This generation of veterans and servicemembers have access to the best benefits of any era in history. From the VA Home Loan program, to the GI Bill you can save you money, enhance your career opportunities and even change your life. Don’t miss out on any of the benefits you have earned.
LATEST:
On Friday, June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade, the legal precedent which provided Constitutional protections for a woman’s right to choose for nearly five decades. This move will likely trigger bans on certain reproductive healthcare services offered in approximately half of the United States according to the Associated Press; the move… Read more »
Asbestos exposure related to military service is a serious issue. There are many ways to become exposed. Some military career fields have an elevated risk of asbestos exposure, and some types of military duty put troops at risk. Some are exposed and never develop a medical problem, while others may develop cancer, mesothelioma, or other… Read more »
Funeral planning is something we all try not to think about until there’s a reason to do so. Veterans and their families have VA burial benefit options they can use including a VA burial allowance that can offset the cost of paying for funeral services when the time comes.
Are you the spouse or child of a veteran? If so, you may already be familiar with some VA benefits, but did you know that children and legally married spouses of veterans may also be entitled to certain VA benefits? You may not be required to have any military service to apply for some VA… Read more »
What does the Department of Veterans Affairs offer to veterans who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community? LGBTQ+ refers in this context to a large group of people who include but are not limited to veterans who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer. The VA official site adds that the plus sign,… Read more »
If you are a veteran with a qualifying VA-rated disability that affects your ability to find or keep a job, there is VA help in the form of a program called Veteran Readiness and Employment program.
If you are retiring or separating from military service, you will need to set up an account with the Department of Veterans Affairs in order to begin claiming VA benefits such as the GI Bill, or VA compensation for service-connected medical issues.
If you are getting ready to retire or separate from the United States military, chances are good you are already thinking about applying for VA compensation for service-connected medical issues. If you have already applied and received a decision, you may be wondering how you can increase your VA disability compensation.
The Department of Veterans Affairs offers education benefits for qualifying dependents and surviving spouses of military members who have died, is missing, or is a prisoner of war.
If you have served in the United States military, you may be eligible for VA compensation for service-connected medical issues, injuries, illness, or related conditions. The Department of Veterans Affairs has a screening and application process for VA benefits you can use to start the claim process. This process is open to those retiring and/or… Read more »
There are some important steps to take when you apply for VA disability benefits. Some of them apply situationally, such as what to do if you have to start the application process from an overseas location. Others are more universal, such as knowing what to do if you lose your DD Form 214, Report of… Read more »
What to know about TRICARE and non-covered services. TRICARE most likely covers most of what you need to stay healthy, both physically and mentally, to help you get well after an illness, or to help you heal after an injury. However, there are services they don’t cover. This can complicate things, especially if the service… Read more »
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is a mental health issue that can be diagnosed and rated by the VA as a service-connected disability. If you are about to retire or separate from military service and suspect you may have a PTSD claim, it’s good to know how the VA reviews and rates this condition for… Read more »
Check out the new The Warrior Care Releases Innovative Electronic Caregiver Resource Directory tool! The Defense Health Agency’s Warrior Care Military Caregiver Support Program has partnered with the National Resource Directory and released the electronic Caregiver Resource Directory (e-CRD). The e-CRD is an innovative digital version of the Caregiver Resource Directory that military caregivers, as… Read more »
The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee reaches agreement on the Honoring Our PACT Act, a bill to care for toxic exposed Veterans.
The FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program can help Veterans access low-cost or no-cost broadband internet for VA Telehealth appointments
Temporary Lodging Allowance (TLA) for when you PCS OCONUS If you have orders to PCS to an OCONUS location, you may be wondering about what types of entitlements you will receive. OCONUS includes any overseas location as well as Alaska and Hawaii. One of the most common OCONUS entitlements is TLA or Temporary Lodging Allowance…. Read more »
Tips to Save Money During Your Upcoming PCS As everyone knows, everything seems to be more expensive these days. Gas prices are enough to make us faint at the pump, and everything seems more expensive than it used to be. When you are preparing for a move, all of that can make you cringe. But,… Read more »
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) added nine respiratory cancers to a list of presumptive conditions leading to service-connected disabilities. These cancers are rare and would likely stem from toxic military exposures like burn pits. The 9 Rare Cancers The following respiratory cancers have been added to the VA’s list of presumptive conditions: Squamous cell… Read more »
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which is a perfect time to talk about an initiative from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) called Make the Connection. Make The Connection: A Mental Health Resource The VA has collected stories from veterans who explain the challenges they’ve faced during and after their military service. These veteran… Read more »
Learn about some little known aspects of your Veterans Group Life Insurance (VGLI) coverage. They could save you money!
In any given year, 11-20 out of 100 veterans who served in OIF or OEF have PTSD. The rate is 12% for those who served in the Gulf War, and 30% of Vietnam veterans have had PTSD during their lifetime. Learn more about some of the 200+ VA treatment programs and other resources for PTSD.
These Grants Will Be for Suicide Prevention Services On April 15th, the VA published a Notice of Funding Opportunity for $51,750,000 in suicide prevention grants. These grants will be awarded to organizations that provide or coordinate suicide prevention services for veterans at risk of suicide and the families of those veterans. Helping those at risk… Read more »
Last week the U.S. Army updated its Parenthood, Pregnancy, and Postpartum Directive. This directive is aimed at improving opportunities for soldiers to advance their careers and also provide the time and flexibility that is needed to care for military families.
