Veteran Benefits for Alaska

• Alaska Income Taxes: The State of Alaska does not levy general state income tax on individuals.  As such, you are not required to file an individual state tax return.   Distributions received from the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) are not taxed. Additionally, there is no tax on retirement income, retired military pay, military disability retired pay from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Disability Dependency and Indemnity Compensation.
• Military Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP)/ Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP)/ Retired Serviceman’s Family Protection Plan (RSFPP) Alaska State Tax Benefits: Alaska does not levy a general state income tax on individuals, so you are not required to file an individual state tax return for Alaska, therefore survivor benefit plans are not taxed.
• Alaska Property Tax Exemptions for Disabled Veterans: Real property owned and occupied as a primary residence by a Veteran who has a 50% or more service-connected disability rating from the VA is exempt from property taxes on the first $150,000 of assessed value. This exemption transfers to a Spouse if the Veteran passes away and the Spouse is at least 60 years of age.

Sales Tax:

• Statewide: None
• Municipalities: can levy a sales tax of no more than 7.50%.
• Current average sales tax (with local taxes included): 1.89%

Recreation

• Alaska Military and Veterans Hunting and Fishing Benefits: Alaska offers special hunting and fishing benefits for service members, Veterans, and their families.
• Alaska National Guard and U.S. Armed Forces Reserves Hunting and Fishing Licenses: Alaska offers free annual hunting and fishing licenses for resident service members who are actively serving in the Alaska National Guard or the U.S. Armed Forces Reserves.
• Alaska Resident Disabled Veteran Free Hunting and Fishing Licenses: Alaska offers resident disabled Veterans who have a 50% or greater disability rating from the VA or their branch of service free hunting and fishing licenses. Veterans must be physically present in Alaska to apply. If at any time a Disabled Veteran license holder is no longer a resident of Alaska, their licenses are immediately void.

Veterans can apply online, but they must provide a copy of their VA Benefit Summary Letter or other official documentation to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game as proof of their eligibility. Documentation can be emailed to adfg.license@alaska.gov, faxed to 907-465-2440, or mailed.

• Alaska Nonresident Service Members Hunting and Fishing License for Discounted Prices: Nonresident active-duty service members stationed in Alaska can purchase fishing and hunting license for discounted prices.

Service members serving on active duty and their dependents who are stationed in Alaska for less than 12 months can purchase a special military license at the same price as resident rates. Service members and dependents must be accompanied by an Alaskan Licensed Guide or a relative within the second degree of kindred (Alaska Administrative Code 5-92.990(85)) when hunting brown/grizzly bear or Dall sheep.

Nonresident service members and their dependents who have been stationed in Alaska for more than 12 months can purchase standard resident licenses and are not required to have a guide.

• Free Alaska State Park Camping Passes for Disabled Veterans: Alaska offers one free Alaska State Park Camping Pass to disabled Veterans. The 2023-2027 DAV pass is valid in all developed Alaska State Park campgrounds.
  • Who is eligible for a Free Alaska State Park Camping Pass for Disabled Veterans? To be eligible, Veterans must be an Alaska resident and have a service-connected disability rating. Veterans must apply in person at either the Anchorage or Fairbanks Department of Natural Resources, Public Information Centers. Veterans will be required to show proof of residency and that they have a service-connected disability. If applicants cannot appear in person to apply, please contact one of the Public Information Centers.

• Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) Pass for Disabled Veterans: AMHS offers a reduced fare pass for Veterans who have a service-connected disability. This pass entitles the disabled Veteran and an attendant (if required by a physician) to travel at 50% off the regular passenger fare. This pass may be used between Alaska ports only, on all AMHS vessels, year-round. Reduced fares do not include vehicles, cabins, or meals.

To apply Veterans must submit a completed application and official documentation of their service-connected disability by email to dot.amhs.customer@alaska.gov, by fax to 907-465-8824, or by mail.

• Alaska Railroad Discount for Veterans, Active-Duty Service Members and Their Dependents: The Alaska Railroad offers a 20% discount to Veterans, retired service members, active-duty service members and their dependents. Patrons must show an official ID showing proof of eligibility when boarding.

