Veteran Benefits In Arkansas
Several VA benefits in Arkansas are available under the state Department of Veterans Affairs (ADVA), including disability, health and pension benefits. Other AR veterans benefits offer housing, education and employment opportunities to veterans and their surviving family members.
Additional veterans administration benefits include funeral and burial benefits at state and federal cemeteries in North Little Rock, Birdeye, Fayetteville, Fort Smith and Little Rock. However, additional benefits for veterans are also available, including income, homestead and personal property tax exemptions. To learn more about veterans assistance programs in AR, including VA disability compensation or health care, review the sections below.
Disability Benefits for Veterans in Arkansas
Available veteran benefits in Arkansas include VA disability pay, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and Special Monthly Compensation (SMC). In addition to VA disability benefits, service members receive Service-Disabled Veterans’ Insurance (S-DVI) and Veterans’ Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI).
To apply for disabled veterans benefits, claimants must complete an Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits, or they must complete an Application for DIC, Death Pension and/or Accrued Benefits. Veterans who wish to apply for SMC must complete Form 21-2680.
Note: Veterans may enroll in VA life insurance by completing an Application for Veterans’ Mortgage Life Insurance or an Application for Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance. Alternately, veterans life insurance can be obtained online for claimants may apply for disabled online. Supplemental life insurance for veterans is also available (or S-SVI). To apply for S-SVI, candidates must complete an Application for Supplemental Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance.
Health Insurance Benefits for Veterans in Arkansas
Eligible veterans may apply for VA health care in Arkansas if they meet minimum or enhanced duty requirements.
Basic VA health insurance covers preventative care services, inpatient hospital procedures, emergency care, assisted living placement, home health care and mental health services. Veterans who meet VA health care eligibility requirements also receive routine eye exams and in some cases, dental care.
To apply for veterans health insurance, veterans may call 1-877-222-8387 or apply online. Alternately, claimants may apply for VA medical benefits in person at a VA health care center or by mailing an Application for Health Care (Form 10-10EZ) to the following address:
Health Eligibility Center 2957 Clairmont Road, Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30329-1647
Pension Benefits for Veterans in Arkansas
Low-income veterans may apply for VA pension benefits through the Survivors Pension, Veterans Pension, Housebound, or Aid and Attendance (A&A) programs.
To apply for VA pension benefits in Arkansas, military members must complete an Application for Pension, while surviving family members must complete an Application for DIC, Death Pension, and/or Accrued Benefits.
To apply for A&A or Housebound veterans pension benefits, candidates must write to the Pension Management Center (PMC) serving the state of Arkansas, or they may apply in person at a local VA facility. If submitting documentation to the PMC, veterans must mail all medical evidence to the following address:
Department of Veterans Affairs Claims Intake Center Attention: Milwaukee Pension Center P. O. Box 5192 Janesville, WI 53547-5192
Note: When applying for the A&A or Housebound veterans pension program, applicants must submit medical evidence in the form of a detailed physician’s report. The report must state whether claimants hold an injury, disease, or physical and/or mental impairment.
Housing Benefits for Veterans in Arkansas
The ADVA provides veterans with two AR VA housing facilities, including the State Veteran Homes in North Little Rock and Fayetteville.
Through the state’s veterans housing assistance program, military members, Gold Star parents and eligible surviving spouses receive skilled medical and hospice care, depending on their own specific needs.
To apply for VA housing assistance, candidates must complete an Application for Admission and submit it along with all applicable medical and financial information. In some cases, candidates may need to complete a one-on-one interview at the housing facility.
On a federal level, veterans may apply for a VA home loan, such as a Purchase Loan, Cash-Out Refinance Loan, Native American Direct Loan (NADL) or an Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan (IRRRL).
Education Benefits for Veterans in Arkansas
Under the State Department of Higher Education (ADHE), VA education benefits are available to the surviving spouses and children of Prisoners of War or servicemembers killed in the line of duty.
These veterans education benefits in Arkansas include free tuition at participating colleges, universities or vocational schools. Additional VA school benefits include in-state tuition for military members and their dependents, regardless of residence.
WWII, Vietnam and Korean War veterans may contact the state Department of Education if they did not finish high school but wish to obtain a High School Diploma.
Additionally, active duty veterans receive federal education benefits under the GI bill, including on-the-job training or free college courses. Under the post 911 GI bill members of the armed forces can choose from two different education programs, including Active Duty (MGIB-AD) and Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR).
Note: On a federal level, scholarships for veterans or educational assistance programs are available to the surviving family members of veterans. These veteran scholarships include the Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship or the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program.
Employment Benefits for Veterans in Arkansas
Veterans may access Arkansas VA jobs assistance or receive career counseling and referrals through the state Department of Workforce Services. Additionally, a list of jobs for veterans is available under the ADVA website.
On a federal level, however, the VA provides Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) services to eligible veterans. To help servicemembers find veteran jobs in the state, VR&E services provide servicemembers with job training, resume development and other employment-related accommodations.
Funeral Benefits for Veterans in Arkansas
Arkansas VA death benefits include military honors, a gravesite at federal and state cemeteries, a burial flag and government-supplied headstone and veteran interment.
To pre-register for VA burial benefits at a state or federal cemetery in Birdeye, North Little Rock, Little Rock, Fort Smith or Fayetteville, applicants must complete a pre-eligibility application and submit it along with a marriage license, if applicable, military discharge papers and a check for $300.