VA Benefits

Veteran Benefits You Might Be Missing

This guide is for any veteran or family member who wants to find benefits they earned but may never have used. It covers federal programs that are easy to miss: a free lifetime pass to national parks, on-base shopping for veterans with a disability rating, online exchange shopping, Space-A flights, veteran ID cards, free counseling and tax filing after you separate, legal help, home loan and life insurance savings, and burial and memorial honors. For each one, you'll find who qualifies, how to get it, and the catch.

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VA Benefits · Updated October 2026 · 15 min read

Before you rely on this

This guide is general information, current as of October 2026. It is not legal, tax or financial advice, and it can't cover every rule, exception or local policy. Confirm the details with the agency that runs each benefit before you act.

Some figures change without much notice. DeCA's commissary card user fee has changed before, and DoD says the rates may be adjusted annually. Park pass shipping and processing fees, the VA funding fee table (in effect since April 7, 2023), VALife's coverage limit, and program windows such as Military OneSource's 365 days can change when an agency updates its policy or Congress changes the law.

Your own facts decide eligibility: your discharge characterization, your exact VA rating and whether it is permanent and total, whether you're enrolled in VA health care, and the access rules at a particular base on a particular day. Installations can restrict visitor access for many reasons, including periods of heightened threat.

Free help is available. Accredited Veterans Service Organization representatives help with VA claims at no cost, your County Veterans Service Officer can help you find and apply for federal and state benefits, military legal assistance offices may help retirees and other eligible people when staff are available, and Military OneSource (800-342-9647) serves you and your family for 365 days after separation.

You don't need to pay anyone to apply for the benefits in this guide. Before anyone helps with a VA claim, look them up in VA's Office of General Counsel accreditation search.

State benefits aren't covered here. Ask your County Veterans Service Officer or your state's department of veterans affairs what applies where you live.

A free lifetime pass to national parks and federal lands

If you served in the U.S. Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserves, you can get the Military Lifetime Pass for free. Gold Star Families qualify too. The National Park Service defines them as the next of kin of a service member who lost his or her life in a qualifying situation, such as a war, an international terrorist attack, or a military operation outside the United States.

The pass covers entrance fees and standard amenity (day-use) fees on lands managed by the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Where fees are charged by the vehicle, it admits you and everyone in a single private, noncommercial vehicle, or up to two motorcycles. Where fees are charged per person, it covers you and up to three other people age 16 or older.

You can pick up the pass for free at many national parks and federal recreation sites. Veterans bring one of the four IDs listed below. Gold Star Family members bring a Gold Star Voucher, which they can print from the National Park Service website. You can also get a free digital pass on Recreation.gov, where a physical card adds a $7.50 shipping fee, or order a card by mail from the USGS Store for a $10 processing fee. USGS Store passes are not digital and may take weeks to ship.

The catch: the pass does not cover or discount camping, tours, special recreation permits, reservation fees, fees for organized groups, or concession-run facilities and activities. It is also nontransferable.

A Department of Defense ID card (DD Form 2, DD Form 2765 or Next Generation USID)
A Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
A Veteran ID Card (VIC)
A state-issued driver's license or ID card with a veteran designation

Commissary, exchange and MWR access with a disability rating

Since January 1, 2020, veterans with any VA service-connected disability rating, including 0%, can shop in person at military commissaries and exchanges and use morale, welfare and recreation (MWR) retail activities on base. The same goes for Purple Heart recipients, former prisoners of war, and caregivers approved and designated as the primary family caregiver under VA's Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. Medal of Honor recipients and veterans rated 100% already had these privileges.

What you show depends on your status. Veterans rated 0% to 90%, Purple Heart recipients and former POWs can use a Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) that shows PURPLE HEART, FORMER POW or SERVICE CONNECTED. If you have a rating but no VHIC, or you're a caregiver, the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) says to bring a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or ID card plus a copy of a VA document that proves eligibility: a service-connected disability letter, a caregiver patronage letter, or VA Health Eligibility Center Form H623A. Veterans rated 100%, veterans with a 100% unemployability rating, and Medal of Honor recipients can get a DoD ID card at a military ID card (RAPIDS) office instead. That card carries broader privileges, and their family members qualify too.

On your first visit, stop at the installation's visitor center. You show your credential, pass an on-the-spot criminal record and terrorism check, and go through an electronic check of your eligibility. Once enrolled, you can go straight to the gate on later visits. DeCA says enrollment is typically valid for one to three years, or one year after your last visit, and you must re-enroll when your VHIC or REAL ID expires. Some bases also ask for vehicle registration and proof of insurance, so call ahead.

