Military Discounts: 4th of July 2020

A list of 2020 4th of July free meals, freebies, discounts and deals for active duty military, veterans and retirees.

Independence Day will be celebrated on Saturday, July 4, 2020.

Note: For theme parks and brick and mortar locations reporting discounts be sure to check for closures and changes due to these ever-changing times.

2020 Fourth of July Offers

2020 offers will be added as the date nears and offers are announced.

Academy Sports + Outdoors
From June 21 through September 11, all military members, first responders and healthcare professionals will receive 10% off online and in-store purchases with valid ID.

Free Admission – Many local places are providing free admission to active duty military and veterans this 4th of July.  Call ahead to confirm, but parks, zoos, aquariums, amusement parks, museums, concerts, events and many more are providing free admission and discounts to family members on Independence Day.

Home Depot 10% Off
A 10% discount is offered to all military veterans, on purchases up to a maximum of $500. A year-round 10% discount is available at all U.S. locations to active duty personnel, reservists, retired or disabled veterans and their immediate families. Must present a valid military ID. Unfortunately, Home Depot does not accept state ID cards with veterans designation (some locations may).  Note: Home Depot has unfortunately removed the military discount policy from their website while keeping the discount intact.

Rack Room Shoes
Rack Room Shoes offers a 10% military discount to all members of the military past and present. The military discount is valid in-store with proof of service. The Rack Room Military Discount is available on Independence Day, Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and every Tuesday.

Walgreens
Walgreens is offering 30% off all regular priced items in-store to all veterans, active duty military, and family members from July 3 – 5, 2020 with their Balance Rewards Card.

2020 Limited Time Military, First Responder & Medical Professional Discounts

Shop these brands offering special discounts for military, medical professional or first responders on the front lines.

Adidas
Verified military members, medical professionals, first responders, nurses get 40% off.

Asics
Military, first responders and medical professionals get a 60% discount on all full-priced products in their online store.

Big Lots
15% off discount to healthcare, first responders, military and veterans for a limited time.

Blanquil
50% off all products for Military Service Members, Healthcare Workers, and First Responders.

Clarks Shoes
Clarks offers a 50% off purchases for Active Duty, Retirees, Veterans, Military Spouses, Military Family Members, as well as a First Responder discount for active Police, Fire, and EMT customers and also Teachers.

Home Chef
50% off your first purchase for medical personnel, first responders, military and teachers.

Hooters
20 percent off all food takeout orders every day until further notice to all military personnel, local healthcare workers and first responders.

Nike
Active, veteran, retired, and reservist US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Space Forceand Coast Guard personnel are eligible to receive a 20% Nike military discount on Nike.com and at Nike, Converse, and Hurley stores in the United States (excluding Nike Company/Employee Stores). For a limited time, increased from from 10% to 20%!

Outback Steakhouse
10% off heroes discount is open to military personnel and their immediate family members plus nurses, doctors, medical staff, servicemen and women, police officers and firefighters, with corresponding medical, state or federal service ID.

Reebok
Military Personnel, Teachers, Nurses, First Responders, and Government employees get a 50% discount.

Tuft & Needle
15% discount to active military, veterans, first responders and healthcare professionals.

 

Benefits: Credit Card Benefits for US Military & Spouses

There are many bonuses and perks offered by credit card issuers to active duty military members. Some credit cards for active duty soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines waive annual fees, cap interest rates, and/or offer money back for purchases up to a certain amount.

You may find some credit card companies offer these on a case-by-case basis or by request only, while others may advertise these perks as an ongoing feature of their credit programs. But did you know that in addition to programs a credit issuer may voluntarily offer, there are federally-mandated perks that all credit card companies must offer a service member on active duty when requested?

American Express Benefits for Military

American Express takes the SCRA protections a step further by waiving their annual fees for military personnel and their spouses. The Blue Cash Preferred card has a $95 annual fee and the Gold Card has a $250 annual fee. However, since the annual fees are waived you might as well take advantage of the great perks that the American Express Platinum Card offers. Such as access to hundreds of airport lounges and Uber, airline, hotel and TSA Precheck credits. Plus, get a 60,000-point bonus when you spend $5,000 on your card in the first three months.

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) And Credit Card Interest Rates

The SCRA mandates a 6% interest rate cap on loans you took out before starting active duty. This cap is described at the United States Department Of Justice official site as a limit to the amount of interest charged on “certain financial obligations that were incurred prior to military service.” This limit is “no more than six percent per year, including most fees.”

