Summary: Hawaii offers special benefits for its military service members and veterans including State Tax Advantage, Property Tax Exemptions, Hawaii National Guard Tuition Scholarship Program, Vehicle License Plates, Tax exemption on passenger cars, Preference in State and County Classified Employment as well as State Veterans Cemetery benefits. Eligibility for some benefits may depend on residency, military component and veteran disability status.
State Benefit Highlights and Eligibility
State Taxes:
State Tax Advantage: $1,750.00 of military pay is exempt from state tax annually.
Eligibility: Any member of the Armed Forces of the U.S.
Retired Military Pay: Not taxed.
Military Disability Retired Pay: Disability Portion - Length of Service Pay; Member on September 24, 1975 - No tax; Not Member on September 24, 1975 - Taxed, unless combat incurred. Retired Pay - Based solely on disability: Member on September 24, 1975 - No tax; Not Member on September 24, 1975 -Taxed, unless all pay based on disability and disability resulted from armed conflict, extra-hazardous service, simulated war, or an instrumentality of war.
VA Disability Dependency and Indemnity Compensation: Not subject to federal or state taxes
Property Tax Exemptions: Applies to real property that is owned and occupied as a home and passenger cars when they are owned by totally disabled veterans and subsidized by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Eligibility: Owned by a totally disabled veteran or their widow(er).
Military SBP/SSBP/RC SBP/ RS FPP: Generally subject to state taxes for those states with income tax. Check with state Dept of Revenue Office.
Education Benefits:
Hawaii National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program: The Hawaii National Guard State Tuition Assistance Program provides 100% coverage to community colleges and 50% coverage to four-year colleges.
Eligibility: The member must be enrolled in a degree producing program. Only captain "O3" and below in rank eligible for benefits.
Employment Benefits:
Employment Assistance: State and city employee receives 15 days military leave per year. Additional 15 days for civil relief on State active duty.
Eligibility: State and city employee on orders for Annual Drill or active duty.
Preference in State Classified Employment: Preference is given to veterans, Vietnam-era veterans, for civil service positions, training programs, job counseling and referrals to civilian jobs by the Workforce Development Division, Department of Labor & Industrial Relations.
Eligibility: Service-connected, disabled veterans and their widow(er).
Re-employment rights: Hawaii enforces re-employment rights for State or County government employees.
Eligibility: Veterans, Reservists or National Guard members who leave a position for training or active military service.
Special Vehicle License Plates: For the same cost as regular license plates, qualified veterans can acquire distinctive veterans' license plates for their car or motorcycle. Currently available are: "Veteran," "Combat," "Combat Wounded," "Pearl Harbor Survivor," "Purple Heart," "Former POW," "World War II Veteran" "Korean War Veteran," "Vietnam Veteran," and "Persian Gulf Veteran."
Health and Insurance Benefits:
Medical Benefits: Workers Compensation equivalent to State employees.
Eligibility: National Guard service member's injury or illness occurs in Line of Duty (LOD).
Group Insurance: Hawaii Department of Defense Employee Association offers group life insurance for Nation Guard members, families, and employees; HNGA offers Guard members and families a group policy.
Eligibility: Member of Army/Air National Guard.
Workers Compensation: Workers Compensation equivalent to State employees.
Eligibility: Injury occurs while serving on State Active Duty.
Injury/Death Benefits: Workers Compensation equivalent to State employees less any VA payments received.
Eligibility: National Guard service member's injury/Death occurs while serving on State Active Duty.
Miscellaneous Benefits:
Vital Statistics: Free certified copies of vital statistics forms when needed for veterans' claims.
Eligibility: When the veteran documents are to be used in determining their eligibility to participate in benefits made available by their federal agency.
Special Housing for Disabled Veterans: Payment by the State of up to $5,000 for the purpose of purchasing or remodeling a home to improve handicapped accessibility.
Eligibility: Totally disabled veteran.
State Veterans Cemetery: Burial in one of the Hawaii State Veterans Cemeteries (HSVC) located on Oahu, Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, Molokai or Lanai is an honor reserved for veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces and their eligible dependents. Family members utilize a one grave concept with interments at 5', 7' and 9' depths. Cremations may be placed in a niche in the columbarium wall or inurned in a ground plot. HSVC will provide a gravesite, marker, perpetual care of the gravesite, and will open and close the grave. The veteran's family must pay for mortuary services provided by funeral directors and other related costs, usually including transportation of remains. There is a standard plot or interment allowance fee of $300 for each interment payable to State of Hawaii, Department of Defense. The Department of Veterans Affairs will pay the plot or interment allowance fee ($300) for wartime and peacetime veterans. Families are responsible to pay the plot allowance fee ($300) for active duty, and dependents.
Eligibility: Veterans, their spouses, and minor children who are under 21 years of age or under 23 years of age if they pursuing a course of instruction at an approved educational institution. Unmarried adult children who are physically or mentally disabled and incapable of self-support before reaching the age of 21 years also are eligible for burial.
Military Installations and Veterans Affairs Facilities In Hawaii
Active Duty:
Army
Fort Shafter: http://www.usarpac.army.mil/
Schofield Barracks: http://www.25idl.army.mil/usaghi/sites/local/
Tripler Army Medical Center: http://www.tamc.amedd.army.mil/
Navy
http://www.hawaii.navy.mil/
Naval Station Pearl Harbor: http://www.pearlharbor.navy.mil/
Air Force
Hickam Air Force Base (AFB): http://www2.hickam.af.mil/
Marine Corps
Marine Corps Barracks Kaneohe: http://www.mcbh.usmc.mil/
National Guard:
Hawaii National Guard Joint Headquarters: http://www.dod.state.hi.us/HIARNG/starc.html
Hawaii Army National Guard: http://www.dod.state.hi.us/HIARNG/index.html
Hawaii Air National Guard: http://www.dod.state.hi.us/hiang/
United States Army Reserve (USAR):
Regional Readiness Command (RRC) Headquarters, 9th RRC:http://www.usar.army.mil/ARMYDRU/0009RRC/0009_RRC_Overview.htm
Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Facilities in Hawaii:
VA Medical Center
Honolulu: VA Pacific Islands Health Care System
Community Based Outpatient Clinic
Hilo: VA Hilo Community Based Outpatient Clinic
Hilo: VA Hilo PTSD Residential Rehabilitation Program
Kahului: VA Maui Community Based Outpatient Clinic
Kona: VA Kona Community Based Outpatient Clinic
Lihue: VA Kauai Community Based Outpatient Clinic
Office of Veterans Services – State of Hawaii
http://www.dod.state.hi.us/ovs/
Offices located on Oahu, Hawaii, Kauai and Maui
http://www.dod.state.hi.us/ovs/contact.html
Resources
http://www.goang.com/benefits/state/default.aspx?stateprovince=Hawaii
http://www1.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=1
http://education.military.com/money-for-school/state-veteran-benefits
Document Review Date: 17 April 2008
