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.
In the summer of 2023, wildfires decimated portions of Hawaii on the island of Maui. One town, Lahaina, was completely wiped out by the fires, which are said to be the worst in the United States in over a century. Hawaii has a large veteran population, and many vets experience complications or interruptions of VA… Read more »
The Pentagon has not yet fully implemented enhancements to its Exceptional Family Member Program, and that’s a problem for military families with special needs who may be left without support or medical care depending on where they are assigned. A report by the DoD Office of the Inspector General faults the DoD for not updating the program as originally directed. Learn more.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ official site, there are approximately 33 thousand homeless veterans in the United States in 2022. And while that number represents a downward trend in veteran homelessness, the issue is still a major cause of concern at the VA. VA Deploys Mobile Medical Units To Help Homeless Veterans In… Read more »
Those unfamiliar with military culture may be surprised to learn that the Department of Defense has its own grocery store system for military bases. And in 2023, that system is being improved and reworked to expand commissary services and enhance them. What’s Changing in the Defense Commissary Agency? In 2022, the U.S. Secretary of Defense… Read more »
Many have heard of the PACT Act, legislation created to offer qualifying veterans and their families compensation for service-connected toxic exposures. But there’s another law, known as the SERVICE Act, operating in a similar way but focused on breast cancer screenings for veterans. PACT Act and SERVICE Act: What’s the Difference? According to VA.gov, the… Read more »
Military housing benefits are an important part of the compensation troops and their families are offered in exchange for the sacrifices made through military service. But how is this benefit eroded when those benefits require people to live in substandard, poorly maintained, and even dangerous housing? In 2023, lawmakers pressed the Department of Defense to… Read more »
UPDATE April 29 2024: The Department of Veterans Affairs has revised its guidelines for healthcare access. Those who previoulsy did not qualify because of military discharges related to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, gender identity, those who were discharged with other-than-honorable characterizations due to combat trauma, being a victim of discrimination or military sexual assault, and… Read more »
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides healthcare options to women veterans enrolled or who want to enroll in the VA healthcare system. These options include birth control services for women and support for reproductive health. There are several important things to know about VA birth control services for women veterans, as we explore below. VA… Read more »
The Department of Defense has finally issued guidance on a new pet PCS policy; that guidance includes slashing the amount of the PCS benefit and delaying implementation until 2024. Pentagon Pet PCS Policy History In June 2023, we reported on a new DoD policy offering up to $4000 in reimbursement for costs associated with shipping… Read more »
Ever since the passage of the PACT Act, which expands VA benefits to qualifying veterans who suffer medical complications from duty-related toxic exposures, there has been a rise in scams targeting those who might benefit from the PACT Act. How widespread is this problem? The official site for AARP notes, “With new benefits come new… Read more »