The caveat is that the cap is not automatic, must be applied for with the credit agency, and must be applied for with all credit card companies you wish to claim your SCRA rights with. You will be required to provide a copy of military orders and a formal notice in writing.

There is also a time limit on these notices-you have until 180 days after the end of military service to file the notice. The U.S. Department of Justice notes that when you file your notice, the creditor is required to fully forgive, rather than defer until later, the amount of interest greater than six percent per year.

The interest rate must be forgiven retroactively, and the credit card company is not allowed to engage in any practice that results in “…accelerating the payment of principal in response to a properly made request for a six percent interest rate cap.”

What You Should Know About Military Credit Card Benefits

Viewed from a certain perspective, a great deal of the American economy involves two kinds payments; those that are known up front, and those that are part of what some call “gotcha” tactics.

A gotcha tactic can be anything from a sudden increase in your interest rate due to one or more missed or late payments that is applied as per the agreement you make with the creditor – often this increase potential is spelled out in detail only in the fine print of the agreement, which some people choose not to read closely.

But “gotcha” tactics also work in the other direction – you may be eligible for discounts, lower rates, cash back on purchases, and other perks, but these will not be applied automatically and are generally not advertised. You have to ask for the perks, but before you can do so you have to know to ask for them.

Military credit card benefits are not standardized. You may be required to be on active duty for a minimum amount of time (30 days is one standard), and you will be required to furnish proof of service and possibly evidence that your military service commitment is for a minimum time or that you are about to re-enlist.

Some of these requirements will vary from lender to lender, except where the SCRA laws apply.

Some credit card companies are more generous than others with their military benefits, and some credit card companies have a reputation for liberally interpreting your SCRA rights, offering more than the law requires when such rights are claimed. American Express is one company that has earned a positive reputation in this area.

Remember, you will generally be required to request or sign up for these credit card perks, they are not automatic.

Credit Card Benefits For Military Members You Should Ask For When Signing Up For A New Credit Card Account

Here is a list of perks that are offered by many credit card companies to their military customers – if you are not currently enjoying some or all of these perks, it’s a very good idea to call your credit card company to request the following, especially when opening a new account:

  • No over-limit credit limit fees
  • No annual fee for military members
  • Cash back incentives for military members
  • Cash back programs specifically for military-related expenses such as moving, uniforms, etc.
  • No overseas transaction credit card fees for military members
  • Incentives for electronic payments or automatic electronic payment transfers
  • Waived or reduced credit card cash advance fees for military members
  • Lower APR interest rates for military members
  • Any special perks or incentives for deployed service members or families of deployed service members
  • Special “reserve cards” for military members and/or family members
  • No penalty APR interest rate adjustments for late payments

Which Credit Card Companies Offer The Best Military Credit Card Perks, Bonuses, And Incentives?

Opinions may vary, but one of the best things military members and their families can do to get military-oriented credit card benefits is to apply for credit cards from a military or military friendly company such as USAA, Navy Federal Credit Union, or the company currently servicing your government official travel charge card.

There are other credit card companies that have historically offered perks and military credit card benefits, including Chase Bank, Bank of America, American Express, and Capital One.

Of these, Capital One is rated by third-party websites as being less of an advantage than the others, but Capital One credit cards have waived both annual fees and overseas charge fees for active duty military members. It’s always best to call to inquire about the most current military-friendly credit programs available.

Chase Sapphire Reserve for Military

All Chase personal credit cards are offered with no annual fees for active duty military servicemembers and their spouses. The top two choices are the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve cards. The main difference is that the Preferred offers 10,000 more sign up bonus points while the Reserve offers a recurring $300 annual travel credit.

  • No foreign transaction fees
  • $450 annual fee (and $75 authorized user fee) completely waived for US military and spouses
  • $300 annual travel credit (Uber, taxi, airfare, hotel, train, car rental, etc)
  • 3x points on travel and dining worldwide
  • Redeem points with a 50% bonus when booking travel through the Chase
  • Automatic travel insurance on trips purchased with the card including trip cancellation, delay, interruption, lost baggage, and auto rental collision
  • $100 Global Entry sign up fee reimbursed every 4 years
  • 50,000 bonus points when you spend $4000 in the first 3 months of opening account

