State / Territory Benefits - Colorado
Summary: The State of Colorado offers special benefits for its military service
members and veterans including Retired Military Pay and Property tax exemptions, state employment preferences, education and tuition assistance, vehicle tags, as well as hunting and fishing license privileges. Eligibility for some benefits may depend on residency, military component and veteran disability status.
State Benefit Highlights and Eligibility
State Taxes:
Property Tax Exemption: The State of Colorado provides a Property Tax Exemption for 100% service-connected disabled veterans up to $200,000. The exemption is limited to one residence. [SCR06-001 has passed and will be on the November ballot.] Eligibility: 100% service-connected disabled veterans with certification from veterans Affairs (VA).
Retired Military Pay: Members of the Armed Forces can exclude up to $20,000 in any one taxable year from their retirement pay. Eligibility: U.S. Armed Forces Retiree.
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.
Motor Vehicle Tax: No fee shall be charged to certain disabled veterans or ex-POWs who have established their right to benefits under public laws. This applies to subsequent vehicles, but only one at a time.
Education Benefits:
Tuition Assistance: Any member of the Colorado National Guard is eligible for state tuition assistance, up to 100% tuition paid at any Colorado state-funded school depending on funding available. State funding can be used in conjunction with Federal Tuition Assistance. Deadline for Spring Semester is Dec. 1. Deadline for Fall Semester is July 1. Summer deadline is May 1 (if funding is available). Eligibility: Colorado National Guard member must serve 2 years for each year granted.– As of July 1, 2000 any new member of the Colorado National Guard eligible for State Tuition Assistance must have a minimum of 6 months of service in the Colorado National Guard. Interstate Transfer (ISTs) and In-Service Recruits (ISRs) are waived from this requirement. – As of 1 July 2005 the State Tuition Assistance (TA) program is no longer a payback program; to get TA the member must be in drilling status with the Colorado National Guard. If the member leaves drilling status, during the semester/quarter for which they are receiving TA, the member must reimburse the Department for the whole amount of TA received for that semester. For those members who received TA prior to 1 July 2005 (to include Summer 2005) the service requirement of 1 year for each semester sponsored PRIOR to 1 July 2005 still applies. – Must maintain a 2.0 Grade Point Average
Tuition Assistance for Children of POWs, MIAs, or Disabled/Deceased Army National Guard: Free tuition in certain State-supported schools Eligibility: Children of prisoners of war or persons missing in action who were Colorado residents when they entered the Armed Forces, or for children of Colorado National Guardsmen who died or were permanently disabled while on State active duty; limited to dependents who do not qualify for Federal Education benefits.
Operation Recognition: Operation Recognition is a program to award High School diplomas to deserving and qualified WWII, Korea and Vietnam-era veterans. Operation Recognition is authorized by Colorado State Law and is offered by the Colorado Board of Veterans Affairs in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado Association of School Boards.
Employment Benefits:
Employment Assistance: State Active Duty employee receives 15 days of paid military leave per year. Eligibility: Colorado National Guard
Employment Preference (Civil Service Rights): Disabled veterans shall have 10 points added to their grades and non-disabled veterans shall be credited with an additional 5 points for " state employment" . Eligibility: Applies to city and county governments that have a "Merit System" in place.
Special Vehicle License Plates:
Special Veteran License Plates: The State provides special vehicle license plates at no cost to some veterans including recipients of the Medal of Honor, recipients of the Purple Heart, certain disabled wartime veterans and POWs. Plates for honorably discharged veterans may be purchased for nominal fee. Examples include Korean War Veteran and the Vietnam Veteran. In January 2007, a "Valor Plate" will be issued for those veterans who have received the Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, Air Force DSC, and survivors of Pearl Harbor and/or their surviving spouse. Eligibility: Veteran must have at least a 50% service-connected disability for a Disabled Veteran Plate; other special license plates must be accompanied by proper certification from the Veterans Administration.
Other Special License Plates: Special Armed Forces License Plates and Bronze Star Special License Plate available for a fee (New Legislation: HB06-1072 and SB06-172). No fee for certain Special Military License Plates.
Fallen Airman/Guardsman/Marine/Sailor/Soldier: Under Colorado Statute 42-3-213, the Fallen Service Member license plate may be issued to passenger cars, trucks that do not exceed 16,000 lbs (empty weight), noncommercial or recreational vehicles and motorcycles. The Fallens Service Member license plate will be authorized/certified for issuance by the State Registration Sections. Fallen Service Member plates may be issued to the current or past spouse, child, parent, grandparent, or sibling of a person who died in the line of duty while serving in the armed forces and deployed to a combat zone. There is a one-time fee which will be collected upon issuance or replacement of the license plate. The applicant must fill out Request for Fallen Service Member Plate Form (DR 2432) and provide supporting documentation to the State Registration section.