Education Programs

Alaska National Guard Tuition Assistance: The Alaska National Guard will pay up to 100% of tuition and required fees at an educational, vocational, or technical training school for eligible Service members serving in the Alaska National Guard. Alaska National Guard Service members may combine both federal and state tuition assistance for up to 100% of tuition and authorized fees at a school in the University of Alaska System.

Service members are authorized no more than one credential from each of the following levels:

• Certificate or license
• Associate degree
• Bachelor’s degree

Free Tuition for Spouses or Dependents at Alaska State Supported Educational Institutions: Waiver of undergraduate tuition and fees at a state-supported educational institution physically located within Alaska. The Spouse or dependent of an armed services member who died in the line of duty or who died as a result of injuries sustained while in the line of duty or who was listed by the Department of Defense as a Prisoner of War or as Missing in Action is entitled to a waiver of undergraduate tuition and fees from the Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The students must be in good standing in a state-supported educational institution in Alaska.

Alaska Resident Tuition for Nonresident Military Service Members and their Dependents: In-State tuition rates are available at any University of Alaska System school for active-duty military personnel or members of the National Guard, or their spouses or dependent children. United States Veterans eligible for a VA education benefit or their spouse or dependent children are also eligible for resident tuition. Qualifying students must move to and remain domiciled in the State of Alaska during their course of study.

Alaska Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children: It is the purpose of this compact to remove barriers to educational success imposed on children of military families because of frequent moves and deployment of their parents by:

• Facilitating the timely enrollment of children of military families and ensuring that they are not placed at a disadvantage due to difficulty in the transfer of educational records from the previous school district or variations in entrance or age requirements
• Facilitating the student placement process through which children of military families are not disadvantaged by variations in attendance requirements, scheduling, sequencing, grading, course content, or assessment. Facilitating the qualification and eligibility for enrollment, educational programs, and participation in extracurricular academic, athletic, and social activities
• Facilitating the on-time graduation of children of military families
• Providing for the enforcement of administrative rules implementing the provisions of this compact
• Providing for the uniform collection and sharing of information between and among member states, schools and military families under this compact
• Promoting coordination between this compact and other compacts affecting military children
• Promoting flexibility and cooperation between the educational system, parents and the student in order to achieve educational success for the student.
• Alaska High School Diplomas for World War II Veterans: The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development will award high school diplomas to World War II Veterans, including Alaska Territorial Guard members, who served in the U.S. Armed Forces between August 7, 1940, through July 25, 1947. Veterans with a GED may also apply. Family members may apply for eligible deceased or incapacitated Veterans.

To apply, please send an email to eed.tech@alaska.gov that includes the following information:

• Veteran’s full name (as it will appear on the diploma)
• Dates of service
• Mailing address
• Applicant’s name
• Telephone number

Purple Star School Designation for Alaska Military-Friendly Schools: The Alaska Purple Star School designation for military-friendly schools recognizes schools that show a major commitment to students and families connected to the U.S. Armed Forces. Schools that earn the award will receive special Purple Star recognition to display on site.

For a school to qualify for the Purple Star Award they must appoint a school liaison who is specially trained to handle the unique challenges experienced by military families. This liaison will ensure that other teachers at their school are aware of special considerations that students from military families can benefit from. Each school will also have a dedicated page on their school website featuring resources for military families.

MILITARY AND VETERAN MISCELLANIOUS BENEFITS:

