Women are Veterans, Too!

Women Veterans are eligible for the same benefits as male veterans. Services and benefits for women veterans are gender sensitive, reflecting an understanding that women have unique health care needs. Have you served your country in the Armed Forces of the United States? If so, you may be eligible for the following Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits:

	*Health Care*
	*Education Assistance/Training*
	*Re-Adjustment Counseling*
	*Housing Loans*
	*Employment*
	*Survivor Benefits*
	*Disability*
	*Real Estate Tax Exemption*
	*Burial*
	*Mental Health Care*
	*Sexual Trauma Counseling*
	*A Woman's Coordinator in each VA Medical Center*

Remember, the first step in getting any benefits
is an Honorable Discharge!

Eligibility for benefits vary from state to state; though the basics are all the same. How do you find out if you're eligible? Easy! There are 3 ways. First, you can call 1-800-827-1000 to be connected with your state Department of Veteran's Affairs. The second way is to contact your local Veteran's Service Agency, which will be listed in your telephone book under Government Agency's. Third, you may go to the VA's web site by clicking here . It's simple.

Necessary Documentation - You will need the following documentation to be eligible for these benefits:

   DD214 - Discharge papers Marriage License
   Divorce Decree Children's Birth Certificates
   Death Certificates Social Security Card

Description of Benefits

Health Care - Honorably discharged veterans may be eligible for free or low cost health care through the VA, whether they have served in war or peace times. Each Veteran's Affairs Medical Center has it's own specific Health Care Plan; but eligible women veterans should expect at least the following services to be available to them:

• Privacy during all interviews and exams
• Adequate bath & toilet facilities
• Admissions examination to include a pelvic & breast exam and a mammogram if available
• Counseling on Breast Self Exam, Menopause, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Osteoporosis, and other "hot" health care topics
• GYN services by a staff GYN or a nearby contract agreement GYN
• Prescriptions dispensed in a timely manner
• Inexpensive clothing, cosmetics & personal items available in the canteen
• Hair care for inpatients hospitalized for more than a week
• Hospital gowns, pajamas or drapes during exams

Remember, the expansion of adequate facilities and services for women veterans can be a great success if women who are eligible continue to come forward and take advantage of the health benefits they have EARNED.

Education Assistance/Training - Veterans may be eligible for Education Assistance if they are service connected disabled with 20% or more, have the GI Bill or the Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP). In order to be eligible for any of these educational assistance programs, you must have an HONORABLE DISCHARGE!

Housing Loans - Veterans or surviving spouses may be eligible for GI Loan guarantees for homes, condominiums, and manufactured homes. Participating financial institutions receive a guarantee from the VA that part of the loan will be covered in the event of default on payment. The VA often reduces or eliminates the need for a down payment.

These loans may also be received for building a home, repairs/alteration on current home, refinancing an existing loan, or to install a solar heating or cooling system or other weatherization. For eligibility, you must have a good credit rating, sufficient income to support the mortgage payments, and agree to live on the property, as well as service date eligibility. For more information, contact the VA for VA Pamphlet 26-4 or 80-98-1 Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents.

Montgomery GI Bill - Provides a program of education benefits to individuals who enter active duty for the first time after June 20, 1985 and received an honorable discharge. An individual may qualify by serving 2 continuous years on active duty, followed by four years of Selected Reserve service, beginning within one year of release from active duty. To participate in the GI Bill, service members have their military pay reduced by $100 a month for 12 months of active duty. You must have a high school diploma or equivalency before your first period of service ends. Individuals who serve three years continuously are eligible for maximum paid benefits. Benefits end 10 years after date of last discharge; but extenuating circumstances qualify for extensions.

VEAP - Under VEAP, active duty personnel voluntarily participate in a plan for education or training, in which their savings were administered and added to by the federal government. This was open to military personnel from 12/31/76 to 7/1/85. While on active duty, participant contribution to VEAP must have been made prior to 4/1/87. The maximum participant contribution is $2,700.00. While on active duty, participants may make a lump-sum contribution to the training fund.

Vocational Rehabilitation/Training - Veterans are eligible for Voc-Rehab or Training if:

They suffered a service connected disability or disabilities in active service, and are receiving at least 20 percent compensation or would do so but for receipt of military retirement pay. Vets with 10% may be eligible if they have a serious employment handicap.
They were discharged or released under other than honorable conditions or hospitalized awaiting separation for a service connected disability.
They need vocational rehabilitation to overcome an employment handicap caused by their service connected disability.

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Readjustment Counseling - Vet Centers have been set up around the country to help Vietnam veterans to deal with readjustment problems. Women veterans are not immune to the problems that afflict many of their male counterparts, yet they often do not seek help that is available to them. Women veterans trying to cope with drug abuse, alcoholism, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) homelessness, joblessness, sexual trauma experienced while on active duty or non supportive relationships are encouraged to contact a Vet Center for counseling.

Employment - Under the "Veterans' Bill of Rights for Employment Services", veterans are entitled to priority service at Department of Labor Offices, in referral to jobs, employment counseling, vocational testing and other services. Veterans are also helped out in jobs such as Federal Civil Service Employment and State Civil Service Employment. These employment benefits give a 10 point preference for disabled vets and 5 point preference to non disabled vets for the competitive exams.[continued... ]