Getting the most out of your VA experience begins with understanding what VA can do for you. 

Veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors can use the newly updated VA Welcome Kit to learn about VA benefits and services. The VA Welcome Kit is organized around major life milestones, such as separating from military service, retirement, or seeking care while aging. The 14 ‘quick-start guides’ included in the VA Welcome Kit provide additional information, such as:

• Applying for VA health care.
• Getting started with mental health services.
• Getting started with health services for women Veterans.
• Understanding community care.
• Accessing urgent care.
• Applying for disability compensation.
• Understanding the modernized decision review process.
• Applying for education benefits.
• Applying for burial in a VA national cemetery and for memorial products.
• Getting started with services for Veterans aged 65+.
• Getting started with Veteran state benefits and services.
• Getting started with Vet Center services.
• Getting started with caregiver benefits.
• Applying for survivor benefits.

Whether you are just separating from service or have been a civilian for years, the VA Welcome Kit is your guide to helping you get started at VA – and sustaining you throughout your VA journey. It offers information on how VA can help you at major life milestones, including planning for retirement and care into your golden years.

The VA Welcome Kit also has information on accessing resources for taking care of yourself, such as accessing mental health care, women Veterans services, caregiver support and getting care at community providers. 

Navigate VA Benefits

Keep the VA Welcome Kit handy for reference and share it with anyone who may also need help navigating their VA benefits. Over 800,000 VA Welcome Kits have been downloaded and over 260,000 printed and distributed to more than 250 organizations and individuals so far. The VA Welcome Kit is regularly updated online when new information is available, so we encourage you to bookmark the link. 

If you have suggestions for additional information to include in the VA Welcome Kit, please submit them to vawelcomekit@va.gov.