Angie Papple Johnston - Veterans Benefits Guide for Dummies

Veterans Benefits Guide For Dummies

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Copyright 2023 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2022945874

ISBN: 978-1-119-90761-9 (pbk);

ISBN: 978-1-119-90762-6 (ebk); ISBN: 978-1-119-90763-3 (ebk)

1. Chapter 2
2. Chapter 3
3. Chapter 5
4. Chapter 6
5. Chapter 13
6. Chapter 16
7. Chapter 20
8. Chapter 21
9. Chapter 22
10. Chapter 26

1. Chapter 2

Somewhere in the neighborhood of 200,000 people leave military service each year. If youre reading this book, theres a pretty good chance that youre on your way out, military service is already in your rearview mirror, or someone you care about once swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.

As a veteran of the United States Armed Forces, youre entitled to a wide range of benefits designed to help you get and stay on your feet. Some of those benefits come directly from Uncle Sam by way of your branch, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other government agencies, and others are from civilian organizations that want to pitch in to help veterans succeed.

Regardless of where these myriad benefits come from, the fact is that youve earned them. But nothing is as easy as it seems: Sometimes these benefits are tough to find. The Veterans Administration (VA) and other government agencies arent exactly known for their efficiency, and sometimes great veterans benefits get lost in the shuffle. Theyre buried under mountains of paperwork, accidentally hidden on hard-to-navigate websites, or simply not publicized at all, so many veterans dont even know what they qualify for without sitting down with a VA rep or Veterans Service Officer (commonly called a VSO). And that doesnt even cover benefits you can get from civilian organizations and agencies!

Thats where Veterans Benefits Guide For Dummies comes in.

Let me get this out of the way first: This book doesnt contain any classified information on veterans benefits. In fact, if you knew where to look, you could probably find sufficient information on at least some of the benefits I outline in this book. Most of them are tucked away somewhere on the VAs or Department of Defenses many websites, in the text of federal and state laws, and buried in other publications. In other words, theyre all over the place.

This handy guide consolidates all of them, so its your complete guide to veterans benefits that come from multiple government and civilian organizations. (Just remember: These benefits are subject to change, so if you find one that interests you, go straight to the organization that offers it to get the most current information.) You can use this book to save time and avoid the headaches associated with finding and applying for your earned benefits. It explains all your benefits in ways that wont stress you out or leave you scratching your head in confusion. This book even tells you who qualifies for which benefits based on discharge status, time periods served, and family status (thats right your spouse and kids can earn some, too). I even point out a number of benefits you can get from your state government and private organizations so you have the most well-rounded picture of what youre entitled to.

This book answers big questions, such as

• Can I get medical care or mental healthcare if I didnt retire from service? Where can I go and what can I do if Im in a crisis?
• How do military pensions and VA disability payments work?
• How will the government help me find a job?
• How do I use my VA loan, and what can I use it for?
• How do I use my GI Bill, and how much money will Uncle Sam pay me to go to school? What other programs can pay for my tuition?