Virginia Veterans Benefits – The Insider’s Guide

Hi Veterans, Brian Reese here from VA Claims Insider, and today, I’m covering Virginia veterans benefits. If you live in (or may be moving to) this historic Commonwealth, then read on because this guide is for you!

The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) administers a range of state-sponsored benefits for veterans and their dependants such as financial, housing, employment, education, recreation, and other benefits. You can visit the DVS website to learn more about the activities, services and benefits they can assist with if you are an in-state Veteran or family member of a Virginia disabled veteran.

VA Claims Insider has built this Insider’s Guide to Virginia veterans benefits and it’s FREE as our gift to you. So kick back with a cold drink and get ready to explore the Southern hospitality of Virginia!

Overview of Virginia Military Life

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau released in July 2019, The State of Virginia has the 7th largest veteran population among all the states. Below are some quick facts about Virginia’s veteran population as compared to the rest of the states:

• Veteran population: 10.6% (687,271) (7^th)
• Adult civilian population: 6.5 Million (12^th)
• Veteran unemployment: 2.7% (45^th)
• Veteran poverty rate: 4.5% (lowest)
• Veterans with a disability: 22.2% (49^th)

The Commonwealth is home to 32 military and training bases, second in the nation only to California which has 41 bases. It’s also home to the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), a public military college in Lexington, Virginia founded in 1839 that is the first public Senior Military College in the United States.

All four branches of the service have at least one base in Virginia, but Norfolk, VA is home to the U.S. Navy’s fleet of aircraft carriers for the East coast. With so many Virginia veterans, let’s take a deep dive into Virginia veterans benefits.

Virginia Veterans Benefits: Financial Benefits 

Income Tax

Up to $15,000 of military basic pay may be exempted from Virginia income tax.

Disabled Veterans Real Estate Tax Exemption

Veterans with a VA 100% disability are exempt from property taxes on their home. The surviving spouse may also be eligible.

Virginia Veterans Benefits: Housing & Healthcare Benefits

Virginia Veteran’s Health Administration Centers

Virginia Veterans Benefits: State Veterans Homes

The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) State Veterans Homes provide affordable, long-term nursing care for Virginia’s veterans. The veterans care centers in Richmond and Roanoke are first-class facilities designed to enhance quality of life with a clean, caring, and dignified setting appropriate for those men and women who have served our country with honor.  Two additional care centers are under construction.  

Sitter & Barfoot Veterans Care Center (Richmond)

Named after two Medal of Honor recipients – Colonel Van Barfoot and  Colonel Carl Sitter – The Sitter & Barfoot Veterans Care Center (SBVCC) is located on the campus of the McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia and is operated by the Virginia Department of Veterans Services. This single-level facility features 200 single-occupancy rooms in four nursing units: two 60-bed skilled nursing care units, one 40-bed skilled nursing care unit and one 40-bed secure Alzheimer’s dementia unit with enclosed courtyards.

SBVCC accepts payment from private insurers, Medicare and Medicaid. Most veterans also qualify for the VA per diem facility credit.

Admission Criteria:

• Honorable discharge from the U.S. Armed Forces
• Virginia residency at the time of admission or entry into active duty from Virginia
• Meets medical requirements for nursing home care

Address:
Sitter & Barfoot Veterans Care Center
1601 Broad Rock Blvd.
Richmond, VA 23224

Contact: Kim Elliott
(804) 371-8000
[email protected]

Virginia Veterans Benefits: Care Center (Roanoke)

The Virginia Veterans Care Center (VVCC) is one of two state homes for veterans in the Commonwealth of Virginia providing affordable, high quality, comprehensive nursing, short-term rehabilitative, and domiciliary care to Commonwealth of Virginia residents who are admitted to the VVCC.

The Virginia Veterans Care Center has 224 beds in the facility and provides comprehensive, high quality care with on-site laboratory work, x-rays, physical therapy, podiatry care, and many other ancillary health care services. The Salem VA Medical Center is also located next door for additional services for those qualified.

Additionally, the building and grounds offer an array of amenities to include wheelchair accessible nature trails and deck, library, chapel, barber shop, and billiard room. The facility is nestled in the landscape of the Blue Ridge mountainside and has been enjoyed by our veterans since it was opened on Veterans Day, 1992.