• Alaska National Guard and Naval Militia Retirement System (NGNMRS):  NGNMRS is a retirement system that pays eligible Service members $100 per month for each month of satisfactory Alaska National Guard service.  A lump sum payment option or accelerated payments to be completed by age 72 may be chosen in place of the base $100 per month.  If the Service member dies on active duty and has at least five years of satisfactory Alaska National Guard service, their full accrued benefit (months of service x $100) is payable in one lump sum to their beneficiary or beneficiaries. If the retired Service member dies prior to the payment of their full accrued benefit, the remainder will be paid in a lump sum to their beneficiary or beneficiaries.
  • Who is eligible for the NGNMRS? Retired National Guard service members must have at least 20 years of combined service in the Alaska National Guard, the National Guard of another state, the U.S. Armed Forces Reserves or for active duty service, of which at least five years must have been in the Alaska National Guard. An involuntary discharge from the Alaska National Guard (for reasons other than misconduct) waives this requirement.
• Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD): The Alaska PFD is a monetary fund that pays dividends annually to legal Alaska residents. The amount of the 2024 dividend is $1,702 per person. The Permanent Fund Dividend application season is January 1st through March 31st each year. Applications are only available during application season.
• Alaska Veteran’s Land Discount:The Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) offers Alaska resident Veterans a once-in-a lifetime discount on the purchase of state land. The discount is 25% of the purchase price but does not apply to certain costs the DNR may have incurred to develop the land for sale.
  • Who is eligible for the Alaska Veteran’s Land Discount? To be eligible for the Veteran’s Land Discount, Veterans must meet the following requirements:
    • 18 or older on the date of bid or application
    • Alaska resident for at least one year prior to bid or application
    • Served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces or the Alaska Territorial Guard for at least 90 days, unless released early due to a service-connected disability, or due to receiving an early separation after a tour of duty overseas
    • Received an Honorable Discharge or General Discharge Under Honorable Conditions

    Service members who have not yet received a DD214 are not yet eligible for this discount.

    Veterans must submit proof of eligibility only after it is requested by the DNR. Veterans will be given a deadline when documentation must be submitted.

    Documentation requirements:

    • A DD214 (Report of Separation from Active Duty) showing the qualifying length of active duty service and character of the discharge
    • Proof of Alaska residency
    • Notarized Veteran Eligibility Application/Affidavit

    Veterans are encouraged to request their DD214 and gather any other required documentation well in advance of the auction.

• Recording of Alaska Veteran’s Report of Separation Documents: A Veteran may record, free, the original or a certified copy of their U.S. Armed Forces Report of Separation (DD214, DD215, NGB Form 22 or DA Form 1569) at any Alaska Department of Natural Resources State Recorder’s office.
• Obtaining Copies of Alaska Veterans Report of Separation and other Personnel Records: The Alaska Veterans Affairs Office has copies of DD214s for resident service members who served in the U.S. Armed Forces from 1985 to the present. Veterans will be provided with copies upon request. These records will be maintained for 50 years from the date of receipt. If a Veteran’s records cannot be found, they can be requested from the National Personnel Records Center.
• Free Copies of Alaska Veteran’s Death Certificate: The Alaska Health Analytics and Vital Records Section will issue up to four free copies of the death certificate of Veterans who die in Alaska. The Veteran must be an Alaska resident and meet one of the following requirements to be eligible:
  • Serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at the time of their death
  • Served in an active or reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces and received an Honorable or General Discharge

  The following individuals can request death certificates:

  • Representative of the Veteran’s estate
  • Trustee of a revocable trust of a Veteran
  • Requires a copy of the death certificate to prove eligibility for a benefit relating to the death of the Veteran

Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) State Veterans Mortgage Program and Interest Rate Preference: AHFC offers home financing at lower interest rates for service members and Veterans through the Veterans Mortgage Program. Loans are generally processed rapidly, require little to no down payment, and often include a lower interest rate.

Qualified Veterans may combine State Veterans Interest Rate Preference with most Alaska Single-Family Loan Programs. Eligible applicants will receive a 1% interest rate reduction that is applied to the first $50,000 of the loan amount. Eligible applicants family income cannot exceed Alaska State Veterans Preference Income Limits.

• Who is eligible for the AHFC State Veterans Interest Rate Preference? To be eligible, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
  • Service members who have completed their initial military obligation and continue to serve
  • Veterans who served at least 90 days on active duty (other than for training) in the U.S. Armed Forces and received a discharge other than dishonorable*
  • Former reserve component service members who served for at least five years and received an honorable discharge
  • Surviving spouse of an eligible Veteran

*Veterans must apply within 25 years of their discharge date.

Housing: The following are the sites for Veterans Homes

Alaska State Veterans Home at Palmer

Eligibility for admission:

• Veterans must have an honorable discharge
• Veterans must be 65 years or older
• Veterans must require assisted living care
• Veterans must reside in Alaska for 1 year or more prior to application
• Spouses may be eligible for services
• Costs are based on a per-diem status

Employment and Job Training: Veteran’s Preference

• Military Service Credit for Alaska State Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS): Former service members may be eligible to purchase up to five years of PERS credit for active-duty service in the U.S. Armed Forces. Military credit does not count towards retirement eligibility but is used to calculate the amount of monthly benefits after retirement.