Important Advice About Signing Up For New Credit Cards

  • Not all credit is billed the same; the interest rate and terms of repayment on a credit card cash advance may be different-and higher-than for ordinary purchase transactions. Know what you are agreeing to before you use the features of your credit account that result in cash back to you from the credit card company.
  • Be sure to ask how much advance notification the credit issuer requires before you leave active duty.
  • When signing up for a new credit card, be sure to check the application to see if there is an option to choose your source of income. If so, always select “military” or “government” as your income source where available. This may go a long way toward helping you claim your military credit benefits from the very start.
  • Check to see if your existing or new credit card provider offers a special hotline for military customers.
  • Know the terms and conditions-what perks apply to your account while serving on active duty, and which will continue if you retire or separate from military service? Ask these important questions before they become a real-world issue.
  • Read the fine print on all your credit card accounts. Know under what circumstances you will be charged added fees, fines, penalties, etc. even as a military customer. Don’t assume that you will be exempt from late charges, interest rate increases, or other actions based on late or missed payments, going over your account limits, etc. When you sign the legally binding agreement for your credit account, you will be subject to the rules you agree to. Know before you sign.

How to Save Your Credit Rating in the Military

Military members, dependents, and military spouses are especially vulnerable to credit problems like identity theft, the potential for lost or stolen cards and personal information, and many other problems.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to save your credit rating even if you are compromised, miss a payment, or have related issues. Credit and credit ratings are tricky but there are some very simple steps you can take that directly safeguard your credit.

It is very important to stress that these are steps all consumers should take themselves. Fixing your credit is FREE and you do not need to pay a third party to help you take the simple credit repair steps below.

Save Your Credit Rating by Knowing Your Credit Reports

First and foremost, reviewing copies of your credit reports regularly protects you from being the victim of identity theft, and to make certain there are no outdated items on your report, errors, etc.

For added protection, know the contents of your credit reports and follow the five tips below. It is that simple.

Tip #1: Add Some Credit

Some credit users don’t have enough credit to their name–they simply don’t have enough of a credit track record to show a lender they are a good credit risk. Other credit users may have a few credit cards but carry high balances. In both cases, adding a credit account may be a good idea.

It’s never a good plan to apply for new credit just ahead of or during a major credit application. Adding a credit account is something that should be done in the planning stages for a new mortgage or car loan, a year before or more is ideal.

The credit agency Experian says on its official site that consumers can legally improve their credit utilization rate by “raising your credit limit on an existing account or opening a new credit account”.

Credit utilization rates are calculated based on all your available accounts. If you have five credit accounts and carry a balance of 50% on each account, adding a new one or increasing the credit limit on an existing account affects the calculation, lowering the utilization rate. This may sound like a bit of creative accounting, but the math and the rationale can definitely help you improve your credit.

Tip #2: Create An Emergency Fund

One of the biggest sources of stress is last-minute expenses that force you to dip into your bank account, potentially affecting your monthly budget.

This can be a serious issue, which is why it’s best to establish a separate bank account and fund for such emergencies when considering Tip #5.

It can be tough to do this in the middle of a typical military assignment. For example, when military members get PCS orders, they have the ability to request advance pay (basically an interest-free pay advance that is repaid in monthly installments over a year) and set up as a small fund for this purpose.

You can do the same thing with a reenlistment bonus, special pays or allowances, etc. The key is to pay attention to times when you may be due extra money from the Department of Defense and plan accordingly (e.g., annual clothing allowance.)

Tip #3: Get Help

Military bases, college campuses, and even lenders may offer classes and seminars on improving credit, becoming ready for a home loan, saving money, budgeting, and other key areas.

If you are living on-base overseas, find your nearest MWR program, Soldier Support Centers, and the USO for potential financial resources.

Your city and state government may have stateside programs open to first-time home buyers, new investors, and other categories of people hoping to learn better money management, credit repair, and investing skills.

A financial planner, tax expert, or investment advisor may be able to help you find or use resources in your local area to get more informed on good credit practices and how to repair your credit yourself and for free.

Tip #4: Reduce Your Credit Card Balances

Your credit report has a ton of useful information: lenders, X number of credit cards and other accounts. It also shows what your credit limits are, and the percentage of used credit limit.

Lenders often look at the borrower’s used credit lines before approving new lines of credit or loans. Ideally, you should reduce your credit card use so that you are well under 50% of your credit limit. As a general rule, 30% is the maximum, but it’s best to reduce the amount halfway below your credit amount.

That will still help improve your credit over time. Carrying high balances on your credit cards does not help you when applying for an auto loan or a VA mortgage.

The credit utilization rate, which calculates the percentage of your credit use across all accounts, is used to determine your credit. If you have three credit cards, your credit utilization rate may be high if there are higher balances.

