Spotlight on the Benefits Available to Military Families
The families of service members in the United States make a number of noteworthy sacrifices, from moving frequently to spending long periods of time separated from their spouses and parents. This can place an undue amount of stress on military families, in some cases making it difficult for them to thrive in academics, work, and social settings.
Fortunately, a governmental entity called the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a number of important benefits to current and former service members and their families. These benefits can help service members reintegrate into civilian life after their service and assist military families (and particularly children) in dealing with related challenges and prepare for successful careers as students and professionals.
Benefits available to military families range from healthcare to social programs, academic scholarships, professional services, and home loans. The following are some of the most impactful benefits.
Disability Benefits
The VA provides compensation to the families of service members who have died as a result of their time in the military in order to mitigate the financial burden of losing their primary providers. It may also provide compensation to those who died outside of their work in the military if they were previously deemed fully disabled. This is in addition to disability payments that are made to surviving service members who have suffered from a variety of injuries, illnesses, and other disabilities during their time in the military.
Healthcare Benefits
Former service members receive healthcare coverage through the VA, and their family members may also qualify for a number of similar benefits. These benefits are available through a number of programs, including the Civilian Health and Medical Programs, Benefits for Children of Women Vietnam Veterans, the Foreign Medical Program, and the VA Caregiver Support Program. A number of mental healthcare programs are also available to help family members cope with the absence of deployed service members. In addition, the program can help them to readjust when service members return from deployment or die while serving. These include bereavement counseling and family counseling.
Educational Services
The VA provides a host of educational support programs and financial aid for the spouses and dependents of service members and former service members. These include the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, and various scholarship programs. The Post-9/11 GI Bill helps to pay for education or skills development for veterans who have served at least 90 days on active duty since 9/11 or who have served 30 days straight since 9/11, or who have received a Purple Heart since 9/11. These benefits may also be transferred to the dependents of these individuals.
On the other hand, the Interstate Compact helps to facilitate enrollment in school and the transfer of school records, and placement. In addition, it makes allowances for missed school due to deployments and helps students gain entry to extracurriculars, among other benefits. Many of the benefits provided by the Interstate Compact are intended to help mitigate the adverse effects of frequent moves.
Programs such as Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance, the Heroes’ Legacy Scholarship, and the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship also help the dependents and spouses of military service members to afford an education.
Career Guidance and Skills Development
In addition to offering people with assistance in accessing education, the VA provides career guidance and skills development opportunities to the dependents and spouses of service members. This includes career choice counseling, benefits coaching (helping those who are eligible to access various programs that provide benefits), and personalized support through the Veteran Readiness and Employment program. The ultimate goal of these and related programs is to ensure that veterans and their families are able to successfully integrate into society and civilian careers after their service ends.
Life Insurance Benefits
In addition to receiving coverage under the Family Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance plan, the spouses of those in the armed forces can transfer this coverage to private insurance companies under specific circumstances (such as proof of good health and meeting certain timeline requirements). Besides the financial benefits provided under life insurance, beneficiaries can access financial counseling services and online will preparation services. There are also accelerated benefit options available to those who are terminally ill and who have a limited time left to live.
Housing Benefits
One of the better-known benefits provided to veterans and their families are VA-backed loans related to home ownership. These include purchase loans (often referred to as mortgages), cash-out refinance home loans, and interest rate reduction refinance loans. These loans typically offer low interest rates and down payment requirements, making them a great option for those looking to purchase or refinance a home.
Burial Services
The VA offers a wide range of burial services for service members and their families, including headstones, plaques, and burial plots in VA cemeteries. In many cases, these benefits are available even if family members pass away before their military spouse or parent.
In Conclusion
In addition to the extensive range of benefits provided to service members and their families by the VA, there are a number of private organizations and foundations that provide support and services to military families. Organizations such as the Corvias Foundation work in partnership with a range of entities to ensure that the members of military families have the tools and support they need to achieve their academic and professional goals.