Address:
Virginia Veterans Care Center
4550 Shenandoah Avenue
Roanoke, VA 24017

Contact: Heather Whiteheart, Director of Admissions/Marketing
(540) 982-2860 (phone)
(540) 982-1907 (fax)
[email protected]

Virginia Disabled Veteran Benefits: Employment Benefits

Veterans Preference For State Jobs

Veterans seeking state employment can get a 5% addition to their test score. Disabled veterans can get a 10% addition.

Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Program 

A program of the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Veterans Serviceswhose mission is to educate and train employers throughout the Commonwealth on the Value of Virginia’s Veterans, and to help employers connect with these personnel assets to maximize the productivity of their workforce.

Virginia Veterans Benefits: Education Benefits

Virginia Military Survivors and Dependants Education Program

The Military Survivors and Dependents Program provides educations benefits to spouses and children of military service members killed, missing in action, taken prisoner, or who became at least 90 percent disabled as a result of military service in an armed conflict.

This program may pay for tuition and fees at any state-supported college or university in Virginia. Benefits are available for up to 36 months.

Virginia Disabled Veteran Benefits: Recreational Discounts, Licenses & Passes

Disabled Veteran Hunting & Fishing Licenses 

Virginia offers a free lifetime hunting and fishing license, and a discounted saltwater license for Virginia resident veterans who are permanently and totally service-connected disabled.

Veterans with at least 70% VA disability can get discounted hunting and freshwater fishing licenses

State Park Admission

Veterans with 100% VA disability are eligible for free admission and parking and admission for the pass holder and anyone needed to assist them at Virginia state parks.

The pass also covers boat launch and horse trailer parking and a 50% discount on camping, swimming, shelters and equipment rental.

Virginia Veterans Benefits: Vehicle Licenses, Plates & Privileges

Veteran License Indicator 

In Virginia as of July 1, 2018, Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces have the option of adding a veteran indicator to their driver’s license or ID card. Having the word “veteran” appear on your driver’s license or ID card is a convenient way to demonstrate your veteran status.  This option is offered by DMV on behalf of the Department of Veterans Services (DVS).

Resource: https://www.dvs.virginia.gov/benefits

Virginia Veterans Benefits: Burial

Veteran And Eligibility Dependent Requirements;

According to the Virginia Dept. of Veteran’s Services website:

Any member of the U.S. armed forces who dies on active duty, who retires from military service or who is honorably discharged is eligible for burial in one of Virginia’s state veteran cemeteries.

Veterans legal spouse [widow or widower] and unmarried minor children under the age of 21 may be eligible for burial in a Virginia veteran’s cemetery. Additionally unmarried adult children who become permanently incapable of self-support because of physical or mental disability before the age of 21 may also be interred. Other U.S. military service members and civilians may be eligible.

Virginia Veterans Benefits: Conclusion

With so many military bases and veterans, both active duty and retired, the state of Virginia is a VERY friendly place to live if you’re a disabled military veteran. You might be interested to know that Virginia is one of the top three states for a veteran to live in retirement, according to new research by WalletHub that studied 27 key metrics, ranging from veterans per capita to employment opportunities to tax friendliness.

With a relatively low cost of living, temperate climate, easy access to state parks and dozens of military bases and VA healthcare facilities to provide services, it may make a Virginia lover out of you!

About the Author

Brian Reese is a VA expert, author, and founder of VA Claims Insider – “The Most Trusted Name in Education-Based Resources for Veterans.”

More than 300,000 military members and veterans come to the VA Claims Insider and Military Disability Made Easy websites each month to get educated on the VA and DoD disability process.

Learn more >> About VA Claims Insider HERE. <<

Brian’s frustration with the 8-step VA disability claims process led him to create “VA Claims Insider,” which provides disabled veterans with tips, strategies, and lessons learned to win their VA disability compensation claim in less time.

Brian Reese VA Claims Insider

He is also the CEO of Military Disability Made Easy, which is the world’s largest free searchable database for all things related to DoD disability and VA disability, and has served more than 6,000,000 military members and veterans since its founding in 2013.

Veterans can download one of his #1 most downloaded FREE eBooks right here right now: “The Secret Guide to 833 Ratable VA Disabilities” by clicking HERE now.

Brian is a former active duty Air Force officer with extensive experience leading hundreds of individuals and multi-functional teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour to southern Afghanistan in 2011 in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.Brian is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO and he holds an MBA from Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business, Stillwater, OK, where he was a National Honor Scholar (Top 1% of Graduate School class).