However, the credit reporting agency, Experian, reports you can change that ratio in a very simple way.

Advanced Tip

Before applying for credit, a va loan etc., make a payment to your account before your card’s statement closing date, instead of on or before its payment due date. Card issuer’s typically report the statement closing date balance to the credit bureaus on the statement date. Thus, even if you pay off your credit balance before the due date your credit report may still show a balance which will effect the utilization percentage used to calculate your credit score.

Tip #5: Set A Payment Schedule

Among the top three causes of bad credit scores, late and missed payments are serious issues. If you have missed or late payments on your credit record in the 12 months leading up to a major credit application like a VA mortgage or an auto loan, your chances at loan approval are seriously compromised.

Do not apply for loans if you have late and missed payments in that 12 months, wait out your payment record until you have a full 12 months of “clean” payment record on the books for best results.

The best way to achieve a clean payment record? Military members, dependents, and spouses should set up auto-deduct payments, ACH transfers, allotments, or any other automated payment process to handle your accounts each month on-time every time.

Explained: Refill & Track Prescriptions With The VA

Did you know that the Department of Veterans Affairs offers a prescription refill and tracking service?

The VA Prescription Refill and Tracking tool lets you refill your VA prescriptions, track deliveries, and build lists to help you keep medications organized properly to best manage your health conditions. This tool is provided for eligible veterans and you can sign up with the VA MyHealthEVet portal.

Who Is Eligible For The VA Prescription Refill And Tracking Tool

Veterans are eligible to sign up for and use this tool if they meet all the following conditions:

  • The veteran is enrolled in VA health care, and
  • The veteran is registered as a patient in a VA health facility, and
  • The veteran has a refillable prescription from a VA doctor that is filled at a VA pharmacy and processed by the VA Mail Order Pharmacy.

In order to use the VA Prescription Refill and Tracking Tool, eligible veterans must have or sign up for one of the following online accounts:

  • A verified me account created at VA.gov
  • An Advanced or Premium My HealtheVet account
  • A Premium DS Logon account (used for eBenefits and milConnect)

What You Can Use The Prescription Tool To Do

Qualifying veterans can fill and track most medications, but there are certain exceptions which we will describe below. In most cases, veterans who sign up can use the service to:

  • VA medicines refilled or renewed
  • Wound care supplies
  • Diabetic care supplies
  • Other items available via the VA Mail Order Pharmacy

There are certain exceptions. The VA official site says that in certain cases a VA health care team may decide that certain medications cannot or should not be shipped. This may be handled on a case-by case basis. “In these cases,” the VA official site says, “…you’ll need to pick up your prescription from the VA health facility where you get care.”

Furthermore, some pain medicines (especially narcotics and other controlled substances) may not be refillable except via a new prescription from the VA provider every time you need to refill. This too may be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Other uses for the VA Prescription Refill And Tracking Tool include:

  • Refill your VA prescriptions online
  • Review past and current VA prescriptions
  • Track delivery prescriptions mailed within the past 30 days
  • Get email notifications on when to expect prescription delivery
  • Create lists to keep track of all your medicines, not just VA prescribed medications

What To Do If Your Prescription Does Not Arrive

The VA advises patients to begin by contacting the customer support division of the delivery service responsible for delivering the medication. That contact information and/or phone number is on delivery company’s official website.

If your delivery issue is something the company cannot assist you with, it may be necessary to contact the VA facility where the prescription was obtained-the phone number for the VA Pharmacy is located on the prescription label.

Other Important Information You Should Know

The VA will not mail prescriptions to overseas locations. Prescription mailings are limited to the United States and its territories

Prescriptions mailed to qualifying veterans by the VA “usually arrive” within 3 to 5 days according to VA.gov. For individual shipments you can review them on the website of the delivery service shown in the online Rx Tracker.

You should avoid gaps in your prescriptions by requesting all refills at least 10 days prior to running out of the current prescription.

What To Do If You Mistakenly Receive Another Person’s Prescription Package

Mix-ups sometimes happen and you may get a delivery that was not intended for you. If you receive someone else’s prescription order, the VA requests that you DO NOT attempt to open the contents of any package not addressed to you.

“If the mailing label is for someone else, return the package to the delivery service. If it has your name on the package but it is not your prescription, contact the VA facility that issued the prescription,” according to the VA official site.

What To Do If You Need To Stop A Delivery

In cases where you need to stop a prescription from being sent, contact the VA facility that issued the prescription as soon as possible. This is especially important for those who may need to travel for long periods, those who may be changing addresses, etc.

