Servicemembers may access their Virginia VA benefits through the state Department of Veterans Services (DVS) or under the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). State veterans benefits include education and employment resources, long-term nursing care, and burial honors.

However, federal veterans administration benefits include health care, disability pay and life insurance. To help service members access these veterans assistance benefits for themselves and their families, the DVS manages 28 service offices throughout the state. To learn more about these benefits, review the information below.

Disability Benefits for Veterans in Virginia

Servicemembers may apply for Virginia VA disability pay if they have service-connected disabilities or diseases. VA disability benefits include military-related disability pay, Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and Special Monthly Compensation (SMC).

To apply for disabled veterans benefits, claimants must submit VA Form 21-526EZ, or 21-534EZ to apply for DIC. To make VA disability claims under SMC, veterans must submit VA Form 21-2680.

Furthermore, servicemembers may enroll in VA life insurance, including policies such as Servicemembers’ Group Life, Veterans’ Group Life and Family Servicemember’s Group Life.

Additional veterans life insurance options include Service-Disabled Veterans’ Insurance, Veterans’ Mortgage Life and Servicemembers’ Group Life Traumatic Injury Protection.

To learn more about obtaining life insurance for veterans, including policies for disabled veterans, visit a local DVS office.

Health Insurance Benefits for Veterans in Virginia

Military members may apply for VA health care in Virginia under the federal Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Under VA health insurance, service members receive professional nursing care at State Veterans Homes in Richmond and Roanoke, in addition to basic preventative or emergency services such as exams and surgeries.

Veterans who are eligible for VA medical benefits may apply for health insurance coverage online, in person, by telephone or by mail.

To apply for veterans health insurance by telephone, veterans must call 1-877-222-8387, or they may complete an Application for Health Care (Form 10-10EZ) and mail it to the following address:

Health Eligibility Center
2957 Clairmont Road, Suite 200
Atlanta, GA 30329-1647

Additional benefits include access to the state’s Veterans and Family Support Program, an organization working to enhance the quality of life for servicemembers and their families.

Pension Benefits for Veterans in Virginia

Eligible veterans may apply for a VA pension in Virginia, including survivors benefits, Aid and Attendance (A&A) or Housebound allowances.

To apply for a survivors or veterans pension, claimants must complete an Application for Pension (VA Form 21P-527EZ) or an Application for DIC, Death Pension, and/or Accrued Benefits (VA Form 21P-534EZ).

To apply for VA pension benefits under the A&A or Housebound program, servicemembers must mail proof of medical eligibility to the following address:

Department of Veterans Affairs
Claims Intake Center
Attn: Philadelphia Pension Center
P.O. Box 5206
Janesville, WI 53547-5206

Housing Benefits for Veterans in Virginia

Available VA housing programs in Virginia includes property tax exemptions and the federal home loan programs.

Veterans who meet VA home loan requirements for eligibility may apply for a Purchase Loan, Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan or a Native American Direct Loan.

To access VA home loan rates, veterans must complete a Request for a Certificate of Eligibility (Form 26-1880) and mail it to the following address:

Department of Veterans Affairs
Roanoke Regional Loan Center
210 Franklin Road, S.W. 
Roanoke, VA 24011

Furthermore, VA housing assistance for veterans with disabilities includes Adapted Housing Grants, such as Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) grants and Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) allowances.

To apply for these veterans housing assistance program options, service members must complete VA Form 26-4555 before mailing it to the Roanoke Regional Loan Center.

Additionally, tax exemptions are available to certain veterans or their surviving spouses. To learn more about the tax exemption, veterans may visit a local DVS office.

Education Benefits for Veterans in Virginia

Virginia VA education benefits are available to eligible servicemembers and their families, including those under the federal GI bill or Post-Vietnam Era Veterans’ Educational Assistance Program (VEAP).

To apply for veterans education benefits under the post 911 GI bill, students must complete an Application for Education Benefits (VA Form 22-1990) and mail it to the following address:

VA Regional Office
P. O. Box 4616
Buffalo, NY 14240-4616

Additionally, local scholarships for veterans are also available, including the Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program (VMSDEP). To apply for the scholarship, students must use the online portal, or they may contact the DVS for assistance at 804-225-2083.

Employment Benefits for Veterans in Virginia

To help service members find suitable VA jobs in Virginia, the state Veterans Education Transition & Employment (VETE) program is available to help vets access the many employment benefits available to them.

Through the program, applicants seeking jobs for veterans receive services such as the following:

  • The state’s Transition Assistance Program (VTAP)
  • The Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Program
  • Training under the State Approving Agency (SAA)
  • Apprenticeships or on-the-job training (OJT)
  • Virginia Women Veterans
  • Military Medics and Corpsmen (MMAC)

Other available veteran jobs resources to help service members find employment include services under the state Employment Commission (VEC) and the Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM).

Funeral Benefits for Veterans in Virginia

Virginia VA death benefits include interment at three veteran cemeteries throughout the state, including the facilities in Suffolk, Dublin and Amelia. Additional VA burial benefits include services such as the opening and closing of the gravesite, perpetual care of the grave, and military honors.

Other veterans death benefits include a memorial headstone, a double-depth concrete stand crypt, and use of the committal shelter.

To pre-apply for these veterans burial benefits, servicemembers must complete a Pre-Application for Interment and submit it to the cemetery of their choice.

To learn more about these funeral benefals applicants may contact the cemetery directly using the telephone numbers below:

  • Virginia Veterans Cemetery: 804-561-1475
  • Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Cemetery: 757-255-7217
  • Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery: 540-674-6893
Last updated on Friday, February 28 2020.