Putting Veterans First
VA pledges to:
§ Treat you with courtesy, compassion and respect at all times
§ Communicate with you accurately, completely and clearly
§ Provide timely service to you
§ Make our services accessible to you
§ Fully answer your questions, concerns and complaints
About VA
We are the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, “VA” for short. We offer a wide range of benefits to our Nation’s veterans, service members, and their families.
What We Offer
VA benefits and services fall into these major categories:
§ Disability Benefits
§ Education & Training Benefits
§ Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment
§ Home Loans
§ Burial Benefits
§ Dependent’s and Survivors’ Benefits
§ Life Insurance
§ Health Care
Who Is Eligible
You may be eligible for VA health care benefits if you are a veteran.
You may be eligible for other VA benefits if you are:
§ A veteran
§ A veteran’s dependent
§ A surviving spouse of child of a deceased veteran
§ A member of the Reserves or National Guard
§ An active duty service member
Disability Benefits
We administer two disability programs. Both pay monthly benefits to disabled veterans.
§ Disability Compensation We can pay you compensation if you are at least 10% disabled as a result of your military service.
§ Disability Pension We can pay you a pension if you are a wartime veteran with limited income and you are no longer able to work.
Time Limits There is no deadline for applying for disability benefits.
Education and Training
We pay benefits to eligible veterans, dependents, reservists, and service members while they are in an approved training program. Our major programs are:
Montgomery GI Bill Persons who first entered active duty after June 30, 1985, are generally eligible. Some Vietnam Era veterans and certain veterans separated under special programs are also eligible. The bill also includes a program for certain reservists and National Guard members.
Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) This program is for veterans who entered active duty for the first time after December 31, 1976, and before July 1, 1985, and contributed to a training fund.
Survivors’ & Dependents’ Educational Assistance Some family members of disabled or deceased veterans are eligible for education benefits.
Time Limits Generally, veterans have 10 years from the date they were last released from active duty to use their education benefits. Reservists generally have 10 years from the date they became eligible for the program unless they leave the Selected Reserves before completing their obligation. Spouses generally have 10 years from the date we first find them eligible. Children are generally eligible from age 18 until age 26. These time limits can sometimes be extended.
Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment
We can help certain service-disabled veterans get and keep suitable employment. Some of the services we provide are:
Employment and case management services
National and Rehabilitation Counseling
Payment of training costs
Monthly payments to help with living expenses
Medical and dental treatment, if needed, to complete your program
Time Limits You generally have 12 years from the date we tell you in writing that you have at least a 10 percent rating for a service-connected disability. You may have longer if certain conditions prevent you from training or if you have a serious employment handicap.
Home Loans
We offer a number of home loan services to eligible veterans, some military personnel, and certain spouses.
Guaranteed Loans We can guarantee part of a loan from a private lender to help you buy a home, a manufactured home, a lot for a manufactured home, or certain types of condominiums. We also guarantee loans for building, repairing, and improving homes.
Refinancing Loans If you have a VA mortgage, we can help you refinance your loan at a lower interest rate. You may also refinance a non-VA loan.
Special Grants Certain disabled veterans can receive grants to have their homes specially adapted to their needs.
Time Limits There is no time limit for a VA home loan, except for eligible reservists. Their eligibility expires September 30, 2007.
Burial Benefits
We offer certain benefits and services to honor our Nation’s deceased veterans.
Headstones and Markers We can furnish a monument to mark the unmarked grave of an eligible veteran.
Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC) We can provide a PMC for eligible recipients.
Burial Flag We can provide an American flag to drape an eligible veteran’s casket.
Reimbursement of Burial Expenses Generally, we can pay a burial allowance of $1,500 for veterans who die of service-related causes. For certain other veterans, we can pay $300 for burial and funeral expenses and $150 for a plot.
Burial in a VA National Cemetery Most veterans and some dependents can be buried in a VA national cemetery.
Time Limits There is no time limit for claiming reimbursement of burial expenses for a service-related death. In other cases, claims must be filed within 2 years of the veteran’s burial.
Dependents’ and Survivors’ Benefits
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is payable to survivors of:
Service members who died on active duty
Veterans who died from service-related disabilities
Certain veterans who were being paid 100% VA disability compensation at time of death
Death Pension is payable to some surviving spouses and children of deceased wartime veterans. The benefit is based on financial need.
VA Civilian Health and Medical Program (CHAMPVA) shares the cost of medical services for eligible dependents and survivors of certain veterans.
Time Limits There are not time limits for applying for the benefits described above.
Disability Benefits
We administer two disability programs. Both pay monthly benefits to disabled veterans.
Disability Compensation We can pay you compensation if you re at least 10% disabled as a result of your military service.
Disability Pension We can pay you a pension if you are a wartime veteran with limited income and you are not longer able to work.
Time Limits There is no deadline for applying for disability benefits.
Education and Training
We pay benefits to eligible veterans, dependents, reservists, and service members while they are in an approved training program. Our major programs are:
Montgomery GI Bill Persons who first entered active duty after June 30, 1985, are generally eligible. Some Vietnam Era veterans and certain veterans separated under special programs are also eligible. The bill also includes a program for certain reservists and National Guard members.
Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) This program is for veterans who entered active duty for the first time after December 31, 1976, and before July 1, 1985, and contributed to a training fund.
Survivors’ & Dependents’ Educational Assistance Some family members of disabled or deceased veterans are eligible for education benefits.
Time Limits Generally, veterans have 10 years from the date they were last released from active duty to use their education benefits. Reservists generally have 10 years from the date they became eligible for the program unless they leave the Selected Reserves before completing their obligation. Spouses generally have 10 years from the date we first find them eligible. Children are generally eligible from age 18 until age 26. These time limits can sometimes be extended.
Health Care
We provide a number of health care services.
Hospital, outpatient medical, dental, pharmacy and prosthetic services
Domiciliary, nursing home, and community-based residential care
Sexual trauma counseling
Specialized health care for women veterans
Health and rehabilitation programs for homeless veterans
Readjustment counseling
Alcohol and drug dependency treatment
Medical evaluation for military service exposure, including Gulf War, Agent Orange, radiation, or other environmental hazards.
Life Insurance
Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) is low-cost term life insurance for service members and reservists. Generally, coverage begins when you enter the service. It is available in amounts up to $200,000. Generally, it expires 120 days after you get out of the service.
Veterans Group Life Insurance (VGLI) is Renewable five-year term life insurance for veterans. It is available in amounts up to $200,000. You may apply any time within 1 year from the date your SGLI expires.
Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance, also called “RH” Insurance, is life insurance for service-disabled veterans. The basic coverage is $10,000. If your premium payments for the basic policy are waived, you may be eligible for a supplemental policy of up to $20,000. Generally, you have 2 years after being notified of your service-connected disability to apply for basic coverage.
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