The catch: commissary prices include a 5% surcharge that every shopper pays. Veterans and caregivers who qualify only through this expansion also pay a user fee when they use a commercial credit or debit card. DeCA currently lists 1.43% for credit and signature debit cards, 0.36% for PIN debit cards, and no fee for cash, SNAP EBT or eWIC. The exchanges add no surcharge or user fee. Family members of veterans who qualify only through this expansion don't get privileges, the benefit can't pass to a surviving spouse, base gyms and fitness centers aren't included, and access in foreign countries isn't guaranteed.

Commissaries and military exchanges, in store and online
Recreational lodging, RV campgrounds and military resorts
Bowling centers, golf courses, restaurants, marinas and movie theaters
Equipment rental, vehicle storage and kennels
American Forces Travel, DoD's discount leisure travel booking site

Online exchange shopping for every honorably discharged veteran

You don't need a disability rating to shop the military exchanges online. Since November 11, 2017, the Veterans Online Shopping Benefit has been a lifelong benefit for honorably discharged veterans of every branch, including the Reserve components and the National Guard. The Army and Air Force Exchange Service says that covers a discharge characterized as honorable or general under honorable conditions. You get tax-free shopping and exclusive military pricing.

To sign up, create an account on an exchange website such as ShopMyExchange.com. The Exchange validates eligibility through the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS). If it can't confirm you there, you'll get a link to VetVerify.org, a shared service of the four military exchanges, where you upload a discharge document such as a DD214 (member copies 2 through 8), DD215, NGB-22 or DD256/257. The Exchange says verification can take up to three days.

The catch: this benefit is online only. It doesn't get you onto a base or into a brick-and-mortar exchange, it doesn't extend to family members, and Military OneSource notes that it excludes uniforms, alcohol and tobacco products. If you also have a VA disability rating, the in-person privileges in the section above apply to you.

Space-A flights for veterans rated 100% permanent and total

If VA rates your service-connected disability as permanent and total (100% P&T), you can fly on military aircraft on a Space-Available (Space-A) basis. Space-A fills surplus seats after all space-required passengers and cargo are accommodated. Air Mobility Command (AMC) places you in Category VI, the last of its six travel categories, alongside retirees.

Where you can go is limited. DoD's air transportation rules and AMC's Space-A page let 100% P&T veterans travel within the continental United States, directly between the continental U.S. and Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam or American Samoa, or within Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Travelers to Guam or American Samoa may transit Hawaii or Alaska. Your dependents may fly too, but only when they travel with you.

You'll need a DoD ID card that shows "100% DAV" in its affiliation block, which you can get at a military ID card (RAPIDS) office, and each dependent who flies with you needs a dependent DoD ID card with the same affiliation. Sign up with the AMC passenger terminal you want to leave from: in person, by email or fax, with AMC Form 140, or through AMC's online sign-up tools. You can list up to five destinations, and you stay on the list for 60 days after you register or until you're selected.

The catch: no seat is guaranteed, and AMC says Space-A travelers must be prepared to pay for commercial travel if schedules change or flights become unavailable. The flight itself is low cost, though AMC says passengers are often charged a federal inspection fee and head tax, and other costs can include lodging, ground transportation and meals. Seats are normally identified 3 to 4 hours before departure and sometimes as late as 30 minutes before, so plan to wait at the terminal. Space-A can't be used for personal gain or business.

Veteran ID cards: which one does what

The Veteran ID Card (VIC) is a digital photo ID from VA that you can use for veteran discounts at restaurants, hotels, stores and other businesses. You may be eligible if you served on active duty, in the Reserves or in the National Guard (including the Coast Guard) and received an honorable or general (under honorable conditions) discharge. Apply online with your Social Security number, a digital copy of your discharge document (such as a DD214), a copy of a current government-issued ID, and a photo that meets VA's requirements. Since September 2022, all new VICs are digital.

Know its limits. VA says you can't use the VIC to prove eligibility for federal benefits, get onto a military base, shop at a commissary or exchange, show as ID at the airport, check in at a VA hospital, prove military retirement, or prove wartime service for a special license plate. The National Park Service does accept it for the Military Lifetime Pass.

The Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) is for veterans enrolled in VA health care. You use it to check in for appointments at VA medical centers, and you can show it for veteran discounts. After your VA health care welcome call, request one in person at a VA medical center (bring a current photo ID) or online through AccessVA with a photo and a copy of your ID. In the U.S., VA says the card should arrive in 7 to 14 days. If you'll use it to get on base, check that it shows PURPLE HEART, FORMER POW or SERVICE CONNECTED. If it doesn't, ask the enrollment coordinator at your VA medical center to update your record, then request a new card.