What To Do If You No Longer Need The Prescription

If you have a condition that has improved and no longer requires the prescriptions you have been taking delivery of, contact the VA as soon as possible to make arrangements. It is very important to know that the VA Pharmacy Service doesn’t accept returned medications-including opioids and other controlled substances.

To safely dispose of medication you no longer need, follow the following steps:

  • Dispose of all prescriptions in their original container. If there is a situation where these substances accidentally get ingested by someone else, this can assist in a poison control situation.
  • Before disposing of your medication, be sure to completely obscure your name and prescription number on the label with a permanent marker or by other means to protect your private information.
  • The VA official site advises patients to add water pills to dissolve them. You can also mix pills or liquid drugs with inedible material (potting soil, kitty litter, etc.)
  • Place the medicine bottle in a container you cannot see through. Tape it securely shut. Place this container in the ordinary trash bin and not in a recycle bin.

In most cases, do not flush unneeded medications down the toilet or pour them down the drain.

Why? The VA advises, “Drugs flushed down drains can harm the water supply that we drink, and wildlife. Dispose of drugs the right way to prevent someone taking them by accident, or through an illegal sale. Protect children and pets from harm caused by accidental ingestion.”

That being said, there is advice from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which states that flushing certain “potent pain medications: may be necessary. The FDA official site states that “a small number of medicines “ may be especially harmful “and, in some cases, fatal with just one dose if they are used by someone other than the person for whom the medicine was prescribed.”

You may feel uncomfortable with, or have an objection to, flushing medications. In such cases you can search in your local community for prescription “take-back” programs. According to Pharmacist.com, “city or county governments’ household trash and recycling services and community pharmacists are good sources of information for locating medicine take-back programs.”

You can also find links to national prescription drug take-back events from the official site of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

Explained: My HealtheVet

My HealtheVet is an online Personal Health Record that was developed by the VA to help veterans manage their health information, and to utilize some of the VA’s services online. The goal of this site is to change the way health care is delivered to veterans by providing all of their health care information in one place. The program is web-based, and veterans must register in order to access the multiple features of the site, including over 18 million pages of health information designed to help educate veterans on different health topics.

What does My HealtheVet provide?

My HealtheVet gives veterans resources and information to improve their overall health and wellness. The site helps veterans manage their health in several ways:

  • By allowing veterans to view, download, and print their personal health information and military service information
  • By allowing veterans to record and store important health and military history information
  • By providing access to VA health care and information twenty-four hours a day

Once veterans have uploaded their health information, they can share it with health care providers, family members, or caregivers safely and securely through My HealtheVet. The site is designed to encourage collaboration between physicians and patients and provides essential health record information in an online environment.

Types of accounts

There are many different services that can be accessed through My HealtheVet, but what veterans can utilize depends on the type of account selected when they sign up.

There are three types of My HealtheVet accounts: Basic, Advanced, and Premium.

Any individual who registers on the site begins with a Basic Account. This type of account provides limited access to My HealtheVet features and does not allow veterans to see their personal health information that is in DoD or VA systems.

Those with a Basic account can:

  • Create a personal health journal that includes information about allergies, health history, medications, and more
  • Record information about health insurance, health care providers, and emergency contacts
  • Track personal health measurements like cholesterol, blood pressure, heart rate, weight, temperature, and blood sugar level
  • Print an ID card with personal health information
  • Set personal health goals and identify obstacles to overcome in order to reach those goals

An Advanced account is only available to VA patients and veterans, and provides a higher level of access to features on My HealtheVet. In addition to the features included with a basic account, an advanced account allows users to:

  • View certain information in their VA and DoD records
  • Refill prescriptions online

A Premium account is also only available to veterans and VA patients, and requires users to go through an authentication process. This process verifies a veteran’s identity, either online or in person, and requires My HealtheVet information like social security number, gender, and date of birth to be linked to VA/DoD records. Once a user’s identity has been authenticated, they can access features such as:

  • Lab results from the VA
  • VA Admissions and Discharges
  • Future VA appointments, as well as those from the past two years
  • Immunizations received from the VA
  • VA pathology reports
  • VA Wellness Reminders

Premium account holders can also access various mobile apps to help make using My HealtheVet even more convenient. These include:

