have served our country or who are currently in the armed forces.

Veteran's Day is a big deal in Las Vegas.  There is a parade, a run, many restaurants and casinos give all sorts of freebies to vets (I had a nice buffet lunch compliments of the Southpoint Casino which provides free meals to vets each Veteran's day; bonus, while I was standing in line I got to thank a WWII vet for his service), the Lt Dan Band and Gary Sinisi were entertaining the troops and everyone else downtown this weekend, and the MGM hosted Veteran's Day weekend for wounded warriors.

It made for a very celebratory atmosphere and reiterated the fact that those who serve and protect our country are true heroes and should be recognized as such.  If you are a vet, thanks for your service.

Happy Veteran's Day!

I want to give a big "Thank You" to all of our Vets (and those who are currently serving) this Veteran's Day.  The service they give to our country is an amazing example of dedication and devotion to keeping our country a safe and free place to live.  Know that your service and your sacrifice is appreciated not just today, but every day of the year.

Happy Veteran's Day And Some Reasons to Support Our Vets

First off, Happy Veteran's Day to all who have served and those who continue to do so now.

Everyone once in a while I come across a blog post or article or comments on an article saying how veterans get too much from the government and how they shouldn't be able to retire in their 40's and how their compensation package should be just like that of people in the corporate world.  When I read those things my first thought is that those people have no idea what it is like to be in the military, otherwise they wouldn't compare it to your standard nine to five job.  Let's take a look at why our military folks and vets deserve what they get--and more--using the example of someone who retires from the military at the age of 43 with 25 years of service:

• For 25 years the serviceman has been on call 24/7/365.  It isn't like you do your shift and you go home at the end of the day.  When you are in the military you are ALWAYS on call.  For your entire career. 
• For 25 years the serviceman has had no choice of where he will live.  In a 9-5 job you can always pick up and move, go back to the family farm and help the folks, or decide that you don't like the cold so head south.  In the military, aside from requesting an open billet in a specific location which may or, more likely may not, happen, you live where the military tells you that you will live.
• For 25 years the serviceman has not had much of a choice of careers.  Of course there is some choice but there are lots of things that come into play with jobs in the military so again, you basically get what the military gives you.  In the 9-5 world, you can be a barber today, quit tomorrow, and go start up a tech company.  In the military you don't have the option of quiting a job you don't like.
• For 25 years the serviceman has more than likely missed: multiple wedding anniversaries, multiple birthdays, multiple holidays, the birth of one or more children, and their children's first steps, first words, first fishing trips, first experience driving, and high school graduations.  So not only has the serviceman given 24/7/365 to his country, his family has as well.
• For 25 years the serviceman gets the home that is issued to them.  Of course this isn't always the case.  With a long enough duty station, military members can buy houses in the community but depending on a number of factors (the economy, the next duty station, the availability of houses to buy at a particular location, the cost, how long they will be stationed in each location) it isn't like they are going to have a family home to raise their kids in from infancy through graduation.
• And speaking of the kids, many servicemen's kids can attend up to a dozen schools between kindergarten to their senior year of high school.  They don't get their military parent around all that much, and family dynamics are continually shifting.
• The military spouse is also on call 24/7/365.  When the serviceman is gone, everything falls on the spouse even if it is a "man's job" or a "woman's job".  The spouse at home gets the kids 24/7, the problems 24/7, the difficulties with finding work or an education or even a babysitter so that they can work for that matter.
• The military also has higher divorce rates and higher suicide rates.

So while I am not knocking the military as a career (many people have had amazing careers in the military, you get to see the world, you get a free education, etc), I do want to point out that it is about as far from a corporate job as you can get and due to the many hardships faced by those in the military--truly a sacrifice they make for our country--they are more than entitled to the full benefits they were promised when they first joined up (medical for life, a pension for life, etc).

Thank You Veterans

Today is Veteran's Day so I want to take a minute to say thank you to all who have served in the Armed Forces. Serving in the military is not an easy job. Some people say yeah it's not easy but look at all of the benefits you get. The benefits may be fairly good however there is no way to make up for losing a limb in combat, there is no way to make up for missing your kid's birth/first smile/first steps/first day of school/first dance/etc, there is no way to recoup time away from the spouse and family or make up for the stress of being thousands of miles away when a crisis strikes back home.

Our vets have sacrificed a huge amount of them selves, their life, their time, and their psyche to do a job that can be damn hard much of the time. Veterans go off to fight wars so that people in the US can enjoy freedom and democracy (contrarily, being in the military is anything BUT a democracy).

Thank you veterans for your sacrifice and keeping us, and our country, safe!

On a side note, I was amazed at what a festive holiday today was. People seemed to be out and about everywhere and in good spirits. Also, I have never seen so many older retired vets out in uniform as I did today, not just at a parade or military event, but out in town, around the city, and for those brave souls who dared, in line for a free meal at Applebees, Famous Daves, and Golden Corral.

In Honor of Veteran's Day

Today is Veteran's Day. If you know someone who is a Veteran or who is currently serving in the military, give them a call or an email and say thank you. Because of what they have done or are doing for our country, all of the rest of us get to live in one of the best countries on the planet. We have a number of freedoms that most people on the planet will never get to enjoy, we have one of the highest standards of living anywhere, we have unlimited opportunities, and we have a relative peacefulness that is virtually unknown in many other countries. A lot of the time, I rant about all of the problems I see in our country, but on the whole, this is one of the better places in the world in which to live and the reason is because we have an outstanding group of Americans who make up our military. Thank you Veterans and all of the members of our military for what you do to protect us each and every day.

A special note to my son who is deploying to Iraq today...I love you son and I am proud of you. I have faith in your training, your leadership abilities, and your common sense. I won't lie and say I am not afraid to see you go but I know you are man enough for the job that needs to be done. I will pray every day for your safe return.