STATE AND FEDERAL BENEFITS
VETERANS BENEFITS
The Division of Veterans Affairs of West Virginia
shall assist eligible veterans, their widows, dependents and orphans in proper preparation and presentation of their
claims for the benefits of their rights and privileges under federal
and state laws enacted for their benefits.
STATE BENEFITS*
HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN ELIGIBLE
VETERANS: Specific
information is available through the local County Assessor’s Office.
AGENT ORANGE PROGRAM:
The program administered by the West Virginia Division of
Health expired July 1, 1989. However,
assistance is provided to Korean and Vietnam veterans exposed to
certain chemicals, defoliants or herbicides or other causative agents,
including Agent Orange from the US Department of Veterans Affairs,
Medicine and Surgery.
STATE WAR ORPHANS EDUCATION: Provides for a waiver of tuition and registration fees in a
state supported college or university for children between the ages of
sixteen and twenty-three whose veteran parent served in World War I,
World War II, Korean Conflict, Vietnam Era or any time of conflict as
declared by Congress. Parent
must have died in such wartime period, or, if subsequent to discharge,
death must have been the result of disability incurred in such wartime
service.
FREE LICENSE –AUTOMOBILE:
Provides special vehicle license plates, DV Tags without fee to
any veteran in receipt of an auto grant or who is permanently and
totally disabled due to service-connected causes, and former POW Tag
as certified by the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
Also recent legislation provides for Purple Heart Tags for
those wounded in action and Pearl Harbor Survivors Tags for West
Virginia veterans who were at Pearl Harbor during the attack on
December 7, 1941. Veteran
Plate for honorably discharged veterans for a one time fee of $10.00
over and above the regular license fee required by Motor Vehicles.
FREE HUNTING AND FISHING PRIVILEGES for 100%
service-connected veterans and those veterans in receipt of a VA auto
grant.
STATE VETERANS HOME (DOMICILIARY): Domiciliary care in Veterans Home is for ambulatory veterans
who are able to go to the dining room without help; can dress
themselves; can make their own beds, and can participate in an
assigned therapeutic activity. A
veteran may be charged for care if he is able to pay.
VETERANS PREFERENCE:
Under the West Virginia Civil Service System all veterans who
have served under honorable conditions in the armed forces of the
United States during World War II, Korea Conflict, Vietnam Era or
during hostile conflict shall have five (5) points added to a final
passing score. An
additional five (5) points are added to a veteran’s score if in
receipt of the Purple Heart or has a compensable service-connected
disability.
VETERANS BONUS:
The West Virginia State Legislature approved four separate
bonus programs for payment to veterans of World War I and World War
II, Korean Conflict, the Vietnam Era and veterans of conflicts in
Lebanon, Panama, Granada, and Desert Storm.
The deadline for making application for these bonus programs
has expired as indicated: World War I and World War II – December 31, 1955; Korean
Conflict – June 30, 1959; Vietnam Era – December 31, 1976;
Lebanon, Panama, Granada and Desert Storm – June 30, 1994.
VETERANS RE-EDUCATION ACT FUND: The West Virginia Legislature provides tuition assistance to
those veterans who need a new vocation due to dislocation or
unemployment. Veteran
must have exhausted the G. I. Bill and be in need of tuition
assistance.
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