Veteran Services

You’ve already served your country, now let us serve you.

Polk County’s Veteran Services is here to help current, former and future service members wade through the intricate and sometimes complicated process of obtaining military benefits.

Many of Polk’s nearly 60,000+ veterans can take advantage of this free service, which can include providing information about:

Compensation

Compensation benefits are payable to veterans for disabilities resulting from injury or disease incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, not the result of misconduct and discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

Education and Training

GI Bill: Active Duty and Selective Reserve Participants have multiple specific categories, options and qualification criteria. However, no matter what program or category the applicant falls under, the service member must have:

• Honorable discharge
• Complete high school

Please contact a county Veteran Service officer for detailed information.

Home Loans

VA loan guarantees are made to:

• Service Members
• Veterans
• Reservists
• Unmarried Surviving Spouses

These loans are for the purchase of homes, condominiums and manufactured homes. The VA guarantees part of the loan up to $548,250 with no down payment required. Loans in excess of this or for manufactured homes may require a down payment. The loans are made by private lenders, such as mortgage companies, banks, etc. The home loan guarantee can be used or restored, once a previous VA guaranteed loan is paid in full.

Life Insurance

There are currently eight VA life insurance programs. Only four of these programs are currently open to new issues. These programs include:

• Service Disabled Veterans Insurance *
• Veterans Mortgage Life Insurance *
• Service Member's Group Life Insurance (SGLI)
• Veterans Group Life Insurance

* Programs are specifically designed for disabled veterans. For detailed information please contact a county Veteran Service officer.

Military Pension

Pension benefits are payable for veterans who served during wartime periods and were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions after 90 days of service (or separated from service earlier as the result of a service-connected disability), and/or persons who are permanently and totally disabled for reasons not related to service, not due to willful misconduct or vicious habits, and how have limited income. Pension may not be payable to those who have estates that can provide adequate maintenance.

Survivor Benefits

There are two major programs for survivor entitlement, they are:

• The Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC)
• Death Pension Program

These programs may be available for surviving spouses. Both programs have specific criteria. Please contact a county Veteran Services officer for detailed information.

Vocational Rehabilitation

Veterans may qualify for vocational rehabilitation if they served in the Armed Forces and have discharge that is other than dishonorable and:

• They have a service-connected disability rated 20 percent or more;
• They have a service-connected disability rated at 10 percent that results in a serious employment handicap that necessitate vocational rehabilitation

Burial Benefits

Veterans discharged under conditions other than dishonorable and service members who die while on active duty may be eligible for the following burial benefits:

• Burial in a National Cemetery
• Government furnished Headstone or Marker
• Presidential Memorial Certificate
• Burial Flag
• Reimbursement *

* Reimbursement depends on if eligibility is established and the veteran was entitled at the time of death to VA pension or VA compensation benefits. Eligibility may also be established if the veteran died while hospitalized or domiciled in a VA facility.