VA also says all 50 states and Puerto Rico offer a veteran designation on state-issued driver's licenses or ID cards, and most ask for a copy of your discharge papers. That designation is one of the IDs the National Park Service accepts for the lifetime pass, and some businesses accept it for discounts. Your state's motor vehicle agency can tell you how to add it.

Free counseling, tax filing and legal help

Military OneSource's free support doesn't end the day you separate. Its short-term, confidential counseling is open to service members and immediate family members listed in DEERS for 365 days after separation, in person, by phone, by secure chat or by video, for issues like stress, relationship challenges and coping with grief and loss. It also offers financial counseling to retirees and members discharged under honorable or general (under honorable conditions) characterizations for up to 365 days after their retirement, end-of-tour or discharge date.

MilTax, Military OneSource's tax service, covers recent veterans up to 365 days from their separation or retirement date. You can file a federal return and up to five state returns at no charge and talk with a tax consultant for free. The clock starts at separation, not at tax season, so check whether your window will still be open when you file. Call 800-342-9647 or use the secure chat on the Military OneSource website.

For legal questions, many legal service providers run free clinics in VA facilities, and VA's Office of General Counsel keeps a listing of those pro bono clinics on VA.gov. The Veterans Justice Outreach Specialist at your nearest VA medical center may also know of clinics and other community legal help. VA notes that it does not endorse these providers, so ask what a clinic handles before you go.

Military retirees may be able to get help from a military legal assistance office. Under 10 U.S.C. 1044, the services may help members and former members entitled to retired or retainer pay, and their dependents, with personal civil legal affairs, subject to the availability of legal staff. Guard and Reserve members released from a mobilization of more than 30 days may also qualify, for a period at least twice as long as they served on that active duty. Call ahead, since an office that is short of staff may limit what it takes.

Two money benefits tied to a disability rating

If you receive VA disability compensation, you don't pay the VA home loan funding fee. That's real money: under VA's current rate table, in effect since April 7, 2023, the fee on a first-use purchase loan with less than 5% down is 2.15% of the loan amount. VA also waives it if you're eligible for compensation but receive retirement or active-duty pay instead, if you receive Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) as a surviving spouse, if you're a service member with a proposed or memorandum rating from a pre-discharge claim before closing, or if you're on active duty and show proof of a Purple Heart on or before closing.

If your rating comes after you close, you may still get the fee back. VA says you may be eligible for a refund if you're later awarded compensation with an effective date before your loan closing date. A proposed or memorandum rating that arrives after closing doesn't qualify. Ask your VA regional loan center.

VALife is VA's guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance for veterans with any service-connected disability rating, even 0%, and you don't have to prove you're in good health. If you're 80 or younger, there's no time limit to apply after you get your rating. If you're 81 or older, you qualify only if you applied for compensation before turning 81, received the rating after turning 81, and apply within 2 years of the rating notice. Coverage goes up to $40,000 in $10,000 increments. The catch: full coverage starts 2 years after you apply, and if you die during that waiting period, VA pays your beneficiaries the premiums you paid plus interest. The guide "Health and Life Insurance After You Separate" explains how VALife fits with your other coverage.

Burial and memorial benefits to set up now

You can spare your family a scramble later. Veterans, service members, spouses and certain dependent children can apply now for a pre-need eligibility determination for burial in a VA national cemetery, online or by mail or fax with VA Form 40-10007, including a DD214 or other separation papers if you have them. It settles eligibility in advance but doesn't hold a spot: VA can't guarantee your preferred cemetery, and it will help your family choose another if that one is full.

After a death, these items are easy to overlook. Each has its own eligibility rules, so check the details on VA.gov before you apply.

Presidential Memorial Certificate: an engraved paper certificate signed by the current president, honoring a veteran or Reservist who was eligible for burial in a national cemetery. VA presents one at national cemetery burials. For burial elsewhere, family members, close friends or authorized representatives can request it online or with VA Form 40-0247.
Headstone or marker: VA furnishes one at no charge for the unmarked grave of an eligible veteran (VA Form 40-1330). In a private cemetery, placing it is the family's arrangement and expense.
Medallion: for an eligible veteran who served on or after April 6, 1917 and whose grave already has a privately purchased headstone or marker, VA can provide a medallion to attach to it.
Burial flag: the next of kin or a close friend can get a U.S. flag for the casket or urn by taking VA Form 27-2008 to a funeral director, VA regional office or U.S. post office. VA can't replace a flag that's lost, destroyed or stolen.
Veterans Legacy Memorial: an online memorial page for veterans in VA national cemeteries and many state, tribal, territory, military and other cemeteries, including veterans in private cemeteries since 1996 who received a VA headstone, marker, niche cover or medallion. Family, friends and the public can add tributes, photos, biographies and documents, which VA moderators review before posting.

