Veteran Benefits & Assistance
Originally founded in 1899 as the American Veterans of Foreign Service, the Veterans of Foreign Wars continues to be a voice for returning and currently deployed service members and their families. The Veterans of Foreign Wars is dedicated to supporting those who sacrifice so much for this country, veterans, service members in the US Armed Forces, and their families.
Originally founded in 1899 as the American Veterans of Foreign Service, the Veterans of Foreign Wars continues to be a voice for returning and currently deployed service members and their families. The Veterans of Foreign Wars is dedicated to supporting those who sacrifice so much for this country, veterans, service members in the US Armed Forces, and their families.
Certified Advocates
Throughout
the State of Maine and at the VA Regional Office in Detroit, VFW Service
Officers that are Accredited and Certified by the VA fight for the
rights of our Nations veterans on a daily basis. These highly trained
professionals, specializing in all programs administered by the VA stand
ready and willing to provide whatever VA benefits assistance is
required! These services are available at no cost to veterans or their dependents! Nor does one have to be a member of the VFW to receive our services.
From a
simple request of a discharge document to a case with complicated issues
that may require extensive medical and Court Cases research, we will
exhaust all means to obtain a favorable decision. In the event a claim
is denied we will represent the case through the appellate process to
the Board of Veterans Appeals (VBA) and if not successful to the U.S.
Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC) if warranted.
How VFW Service Officers Advocate for You:
-
Help you identify issues and develop evidence
- Answer your requests for assistance
- File your claims with VA in a timely manner
- Review your rating decision for accuracy
What We Will Do:
- During your interview, WE WILL review your information and inform you of what benefits you should claim as well as any other benefits that may be available
- WE ARE trained VA benefits experts who have access to VA computer systems in order to provide you with the information you need for your claim to succeed
- WE WILL submit your claim to VA in a timely manner to ensure that you receive the maximum benefit to which you are entitled
- WE WILL conduct a thorough review of your decision before VA sends it to you. The VFW has a 90% success rate in correcting errors, helping you avoid the lengthy appeals process
- If you are unsatisfied with the outcome of your claim, WE WILL help you appeal VA's decision
Please feel free
to contact a VFW Representative for help with filing a claim for VA
benefits, VA health care and all eligible VA benefits at:
VFW Service Office
PO Box 3311
Togus VA Center,
Augusta, ME 04330-3311
Phone: 207- 623-5723
Fax: 207-626-4732
Email: Cornelius.ware@va.gov
Phone: 207- 623-5723
Fax: 207-626-4732
Email: Cornelius.ware@va.gov
VFW Assistant Service Officer
PO Box 3311
Togus VA Center,
Augusta, ME 04330-3311Phone: 207- 623-5723
Fax: 207-626-4732
Email: pagan princess72@yahoo.com
Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Our
well-trained, VA Accredited VFW Representatives are ready to assist you
with you! Please feel free to contact us! We have VFW Representatives
located throughout the State of Maine!
| BENEFITS & SERVICES |
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| VFW Veterans Benefit | ||||||||
| Member Benefits | ||||||||
| VFW Insurance Program | ||||||||
| VFW Post Insurance | ||||||||
| VFW HEALTH and WELLNESS Insurance | ||||||||
| VFW cancer-care-insurance | ||||||||
| LIFE PLANNING Tools for Veterans | ||||||||
| LIFE INSURANCE Crafted for Veterans | ||||||||
| MEDICARE PLANS for Military Veterans | ||||||||
| Auto and Home Insurance | ||||||||
| VFW Pet Insurance | ||||||||
| VFW Financial Services | ||||||||
| VFW Entrepreneurship | ||||||||
| VFW Publication Subscriptions | ||||||||
| VFW Technology and Electronics | ||||||||
| VFW Travel Services | ||||||||
| VFW PerkSpot Discount Program | ||||||||
| VFW Motorcycle Riders | ||||||||
| VFW Retail and Other Discounts | ||||||||
| VFW Haircuts | ||||||||
| VFW Medical Services | ||||||||
| VFW Transitioning to Civilian Life Services | ||||||||
| VFW End of Life Services | ||||||||
| VFW Post Resources | ||||||||
| Guitars 4 Vets program | ||||||||
| Fiserv - offers credit card processing services to all VFW Posts at very competitive rates | ||||||||
| VFW Assistance | ||||||||
| VFW VA Claims & Separation Benefits | ||||||||
| VFW Financial Grants | ||||||||
| VFW Student Veteran Support | ||||||||
| VFW Mental Wellness | ||||||||
| VFW Troop Support
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| VFW Advocacy | ||||||||
| VFW Advocacy | ||||||||
| Maine Veterans Benefits Program for Veterans and Dependents | ||||||||
| Maine Employment | ||||||||
| Veteran Assistance at Career Centers: All of Maine’s Career Centers have dedicated Veteran Employment Representatives who help veterans find jobs by assisting with resume writing, networking, and interviewing skills. | ||||||||
| State of Maine Veteran Hiring Preference: Any veteran candidate who meets the minimum qualifications for a State job is guaranteed an interview, including veterans with an Other Than Honorable discharge. Gold Star spouses are also eligible for the hiring preference. | ||||||||
| Accelerated Occupational Licensing Initiative: Provides fast-track civilian licensing for veterans with military expertise in Boiler, Electrical, Fuel, Plumbing. | ||||||||
| Health Care Employment For Military Veterans: All veterans discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable, who completed health care related military training while in the Armed Forces, may utilize their military credentials when seeking civilian employment. Qualified veterans will receive individualized assistance when connecting one-on-one with the Department of Labor's program staff to facilitate the transition. mainebvs@maine.gov | ||||||||