PERS members will be charged 8.5% of their annualized vesting year salary for each year of military service credit claimed.

• Who is eligible for Military Service Credit for Alaska State PERS? Honorably discharged service members who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and are vested in PERS are eligible to purchase credit. PERS retirees, deferred vested members, and surviving spouses of PERS members who served in the U.S. Armed Forces, may also be eligible to receive this credit.

PERS members eligible for federal benefits for the same military service are not eligible. Retired National Guard and U.S. Armed Forces Reserve service members may be eligible to claim active military service even though they are eligible for a federal benefit for the same military service. For more information, please contact the Alaska Division of Retirement and Benefits, Customer Service Center at 800-821-2251, or 907-465-4460 (in Juneau).

• Alaska State Employment Hiring Preference for Veterans, Service Members and Former Prisoners of War: Alaska offers eligible Veterans and National Guard service members a preference when hiring for public employment. All applicants must meet the minimum qualifications for the position to receive preference.

If a numerical rating system is used for hiring, Veterans and National Guard service members will receive 5% of the total points available added to their score. Disabled Veterans and former prisoners of war will receive 10% of the total points available added to their score.

If numerical ratings are not used, a Veteran or National Guard service member will be given consideration, and a disabled Veteran or prisoner of war will be given an opportunity to interview.

• • Who is eligible for Alaska State Employment Hiring Preference for Veterans, Service Members and Former Prisoners of War? Applicants must meet the following requirements.

Veteran Eligibility:

• Served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for 181 days or more and received an honorable discharge
• Served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for less than 181 days and received an honorable discharge during one of the following time periods
  • Between April 6, 1917, through December 1, 1919
  • Between September 16, 1940, through December 31, 1947
  • Between June 27, 1950, through October 14, 1976
  • Between August 2, 1990, through January 2, 1992
  • Between September 11, 2001, and ending when prescribed by Presidential proclamation
  • During a war, campaign or expedition that a campaign medal, the Purple Heart, a medal for heroism in action were awarded
• Served 181 days or more in the Alaska Territorial Guard

Reserve Component Eligibility:

• Currently serving or honorably discharged Alaska National Guard, U.S. Armed Forces Reserve, and Alaska Territorial Guard service members

Disabled Veteran Eligibility:

• Served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces and received an honorable discharge and:
  • Was discharged due to a service-connected disability
  • Is entitled to compensation from the VA for a disability
  • Was disabled in the line of duty while serving in the Alaska Territorial Guard

Prisoner of War Eligibility:

• • Declared a prisoner of war during a declared war or other recognized conflict

Surviving Spouse and Child Eligibility:

• • Spouse of an eligible Veteran or reserve component service member are eligible for a 5% increase in their score or special consideration
  • The unremarried surviving spouse or child of an eligible disabled Veteran, or former prisoner of war are eligible for a 10% increase in their score, or special consideration
• Federal Employment Veterans’ Hiring Preferences: By Federal law, Veterans who are disabled or who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces during certain specified time periods or in military campaigns are entitled to preference over non-Veterans in hiring into the Federal civil service and in retention during reduction in force. Veterans may be entitled to 5 or 10 points included in any scoring process for examination or interviews.
  • 5-point Hiring Preference: Five points are added to the examination score or rating of a Veteran who served:
    • During a war, or
    • During the period April 28, 1952, through July 1, 1955, or
    • For more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred after January 31, 1955, and before October 15, 1976, or
    • During the Gulf War from August 2, 1990, through January 2, 1992, or
    • For more than 180 consecutive days, other than for training, any part of which occurred during the period beginning September 11, 2001, and ending on August 31, 2010, the last day of Operation Iraqi Freedom, or
    • In a campaign or expedition for which a campaign medal has been authorized. Any Armed Forces Expeditionary medal or campaign badge, including El Salvador, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Southwest Asia, Somalia, and Haiti, qualifies for preference
• 10-point Compensable Disability (CP) Preference: Ten points are added to the examination score or rating of a Veteran who served at any time and who has a compensable service-connected disability rating of at least 10% but less than 30%.
• 10-Point 30% Compensable Disability Preference (CPS): Ten points are added to the passing examination score or rating of a Veteran who served at any time and who has a compensable service-connected disability rating of 30% or more.
• 10-Point Disability Preference (XP): Ten points are added to the passing examination score or rating of:
  • A Veteran who served at any time and has a present service-connected disability or is receiving compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension from the military or the VA but does not qualify as a CP or CPS, or
  • A Veteran who received a Purple Heart
• 10-Point Derived Preference (XP): Ten points are added to the passing examination score or rating of spouses, surviving spouses, or mothers of Veterans. Both a mother and a spouse (including surviving spouse) may be entitled to preference based on the same Veteran’s service if they both meet the requirements. However, neither may receive preference if the Veteran is living and is qualified for Federal employment.