State benefits and where to get free help

Everything in this guide is federal. States add their own benefits, and they vary widely: property tax relief, hunting and fishing licenses, state park passes, tuition help for veterans and their families, and more. Because the rules differ by state, this guide doesn't list them.

A County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO) can tell you which state and local benefits apply where you live and help you apply for federal ones. Accredited Veterans Service Organization representatives can help too, and VA says the services an accredited VSO representative provides on your VA benefit claim are always free.

Be wary of anyone who wants money to "unlock" benefits. You can apply for everything in this guide yourself, directly with the agency that runs it. Before anyone helps with a VA claim, look them up in VA's Office of General Counsel accreditation search on VA.gov. Accredited attorneys and claims agents can charge fees only after VA has decided your initial claim, and only under a fee agreement you've signed. VA also lets you file a complaint about someone who isn't accredited but tries to help with your claim.

Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these sources. Figures and rules change, so check the current source before you act.

Questions

Common Questions

Do veterans get into national parks for free? +

Yes. Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserves, and Gold Star Families can get the free Military Lifetime Pass. It covers entrance fees and standard amenity (day-use) fees at National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service and Army Corps of Engineers sites. Show a DoD ID card, VHIC, Veteran ID Card or a state driver's license or ID with a veteran designation to pick one up free at many sites, or get a free digital pass on Recreation.gov. It doesn't cover camping, tours or similar extra fees.

Can a veteran with a 0% disability rating shop at the commissary? +

Yes. Since January 1, 2020, veterans with any VA service-connected disability rating, including 0%, can shop at commissaries and exchanges and use MWR retail activities. Bring a VHIC that shows SERVICE CONNECTED. If you don't have a VHIC, DeCA says to bring a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or ID card plus a copy of your VA service-connected disability letter or VA Health Eligibility Center Form H623A, and enroll at the base visitor center. Commissary prices include a 5% surcharge, and you'll pay a small user fee if you use a commercial credit or debit card.

Can all veterans shop at the PX or BX? +

Not in person. Veterans with an honorable or general (under honorable conditions) discharge can shop the military exchanges online for life through the Veterans Online Shopping Benefit, which started November 11, 2017. In-store shopping on base is limited to groups such as retirees, veterans with a VA service-connected disability rating, Purple Heart recipients, former POWs, Medal of Honor recipients and approved primary family caregivers. The online benefit doesn't include base access, and it excludes uniforms, alcohol and tobacco.

Can 100% disabled veterans fly Space-A with their family? +

Yes, if VA rates you 100% permanent and total. DoD's rules let your dependents fly too, but only when they travel with you, and each of you needs a DoD ID card showing 100% DAV status. Travel is limited to the continental U.S., direct flights between it and Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam or American Samoa, and flights within Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Seats are never guaranteed, so be ready to pay for a commercial ticket if you get stuck.

Can I use my Veteran ID Card to get on base? +

No. VA says the Veteran ID Card can't be used to access military bases or installations or to shop at commissaries or exchanges. It's a photo ID for veteran discounts. If you're a Purple Heart recipient, a former POW or a veteran with a service-connected disability rating, use a VHIC that shows your status and enroll at the base visitor center. If you have a rating but no VHIC, DeCA accepts a REAL ID-compliant license or ID card plus a VA disability letter or Form H623A. Veterans rated 100% can get a DoD ID card instead.

How long can veterans use Military OneSource after separation? +

For 365 days. Military OneSource's free, confidential counseling covers service members and immediate family listed in DEERS for 365 days after separation. Financial counseling is open to retirees and members discharged under honorable or general (under honorable conditions) characterizations for up to 365 days after their retirement, end-of-tour or discharge date. MilTax, the free tax filing service, covers recent veterans up to 365 days from separation or retirement. Call 800-342-9647 to get started.

Do disabled veterans pay the VA funding fee? +

Not if you receive VA compensation for a service-connected disability. VA also waives the fee if you're eligible for compensation but receive retirement or active-duty pay instead, and for surviving spouses receiving Dependency and Indemnity Compensation. If VA later awards you compensation with an effective date before your loan closed, you may be eligible for a refund through your VA regional loan center. For scale, the fee on a first-use purchase loan with less than 5% down is 2.15% of the loan amount under VA's current table.

Can I find out now whether I can be buried in a VA national cemetery? +

Yes. VA offers a pre-need eligibility determination. Veterans, service members, spouses and certain dependent children can apply online or with VA Form 40-10007, with a DD214 or other separation papers if you have them. It doesn't guarantee a spot in a particular cemetery, but it settles eligibility before your family needs it, which VA says can make burial planning easier for them.

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