There are approximately 16.5 million veterans in the US. Many of these veterans successfully transition back to civilian life and enter into careers, start businesses, or go back to school.
Yet, not every veteran makes the transition successfully. In some cases, they have ongoing medical conditions from their time in service. Others have lingering mental trauma from their time in combat.
Fortunately, there are many veteran services out there designed to help you more successfully transition to civilian life or get the care you need. Keep reading for five veteran services you should know about.
- G.I. Bill
While the military does a pretty good job of letting members know about it, the G.I. Bill provides financial assistance for veterans looking for additional college education or job training.
The total amount available varies based on time in service, but the G.I. Bill can largely or completely cover the costs for a degree granted at a public university. You can also use the G.I. Bill to cover training in a trade, such as plumbing.
- Veteran Evaluation Services
Veteran Evaluation Services typically helps veterans during the initial transition period into civilian life. The service provides disability medical exams that the veteran can use with the VA.
Not all disabilities are obvious or crippling. For example, you might suffer partial hearing loss after your time in service. Getting that on the record can make getting treatment easier down the road.
It might also qualify you for disability compensation.
- Veteran Assistance Program
The VA benefit assistance program aims at helping senior citizens get the VA Aid & Attendance benefit. This benefit primarily helps with a range of medical and assistance-based services, such as:
- Personal care
- Alzheimer’s care
- Housekeeping
- Meal planning
- Medication reminders
- Transportation
These services can prove crucial for senior veterans that wish to remain in their homes.
- Veteran Funeral Services
It’s a sad fact that funerals are a costly business. An average funeral runs about $7000. While the government won’t front the full costs of a funeral, there are funeral allowances available to veterans that can help defray the total costs.
- Organizations
In addition to the VA, there are many veteran service organizations out there. Some of these are veteran care organizations that focus on providing or securing proper medical or mental health services for veterans.
Others focus on areas like helping veterans connect with jobs or job training, legal services, or even securing their veteran benefits.
Veteran Services and You
For many veterans, especially new veterans, the kinds of services available are often a murky mess. Sorting through what you need and what you qualify for is often a difficult task.
Some services, such as the G.I. Bill, are fairly well-known, while things like funeral allowance are not. The good news is that there are many veteran service organizations that can help identify and secure the services that you need.
Looking for more about veteran services and life? Check out our Law and Health sections for more posts.