Ten points are added to the passing examination score or rating of the spouse of a disabled Veteran who is disqualified for a federal position along the general lines of their usual occupation because of a service-connected disability. Such a disqualification may be presumed when the Veteran is unemployed and:

• Is rated by appropriate military or VA authorities to be 100% disabled and/or unemployable, or
• Has retired, been separated, or resigned from a civil service position because of a disability that is service-connected in origin, or
• Has attempted to obtain a civil service position or other position along the lines of their usual occupation and has failed to qualify because of a service-connected disability

Preference may be allowed in other circumstances but anything less than the above warrants a more careful analysis.

A campaign medal holder or Gulf War Veteran who originally enlisted after September 7, 1980, (or began active duty on or after October 14, 1982, and has not previously completed 24 months of continuous active duty) must have served continuously for 24 months or the full period called or ordered to active duty. The 24-month service requirement does not apply to 10-point preference eligible Veterans separated for disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty, or to Veterans separated for hardship or other reasons under Title 10 U.S.C. 1171 or 1173.

• Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA): USERRA protects civilian job rights and benefits for Veterans and members of reserve components. USERRA also protects service member rights and benefits by clarifying the law, improving enforcement mechanisms, and adding Federal Government employees to those employees already eligible to receive Department of Labor assistance in processing claims.
• Absence from Work for Military Duty: USERRA establishes the cumulative length of time that an individual may be absent from work for military duty and retain reemployment rights to five years. Exceptions to the five-year limit, include initial enlistments lasting more than five years, periodic National Guard and U.S. Armed Forces Reserve training duty, and involuntary active-duty extensions and recalls, especially during a time of national emergency. USERRA establishes that reemployment protection does not depend on the timing, frequency, duration, or nature of an individual’s service if the basic eligibility criteria are met.
• Disability Accommodation: USERRA provides protection for disabled Veterans, requiring employers to make reasonable efforts to accommodate the disability. Service members recovering from injuries received during service or training may have up to two years from the date of completion of service to return to their jobs or apply for reemployment.
• Return to Work without Loss of Seniority: USERRA provides that returning service members are reemployed in the job that they would have attained had they not been absent for military service, with the same seniority, status and pay, as well as other rights and benefits determined by seniority. USERRA also requires that reasonable efforts (such as training or retraining) be made to enable returning service members to refresh or upgrade their skills to help them qualify for reemployment. USERRA also provides that while an individual is performing military service, they are deemed to be on a furlough or leave of absence and are entitled to the non-seniority rights accorded other individuals on non-military leaves of absence.
• Extension of Health and Pension Plans: Health and pension plan coverage for service members is provided for by USERRA. Individuals performing military duty of more than 30 days may elect to continue employer sponsored health care for up to 24 months; however, they may be required to pay up to102% of the full premium. For military service of less than 31 days, health care coverage is provided as if the service members had remained employed. USERRA clarifies pension plan coverage by making it explicit that all pension plans are protected.
  
  • Who is eligible for USERRA Benefits? Veterans, U.S. Armed Forces Reserve or National Guard service members who leave a position for training or active military service are eligible.

The Department of Labor, through the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) helps all who have claims under USERRA, including Federal and Postal Service employees.
employees.

• Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development Veterans Employment Services: The Alaska Department of Labor offers priority of service and employment assistance to Veterans, and eligible spouses, who are looking for employment, apprenticeships, and on-the-job training programs.

Priority of service means:

• Receiving earlier access to a service or resource
• When services or resources are limited, receiving access before or instead of others

Veterans who have significant barriers to employment, as well as eligible spouses and care givers can receive specialized intensive services through the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program.

Examples of intensive services includes:

• Specialized assessments of skill level and service needs
• Developing individual employment plan
• Individual counseling and career planning
• Short term services may include:
  • Development of learning skills
  • Communication skills
  • Interviewing skills
  • Punctuality
  • Personal maintenance skills
  • Professional conduct
• Who is eligible for Priority of Service at Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development Offices? To be eligible for priority of service a Veteran must have served at least one day on active duty and received an other than dishonorable discharge. A spouse of any of the following are also eligible:
  • Veteran who died of a service-connected disability
  • Service member serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces who is listed for 90 or more days as:
    • Missing in action
    • Captured in the line of duty by a hostile force
    • Forcibly detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign government or power
• Veteran who has a total service-connected disability rating from the VA
• Veteran who died while a total, service-connected disability rating was in existence

For specific eligibility and questions about Veteran services, please contact the nearest Alaska Job Center or email the Alaska Statewide Veteran Coordinator at 907-269-3016.

• Alaska State Employee Leave for Military Duty: State employees who are service members serving in a reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible for 16.5 days of paid military leave per year for training, field exercises or when under direct military control during a search and rescue mission. During military leave employees will not lose pay, time, or efficiency rating.

Service members called to active duty by the governor are eligible for five days leave of absence without loss of pay, time, or efficiency rating.

• • Who is eligible for Alaska State Employee Leave for Military Duty? National Guard or U.S. Armed Forces Reserve service members are eligible for military leave.
• Restoration of Reserve Component Service Members to Former Positions in Alaska State Employment: Alaska State employees who are service members serving in a reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces and are ordered to state or federal active duty must be restored to their former state position at the end of their active-duty service.
  • Who is eligible for Restoration of Reserve Component Service Members to Former Positions in Alaska State Employment? National Guard or U.S. Armed Forces Reserve service members who are state employees are eligible to be restored to their former positions in state employment.

Burials and Memorials

Please note that your preference regarding burial in a national cemetery and use of a headstone provided by VA should be documented and kept with your paperwork and medical records. Eligibility for interment in the State Veterans Cemetery follows National Cemetery Administration eligibility requirements.

National Cemeteries include:
Fort Richardson: Fort Richardson National Cemetery
Sitka: Sitka National Cemetery

Alaska VA Benefit Resources

Alaska provides Veterans with a Regional Benefits Office and a VA Medical Center.

Alaska VA Regional Benefits Office

• Anchorage: Anchorage Regional Benefit Office

Alaska VA Medical Centers

• Anchorage: Anchorage Memorial Veterans Center

Important information for Alaska Veteran Benefits:
For Veterans applying for VA benefits for the first time, you must submit a copy of your DD 214 (discharge paperwork). This will provide your discharge status, along with your full name, social security number, branch of service, and dates for which you served. Honorable and general discharges qualify a Veteran for most VA benefits.
You should always keep your paperwork, along with your medical records, in a safe place where you and your family can have access to them. It is imperative to have it in a location where it cannot be destroyed or tampered with, which includes a safe.
Your eligibility for most VA benefits is based upon discharge from active military service under other than dishonorable conditions. Active service means full-time service as a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, or as a commissioned officer of the Public Health Service, the Environmental Services Administration, or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Any Veteran discharged from the military under the conditions of “Dishonorable” due to bad conduct discharges issued by general courts-martial may bar VA benefits. Veterans in prison and parolees may be eligible for certain VA benefits. VA regional offices can clarify the eligibility of prisoners, parolees, and individuals with multiple discharges issued under differing conditions.

Alaska Veteran Benefits

If you are a disabled Veteran in Alaska and are VA rated 90% or less, you may be eligible for additional benefits. Contact Veterans Guardian for a free consultation with no obligation. Let us review your claim to determine whether you qualify for additional benefits.

*This information is accurate as of June 2025