| Maine Financial Assistance | ||||||||
| Veteran Emergency
Financial Assistance: VEFA was created to provide assistance for Maine Veterans who suffer
an emergency and do not have sufficient savings or access to other financial assistance to resolve the
emergency. Examples of assistance may include: Damage to the veterans home due to fire, flood or hurricane
that is not covered by insurance; Illness of the veteran or family member that results in hardship,
assistance to prevent or resolve the veteran being homeless; and any other condition that puts the veteran
at risk of not having the basic necessities of food, shelter, or safety. The Bureau may approve up to $2,000 to a veteran who is currently a resident of Maine. FMI: Please email mainebvs@maine.gov Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services at 207-287-7020 http://www.maine.gov/veterans VEFAP application: https://mainelegion.org/pages/formsapplications.php Fedcap – Veterans Forward 844-653-0316 Veterans Forward: www.maineveteransforward.org VEFAP application: http://maineveteransforward.org/financial-assistance/ |
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| Maine Taxes | ||||||||
| Pension Tax Exemption - as of 1/1/16 Fully exempt from income tax | ||||||||
| Property Tax: $50,000 for paraplegic veterans; $6,000 for veterans who served during a recognized war period and are 62 years or older; or, receive 100% disability as a Veteran; or, became 100% disabled while serving. FMI: Please visit: https://www.maine.gov/revenue/propertytax/sidebar/exemptions.htm |
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| Vehicle Registration: For 100% Permanent and Total service-connected disabled veterans exempt from one registration fee, title fee, and driver license renewal fee. FMI: Please email mainebvs@maine.gov | ||||||||
| Maine Eldercare, Burial and Survivor Benefits | ||||||||
| Maine Veterans’ Homes: Six locations across Maine providing expert rehabilitative, skilled nursing, and long-term care for Maine’s veterans, spouses and Gold Star parents. FMI: mailto:info@mainevets.org | ||||||||
| "Maine Veterans Memorial Cemeteries: With two cemeteries in Augusta, one in Caribou, and one in Springvale, Maine offers beautiful, final resting places for honorably discharged veterans and their eligible dependents. FMI: mvmcs@maine.gov | ||||||||
| Maine Veterans’ Homes: Six locations across Maine providing expert rehabilitative, skilled nursing, and long-term care for Maine’s veterans, spouses and Gold Star parents. FMI: mailto:info@mainevets.org | ||||||||
| Gold Star Family Plates: Gold Star families may receive a specially designated license plate to honor their fallen family member. Maine’s program is distinct in that it not only provides Gold Star Plates to those who lost a family member to combat, but also to those whose family member died while honorably serving as an active member of the United States Armed Forces, but did not die in combat. FMI: mailto:mainebvs@maine.gov | ||||||||
| Veteran Identification | ||||||||
| Free Copies of DD 214s: Maine veterans may request a free copy of their DD 214 from the Bureau’s archive of more than 45,000. Veterans must have this critical document to prove veteran status for everything from retail discounts to applying for state and federal benefit programs | ||||||||
| Military Service Driver’s License: Honorably discharged veterans may obtain a driver’s license that identifies them as a veteran. The designation allows the license-holder to prove veteran status to obtain retail and restaurant discounts, as well as free admission to most of Maine’s State Parks. | ||||||||
| Complimentary Veteran License Plates/Special Veteran Plate: Maine’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles offers honorably discharged veterans (former POWs, Purple Heart recipients, Medal of Honor winners, and disabled veterans) various license plates that are exempt from registration fees. Veterans may also select a Special Veteran License Plate (at cost), that include a Commemorative Decals of their choice, reflecting the branches of service, specific awards or commendations, campaign awards for service in a hostile fire zone, among others. FMI: https://www.maine.gov/sos/bmv/registration/index.html | ||||||||
| Education | ||||||||
| Veterans Dependents Educational Benefits: 100% tuition waiver at University of Maine schools, Community Colleges, and Maine Maritime Academy for dependents of 100% permanent and total, service-connected disabled veterans who have been residents of Maine for five years. | ||||||||
| Postsecondary Education for Maine National Guard Members: : 100% tuition waiver at University of Maine schools, Community Colleges, and Maine Maritime Academy for fully qualified, drilling members of Maine’s National Guard. FMI: mainebvs@maine.gov | ||||||||
| Recreation | ||||||||
| Free Lifetime Veterans Park & Museum Pass: : Maine veteran residents who were honorably discharged may receive a free, lifetime park pass for complimentary admission to most of Maine’s State Parks and Historic Sites. | ||||||||
| Free Active Military Personnel Day Use Park Pass: Maine’s active duty personnel may receive a free day use park pass that provides complimentary admission for the service member and his/her spouse and children to most of Maine’s State Parks and Historic Sites. | ||||||||
| Disabled Veterans Controlled Moose Hunt: First
of its kind in the nation, the Moose Hunt offers 25 disabled veterans
(15 in-state residents and 10 out-of-state residents) the opportunity to
tag a moose, with nearly all guide services, equipment, lodging, food,
and meat processing costs covered by sponsors. The Hunt is a joint effort of the Bureau of Veterans’ Services, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and Bridgewater, Maine-based Smoldering Lake Outfitters. |