Here is what you need to know about a Personally Procured Move (PPM) When you get those PCS orders, if you are moving CONUS to CONUS, you will be able to decide between doing a full military PCS or a full or partial PPM PCS. With a full military move, you set up a time… Read more »
Delivery From the Commissary? Yes Please! In 2019, the Commissary added the Click2Go service allowing patrons to be able to order and pay for their groceries online, and then go to the Commissary and use curbside pick up to get them. This has been a great service but the next step is Commissary delivery. When… Read more »
Use the Relocation Assistance Program to Help Ease the PCS Stress If you are getting ready for your next PCS, you may be feeling the pressure of what is to come. Military moves can be stressful and require a lot of patience. There are a lot of steps to get through and to check off… Read more »
Looking For a New Business Idea that You Can Easily Take with You During Military Life? As a military spouse, you want to be able to have your own career. This can be complicated with frequent moves, and just the uncertainty of military life. One option is to run your own business. Here are a… Read more »
As a TRICARE recipient, you are eligible for telemedicine services that connect you with therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists. Learn more.
The “Our Military Kids” Program Offers $300 Grants We all know that kids and their activities can cost money. If you have multiple children, that can add up. If you are an active duty family you have access to what they offer on your military installation, but if you are a National Guard, Reservist, or… Read more »
The Near Patient Program is Helping Military Families Overseas Last September, the Near Patient Program was started to give TRICARE Families overseas extra support. The program will allow families to find the access they need to medical and non-medical professionals in their overseas locations. Oftentimes when you are stationed overseas, you might have some trouble… Read more »
On Mar 1, 2022, President Biden announced that the VA will be adding 9 rare cancers to the presumed service-connected lists. Learn more.
Active duty military life means moving. The Military Interstate Compact addresses the education transition issues of children of military families. Learn how.
Some changes could be coming to the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities having to do with respiratory, auditory, and medical disorders. This will enable the VA to incorporate modern medical data and terminology to provide veterans with more accurate and consistent decisions. Learn more.
VA Loan Benefits: Getting Started Are you wondering how to get started with your VA home loan benefits? The most important thing to do starting out is to determine whether you are currently eligible to receive a VA Certificate of Eligibility (VA COE). Those who are eligible may apply for it may do so in a… Read more »
Starting sometime in 2022, DeCA plans to launch commissary grocery delivery to bring the savings benefits to more eligible patrons.
Ranking the Best PCS Benefits for Members of the Military and Their Families Most military service members and their families will experience at least one PCS during their time in the military. If you haven’t been through a PCS yet, you will. But what benefits can you get that are related to PCSing? Here are… Read more »
Ranking the Best Medical Benefits for Members of the Military and Their Families TRICARE is a big part of being a service member. TRICARE is the health care program of the United States Department of Defense Military Health System. Within TRICARE and the military as a whole there are many different medical benefits. Here are… Read more »
Lawmakers Ask For No Copays On Birth Control TRICARE currently requires copays when it comes to contraceptives and designated health care visits that are related to screening, counseling, insertion, removal, or maintenance of FDA-approved contraceptive devices. On January 20, 2022, 141 House members wrote a letter to press Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to waive these… Read more »
Commissary Benefits for Veterans In 2019, the Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act expanded Commissary benefits to veterans meeting certain eligibility criteria. Previously, Commissary benefits were only open to active duty service members, their dependents, retirees, and a select few others in restricted categories. Things have changed, and DeCA is having a hard… Read more »
Wild Ops: Healing for Combat Veterans “The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” – Douglas MacArthur America’s wars have permanently scarred the souls who have fought through them and survived. Every warrior who returns home from the… Read more »
Military Benefits Questions Answered by VEP The Mission of the Veterans Education Project is to address the current issues that student veterans and service members face every day. They do this by reaching out to the veteran community, advocating for veterans with policy makers, and bringing every possible resource into the fight to support our… Read more »
Combat Cookies is a Veteran-owned non-profit organization that bakes and ships cookies for troops deployed overseas. Learn more.
The 10 Best Financial Benefits for Members of the Military and Their Families What are some of the best financial benefits for those serving in the military? Here are the top 10! 1. VA Loans With a VA Loan, military families have a much better chance of being able to own vs having to rent… Read more »
Tax Free Military Retirement in These States Recently, the states of Arizona, Indiana, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Utah became the newest additions to the list of states who do not tax the pay of military retirees. There are now 26 states that do not tax military retirement pay. The State of Impact The tax exemptions… Read more »
On January 20th, 2022, the House of Representatives passed The Ensuring Veterans’ Smooth Transition Act. Also known as the EVEST Act, H.R. 4673 would make enrollment into the VA system automatic for transitioning service members. Learn more.
For 2022, the IRS annual limit for regular TSP contributions is $20,500. In 2021, it was $19,500. This limit is important because if you are covered by FERS, FERS-RAE, or FERS-FRAE, you will lose Agency Matching TSP contributions after you hit that limit. Learn more.
TRICARE began covering labor doulas, lactation consultants, and lactation counselors on January 1, 2022, as long as certain conditions are met. Learn more.
The FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act to Provide More Parental Leave The FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act is close to being passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Biden. The NDAA is what authorizes the funding levels as well as changing or adding benefits to help make sure the military has the… Read more »
Find out how the recent legislation impacts the veteran community regarding maternity care, military health careers, and prejudice at the VA.