Health and Insurance Benefits:
Medical Benefits: Dental coverage and full medical for line-of-duty Eligibility: Colorado National Guard
Hunting and Fishing Licenses:
Fishing license: No fee for fishing license Eligibility: 1) Member of the Armed Forces stationed as a resident patient at a military hospital or convalescent station, 2) any resident patient at a USDVA hospital located within the State, 3) any veteran who is permanently and totally disabled.
Small Game Hunting and Fishing License: Free lifetime combination small-game hunting and fishing license. Eligibility: Resident veteran with a service-connected disability of 60% or more.
Miscellaneous Benefits:
State Veterans' Home: Admission preference is given to veterans, spouses, widows and mothers at State Veterans Center, Homelake, CO. ; 40 operating beds in the domiciliary unit and 60 beds in nursing care service.
State Veterans Nursing Homes: 1) The Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home at Florence, CO with a bed capacity of 120 beds, 2) Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home at Rifle, CO; capacity of 100 beds, 3) Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home at Walsenburg; capacity of 120 beds, 4) Fitzimons State Veterans Home, located in Denver, CO; capacity of 180 beds.
Burial Allowance: County allowance of up to $50 for burial and up to $50 for setting markers for pauper veterans.
Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado: To be considered for interment in the Veterans Memorial Cemetery, an applicant must be a Colorado Veterans and Members of the Armed Forces or Colorado members of Reserve Components and Reserve Officers Training Corps.
Eligibility:
a) any Colorado member of the Armed Forces of the U.S. who dies on active duty.
b) Any Colorado veteran who was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
c) Any citizen of the U.S. and Colorado who, during any war in which the U.S. has been or may hereafter be engaged, served in the Armed Forces of any Government allied with the U.S. during that war, who last active service was terminated honorably by death or otherwise and who was a citizen of the U.S. and Colorado at the time of entry into such service and at the time of death.
d) U.S. World War II Merchant Mariners with oceangoing service during the perios of armed conflict, December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946.
e) The spouse or surviving spouse of an eligible veteran, even if that person is not buried or memorialized in the Veterans Memorial Cemetery, is eligible for interment. A surviving spouse includes a surviving spouse who has had a subsequent remarriage and who death occurred on or after January 1, 2000.
f) The minor children of an eligible person. For purposes of interment, a minor child is a person who is unmarried and under the age of 21 or under the age of 23 and pursing a course of instruction at an approved eductional institution.
g) An unmarried adult child of an eligible person if the child is physically or mentally disabled and incapable of self-support before reaching the age of 21 years. Proper supportive documentation must be provided.
The Veterans Trust Fund: A fund established from the Master Tobacco Settlement which provides to Chartered Veteran Service Organizations, State Veteran Nursing Homes, Division of Veteran Affairs and the State Veteran Cemeteries for the operations of, maintenance of facilities, and/or veteran homeless shelters and transportation programs.
Military Installations and Veterans Affairs Facilities In Colorado
Active Duty:
Army
Fort Carson, CO: http://www.carson.army.mil/
Air Force
Buckley Air Force Base (AFB), Aurora, CO: http://www.buckley.af.mil/
Petersen Air Force Base (AFB), CO: http://www.peterson.af.mil/
Schriever Air Force Base (AFB), Colorado Springs, CO: http://www.schriever.af.mil/welcome.asp
National Guard:
Colorado National Guard Joint Headquarters: http://www.coloradoguard.army.mil/webpages/headquarters_home.htm
Colorado Army National Guard: http://www.coloradoguard.army.mil/webpages/unit_locations.htm
Colorado Air National Guard: http://www.cobuck.ang.af.mil/
U.S. Army Reserve (USAR):
Regional Readiness Command (RRC) Headquarters, 96th RRC: http://www.armyreserve.army.mil/USARC/RRC/0096RRC/0096_RRC_Overview.htm
Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Facilities in Colorado:
VA Medical Centers
Denver: VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS)
Grand Junction: Grand Junction VA Medical Center
Community Based Outpatient Clinics
Alamosa: Alamosa /San Luis Valley Clinic/Sierra Blanca Med. Ctr.
Aurora: Aurora Outpatient Clinic
Colorado Springs: Colorado Springs Clinic
Durango: Durango Clinic
Ft. Collins: Fort Collins Outpatient Clinic
Greeley: Greeley Outpatient Clinic
La Junta: La Junta Outpatient Clinic
Lakewood: Lakewood Outpatient Clinic
Lamar: Lamar Clinic
Montrose: Montrose Outpatient Clinic
Pueblo: Pueblo Outpatient Clinic
Resources
http://www1.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=1
http://benefits.military.com/misc/installations/Browse_Location.jsp
http://www.dmva.state.co.us/viewpage.php?UGFnZUlEPTM1
http://www.revenue.state.co.us/mv_dir/wrap.asp?incl=registrations/milandvetlist
http://www.nasdva.com/colorado.html
http://www.retirementliving.com/RLstate1.html#COLORADO
http://www.military.com/Resources/ResourcesContent/0,13964,59476,00.html
Document Review Date: February 2009