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| Disabled Veterans Free Licenses: Veterans with a service-connected disability of 50% or more may receive a complimentary license to fish, trap, hunt a range of wildlife (bear, migratory bird, pheasant, wild turkey, among others). The license remains valid for the life of the license holder, as long as the license holder continues to satisfy residency requirements and the license is not revoked or suspended. | ||||||||
| Disabled Veteran Access to State Parks: Any veteran displaying a specially designated disabled veteran license plate or other placard (in accordance with Title 29-A, section 523, subsections 1 and 2) is allowed free admission to any state-owned park, camping area or beach. FMI: mainebvs@maine.gov | ||||||||
| Misc Supports Veterans BENEFITS & SERVICES |
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| Military Compensation |
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| Calculators The tools on this page are used to perform calculations for a Service member who is performing active service or in an active status. An estimate of approximate compensation is based on your personalized inputs, no identifying data is requested nor retained by this website. | |||||||
| Benefits The Military has a wide variety of benefits ranging from complete health care to commissary and exchange shopping. A recent GAO review of active duty military benefits noted that when comparing the types of benefits offered by the military with those offered in the private sector, all the core benefits offered by most private sector firms-retirement pay, health care, life insurance, and paid time off-are offered by the military. | |||||||
| Annunity for Certain Military Surviving Spouses | |||||||
| Death Gratuity | |||||||
| Former Spouse Protection Act (FSPA) | |||||||
| New Retired Benefits Program | |||||||
| Savings Deposit Program (SDP) | |||||||
| Separation Pay | |||||||
| Service members Civil Relief Act (SCRA) | |||||||
| Service members Group Life Insurance (SGLI) | |||||||
| Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) | |||||||
| Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) | |||||||
| Unemployment Compensation for Ex-servicemembers (UCX) | |||||||
| American Legion |
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| Veteran Benefits | |||||||
| Military.com |
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| Veteran Benefits Resources Veteran benefits aren't just a nice perk -- they are something you earned through service in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Space Force, Air Force or Coast Guard. But knowing what your benefits are and how to use them isn't a simple task. Where do you find them? How do you sign up? What are your veteran state benefits? How do you access your benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs? How do you use your or GI Bill? Use Military.com's veteran benefits resources to learn about all of the benefits of military service provided by a grateful nation. https://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-benefits |
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| Google Supports Veterans |
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| Veterans and their families make great Googlers Google Veterans Network Our mission is to provide a Googler support and learning network and help solve challenges in the military communities using Google’s technology and resources. One of the things we love most about working at Google is belonging to the Google Veterans Network. VetNet is an internal community of military veterans, service members, civilian allies, and family dedicated to unifying, connecting, and serving the military communities. We also support our communities outside of Google through a wide range of job searching, entrepreneurship programs, and partnerships. Veterans and their families make great Googlers. Explore our resources for veterans and military spouses at https://g.co/vets |
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| VETERANS & MILITARY FAMILIES- Helping veterans and military families transition Each year, more than 200,000 service members transition out of the U.S. military.2 We’re committed to helping veterans and military families find civilian jobs, access digital skills training, build meaningful careers, and get resources to grow their businesses. https://grow.google/expanding-opportunity/military-community/ |
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| EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE |
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| Aid & Charity Associations | |||
| Air Force Aid Society | |||
| American Red Cross | |||
| Army Emergency Relief | |||
| Cell Phone, Government Supported | |||
| Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund | |||
| Coast Guard Mutual Assistance | |||
| Financial Assistance for Mortgage or Rent Payments | |||
| Help for Homeless Veterans | |||
| Homeless Vet 24 Hour Hotline 1-877-4AID VET | |||
| Homeless Veterans, VA | |||
| Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society | |||
| Service Members Civil Relief Act - Miliatry.com | |||
| Social Security Administration online | |||
| Social Security Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool (BEST) | |||
| United Way, Nationwide 2-1-1 Phone Numbers | |||
| Volunteers of America | |||
| Warrior Care, DoD & VA Resources Site | |||
| VETERAN INFORMATION |
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| Historical Documents of Interest to Veterans | |||
| Locating Veterans & Service Members | |||
| Replacement Military Records | |||
| Replacement Medical Records | |||
| Replacement Military Awards & Decorations (National Archives) | |||
| Social Security Credit for Military Service (1957 - 2001) | |||
| U.S. Dept of Justice - Rights of Service members and Veterans | |||
| VA Board of Veterans' Appeals | |||
| Women Veterans | |||
