Every week, VA sends a newsletter that is jam-packed with resources like free concert tickets, farming assistance, workout programs, national park passes and Veteran discounts on hundreds of services.
VA makes no endorsements of the privately offered resources, but we share them to generate awareness of all that’s available to the Veteran community.
Here are the Top 10 most popular Veteran resources from 2022:
1. Veterans, Gold Star Families get free lifetime pass to national parks, wildlife refuges, other public lands
On Veterans Day 2022, the U.S. National Park Service unveiled a lifetime pass providing free entrance to national parks for Veterans and their families. The pass gives them free access to about 2,000 public locations spread out across more than 400 million acres of public lands.
2. Veteran discounts available year-round
A comprehensive list of Veteran and military discounts that are good all year and are updated based on additional awareness.
3. Record pay increase for Veterans receiving VA compensation benefits
VA announced compensation payment rate increases based on the latest cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Beginning on Jan. 1, 2023, Veterans and beneficiaries who receive VA compensation benefits began seeing an 8.7% increase in their monthly compensation benefits—the largest increase in over 30 years.
4. VALife insurance program coming in January 2023 for Veterans with service connection
In January 2023, VA launched a new life insurance program called Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife). The program provides guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance coverage to Veterans 80 and under, with any level of service-connected disability.
5. Benefits, resources available to Veterans of OIF, Southwest Asia theater of operations
VA announced that Veterans who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Southwest Asia and other locations may be entitled to compensation for medical conditions presumed to be related to exposure to fine particulate matter. For more information on new presumptive conditions, visit the Airborne Hazards and Burn Pit Exposures – Public Health page.
6. Health application aims to transform Veteran heart health
VHA Innovation Ecosystem, in collaboration with Evidation, is encouraging Veterans to enroll in Heart Health. This free application-based program helps educate Veterans about their heart health and chronic conditions using their smartphones and wearable devices. Veterans can track relevant health data, including activity, mood, symptom and weight data.
7. Free training programs offer Veterans, military spouses path to career techs
Veterans and their spouses are eligible for free training programs offered by NPower, which is now taking applications for spring 2023 classes. NPower’s program has served more than 1,600 Veterans and spouses with free tech training, professional development, social and mental health support, assistance navigating VA benefits, paid learning opportunities and job placement.
8. Disability compensation and benefits available to Vietnam War Veterans
Vietnam Veterans or eligible survivors of a Veteran with a presumptive disease linked to exposure to Agent Orange may be eligible for VA disability compensation. You can file a claim or appeal a decided claim on your own or with help from an accredited attorney, claims agent or Veterans Service Officer (VSO).
9. Commissary shopping privileges for Veterans
The following groups have shopping privileges at commissaries: Veterans with a service-connected disability according to VA; Veterans who are Purple Heart recipients; Veterans who are former prisoners of war; and people assessed, approved and designated as the primary family caregivers of eligible Veterans under VA’s Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers.
10. VA Outreach and Events Calendar
VA benefits can help Veterans and their families buy homes, earn degrees, start careers, stay healthy and more. Join an event for conversation and information.
VetResources Weekly Newsletter
If you do not receive the #VetResources weekly newsletter, sign up today at www.VA.gov/VetResources. Past newsletters can be found here, and all #VetResources blog posts are online at https://news.va.gov/category/vets-experience/vetresources/.
Know of a Veteran resource we should share? Post it in the comments box below.
The sharing of any non-VA information does not constitute an endorsement of products and services on the part of VA.