This generation of veterans and servicemembers has access to the best benefits of any era in history. From the VA Home Loan program to the GI Bill, you can save money, enhance your career opportunities, and even change your life. Don’t miss out on any of the military and veteran benefits you have earned.
Under TRICARE, family members have the most flexibility. They can choose between TRICARE Prime, TRICARE Select, and other options available to them, depending on where they live and where the military member is assigned. Family members also have greater flexibility in dental care. Those serving on active duty don’t have the same options as family… Read more »
Update: The Pentagon has completed a review of military discharges under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. The details of that review and subsuquent military discharge upgrades as a result of that reiew are found in this article. According to a Pentagon news release, more than “96% of those administratively separated” under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” who… Read more »
There’s good news and bad news. The good news (for the DoD) is that the United States Army met its retention goals for fiscal year 2023. The bad news? Meeting that goal means the Army has no incentive (for now) to continue offering reenlistment bonuses. It has temporarily paused the program. What is the U.S. Army… Read more »
Some veterans and family members affected by the Camp Lejeune contaminated water scandal have an alternative way to collect the compensation they are due from the federal government for exposure to contaminated water at the North Carolina Marine Corps base. The passage of the PACT Act created opportunities for veterans and family members to submit… Read more »
If you tried to add or remove dependents from your VA records since 2011, you may need to contact the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure your updates were actually recorded in the system. VA Admits Problems With Updating Dependents In Its System The VA has issued another apology for failure to process claims. This… Read more »
Learn about the TRICARE fee increases for 2024, including changes to enrollment fees and premiums for retirees and veterans.
The Department of Veterans Affairs system is designed for veterans to submit claims for benefits, have those claims reviewed and approved (or denied), and the VA has a standardized notification process for those decisions. The notification phase of the process typically includes the physical mailing of on-paper VA benefits “decision letters” announcing the application was… Read more »
There are two TRICARE options you can choose from when selecting your military health insurance coverage. One option is called TRICARE Prime, the other is TRICARE Select. Which option is right for you? It depends on the circumstances, as we’ll examine below.
In the summer of 2023, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) announced an extension of a 2013 pilot program allowing the DoD to provide military members and their families with certain healthcare testing that fell outside FDA regulatory procedures. TRICARE has since made its own announcement, adding coverage for some testing previously offered in the pilot program.
UPDATE: November 28, 2023 The Department of Veterans Affairs reminded qualifying veterans about an important deadline–September 30, 2023, which was the final day for vets who deployed to a combat zone after 9/11 but never enrolled in VA healthcare to apply for VA healthcare benefits. Veterans who left active duty between September 11, 2001, and… Read more »