Veteran Benefits for Oklahoma

• Oklahoma Retired Military Pay Income Taxes: Any individual may exclude the greater of 75% of their retirement benefits or $10,000, but not to exceed the amount included in the Federal Adjusted Gross Income. The retirement benefits must be from any component of the U.S. Armed Forces.
• Oklahoma Income Tax Exemption for Military Wages: An Oklahoma resident who is a member of any component of the Armed Services may exclude 100% of his/her taxable active-duty military pay. This includes Reserve and National Guard pay.
• Oklahoma State Taxes on U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Disability Dependency and Indemnity Compensation: Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is a tax-free monetary benefit paid to eligible survivors of military service members who died in the line of duty or eligible survivors of Veterans whose death resulted from a service-related injury or disease.
• Oklahoma 100% Disabled Veteran Sales Tax Exemption: 100% tax exemption for sales tax including city and county sales tax, will be exempt. Persons who have been certified as receiving compensation at the 100% rate where disability is permanent and where it is service-connected as certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Sales qualifying for the exemption is limited to $25,000.00 per year. The sales tax exemption for the 100% disabled Veterans extends to the Surviving Spouse of a deceased qualified Veteran if the Surviving Spouse has not remarried. Sales qualifying for the exemption is limited to $1,000.00 per year for the Surviving Spouse.
• Oklahoma 100% Disabled Veteran Motor Vehicle Tax Exemption: The exemption may be claimed on only one vehicle in a consecutive three-year period by any single qualifying Veteran. The exemption applies to motor vehicles only. It does not apply to boats or motors. The exemption does not apply to Surviving Spouses of qualified Veterans.
• Oklahoma 100% Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption: There is a 100% property tax exemption for disabled Veterans. Property tax systems are based on the market value of real, personal and public service properties. The exemption can be claimed to begin on January 1, 2006. The exemption will be for the full fair cash value of the homestead. Complete Oklahoma Tax Commission Form 998, Application for 100% Disabled Veterans Real Property Tax Exemption and take it to the county assessor’s office for the county in which the property is located. The qualifying Veteran must be receiving disability compensation at the 100% rate. The exemption applies to the Surviving Spouse of the Veteran if the Surviving Spouse has not remarried.

Sales Tax:

• Statewide: 4.5%
• Counties: can levy an additional sales tax of no more than 6.5%
• Current average sales tax (with local taxes included): 7.72%

Recreation

Disabled Veterans Hunting & Fishing Licenses: Oklahoma resident Veterans with a VA disability rating of at least 60% can get a lifetime hunting & fishing license for $25. Those with a VA disability rating of less than 60% can get one for $200.

Active Duty Hunting & Fishing Licenses: Active duty military personnel and their dependents can buy hunting & fishing licenses at the resident rate.

Free Admission to Oklahoma State-Owned or State-Operated Parks or Museums for Resident Veterans: All honorably discharged Veterans who are currently Oklahoma residents shall be allowed free admission to all state-owned or state-operated parks and museums. A valid Oklahoma driver license or state photo identification card and military discharge papers (DD214) or similar evidence of an honorable discharge from the United States Armed Forces shall be required for free admission.

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Stars and Stripes Project: The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s Stars and Stripes License Project is a donor-funded project that offers hunting and fishing licenses to military Veterans and select survivors of Veterans lost while serving their country. The Wildlife Department receives no state-appropriated funds, so this project allows us to show appreciation to our Veterans while maintaining revenue that supports important wildlife conservation in the state.

Education Programs

Oklahoma College Credit for Military Service: Oklahoma state law (OK Stat § 59-4100.3) allows Oklahoma colleges, university, and technology centers to provide academic credit to a Veteran honorably discharged in the previous three years for any applicable education, training, and experience received through military duty that pertains to his or her area of study. Under the new law, college boards must have adopted policies for military academic credit by January 1, 2013, and courses must meet the standards of the American Council on Education or equivalent standards.

Oklahoma Tuition-Free Technology and Technical Education: This program waives the tuition at any state-supported technology career center school in the State of Oklahoma operating under the State Board of Career and Technology Education. The Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology-Okmulgee shall be excluded from the provisions of this act. Any Oklahoma Veteran, or dependent of any Oklahoma Veteran who was missing in action or a prisoner of war.

Oklahoma National Guard Tuition Waiver: The Oklahoma National Guard Tuition Waiver is established as an incentive for qualified young men and women to join the Oklahoma National Guard and as a means to retain skilled, productive citizens within the state.

Oklahoma Heroes Promise, College Scholarship for Children of Deceased Service Members: Heroes Promise will help pay the student’s tuition at a public community college or university. It will also cover a portion of tuition at an accredited Oklahoma private college or university or for courses at public technology centers that are approved for credit toward an Associate in Applied Science degree at a public college. The scholarship is good for up to five years or until the student completes a bachelor’s degree, whichever comes first. The final amount of the scholarship will vary depending on where the student attends college, the tuition rates in effect at that time and whether he or she attends full time or less.

Oklahoma 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 promulgation and 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.

Housing: The following are the sites for Veterans Homes

Oklahoma State Veterans Home at Ardmore

Oklahoma State Veterans Home at Claremore

Oklahoma State Veterans Home at Clinton

Oklahoma State Veterans Home at Lawton

Oklahoma State Veterans Home at Norman

Oklahoma State Veterans Home at Sulpher

Oklahoma State Veterans Home at Talina

Eligibility for admission:

• Veterans must be Oklahoma residents
• Discharged other than on dishonorable accounts
• Veterans who are disabled and unable to earn a living are eligible for admission
• There is a fee for service
• Spouses may be eligible

Employment and Job Training: Veteran Preference

Veterans or their un-remarried surviving spouses get 5 points added to their employment test. Disabled war Veterans get 10 points, and disabled war Veterans with at least a 30% disability rating are automatically placed at the top of the selection list.

Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act: Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) protect civilian job rights and benefits for Veterans and members of Reserve components. USERRA also makes major improvements in protecting service member rights and benefits by clarifying the law, improving enforcement mechanisms, and adding Federal Government employees to those employees already eligible to receive the Department of Labor assistance in processing claims.

Oklahoma National Guard Employment Coordination Program: The Employment Coordination Program (ECP) increases career opportunities for Oklahoma Guardsmen / Veterans by developing proactive positive relationships with Oklahoma employers and connecting our Citizen Soldiers / Airmen with those employers through all available channels in order to obtain stabilized careers and optimal retention.

The Oklahoma Military Department – Employment Coordination Program can help you with:

• Resume Assistance
• Oklahoma Civilian Job Search Assistance
• Interview Coaching
• Career Advice
• Education Advice

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:

Elgin: Fort Sill National Cemetery

Ft. Gibson: Fort Gibson National Cemetery

Oklahoma VA Benefit Resources

Oklahoma provides Veterans with a Regional Benefits Office and VA Medical Centers.

Oklahoma VA Regional Benefits Office

• Muskogee: Muskogee Regional Office

Oklahoma VA Medical Centers

• Muskogee: Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System (Jack C. Montgomery VAMC)
• Oklahoma City: Oklahoma City VA Health Care System

Important information for Oklahoma 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, 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.

*This information is accurate as of December 2019

Oklahoma Veteran Benefits

If you are a disabled Veteran in Oklahoma 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.