  • PTSD Coach, which allows veterans to take a self-assessment and access tools to help manage PTSD
  • VA Video Connect, which allows veterans to connect with their health care team from any mobile or web-based device
  • MOVE! Coach, which lets veterans set and track goals on exercise, diet and weight loss
  • Stay Quit Coach, which offers resources to help veterans quit smoking and provides tools to help deal with urges to smoke
  • Mindfulness Coach, which provides information and exercises to practice mindfulness

Features

In addition to the features that are available through different types of My HealtheVet accounts, veterans can also access services to help them manage their health and medical care. These include:

  • HealtheLiving Assessment: Veterans can answer questions about their medical history and health choices, and receive a personalized summary that includes current health status, risks of developing major diseases, and a list of healthy changes that they can make now to improve their current and future health.
  • Pharmacy: Veterans can refill prescriptions, keep track of their medications, and get information about the status of their mailed medications.
  • VA Appointments: My HealtheVet allows veterans to view upcoming appointments, request, schedule, or cancel appointments, and join video appointments with a physician. Veterans can also schedule their own appointments for primary care or mental health, and add non-VA appointments to a Health Calendar on the site.
  • Secure messaging: Veterans can receive updates on their health, ask for a refill of their medication, and communicate with their health care providers online. Secure messaging allows veterans to ask non-emergency and non-urgent health questions, update their health team on their condition, and manage VA appointments. Veterans can use this tool to communicate with providers who have chosen to participate in secure messaging. This feature is only available to veterans who have a Premium account.

Veterans can also use My HealtheVet to organize their medical records, and share them with health care providers within and outside of the VA. This can be done through two main systems, the Blue Button and the VA Health Summary.

Using the Blue Button, veterans can:

  • Customize and download a report of their health information to share with both VA and non-VA providers
  • Print a summary of their health records to bring to medical appointments
  • Send health information to providers through secure messaging
  • Build a Personal Health Record (PHR) by entering their self-tracked health data

Veterans can also utilize the VA Health Summary, if they have a Premium account. The Health Summary:

  • Is considered a Continuity of Care Document (CCD)
  • Allows health information to be shared electronically from one health care system to another

Through each of these features, My HealtheVet works to make accessing health information easy and convenient for veterans, and to help them take charge of their health care and stay connected with their health care team.

Military Airport Lounges

Military airport lounges have been a staple of official and leisure travel for servicemembers and their families for a very long time. Anyone who has ever had to make a permanent change of station move from a stateside to an overseas assignment has likely taken advantage of a military airport lounge, and those traveling with families to and from overseas locations find these lounges to be an oasis during the long trip.

Military Airport Lounges: The USO

Since World War Two, some of the most well-known military airport lounges have been operated by the USO. These lounges are open to currently serving military members and their families with unexpired ID cards and feature internet access, sleeping areas, small libraries, mini-theaters, snacks, and other services that vary depending on location. But these lounges aren’t open to all visitors.

The USO official site notes, “Occasionally, veterans or military retirees contact us to tell us they couldn’t get into a USO airport lounge because they didn’t have an active military ID card. As much as we’d like to open our doors to all those who have honorably served, we have limited space and resources.”

At the time of this writing, USO airport lounges are not open to retirees and veterans, preferring to use all available resources for those who are currently serving in uniform and their families.

Find A USO Airport Lounge

USO lounges are normally listed in airport directory maps and official sites. The signage and visibility for these lounges is often minimal so it is always best to ask at an airport information desk if you are not sure if the USO is active at that airport and where the lounge might be. An unexpired military ID is always required for entry into the lounge just like entering a military installation.

You can find a USO lounge by searching the official site: the USO has operations in roughly 200 locations (not all are in airports) so chances are good that you may find USO facilities in an airport you are traveling to or from if you’re traveling to common destinations for official business or leisure trips.

Be Mindful of Peak Travel Times

USO lounges can fill up fast during PCS season, during deployments, and (depending on location) TDYs. For example, if you are traveling from Colorado at the end of the summer just before the start of fall semester classes at the Air Force Academy, the USO lounge at Denver International Airport might be busier than usual. Peak travel times vary depending on location, tourist season, and other factors.

USO Airport Lounges: Not All Destinations Are Equal

Some USO operations are quite small, others, like the one located at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, may have partnerships with major league sports teams; one story that’s made the rounds on certain travel blogs notes the individual who checked into the Lambert Airport USO only to find there were free major league baseball tickets to be had for those arriving in St. Louis.

Some locations may offer free food, coffee, books, and sleep pods, others may also be able to arrange shuttle services from the airport or help travelers find shuttles going their way.

The USO: Not The Only Lounge In The Airport

The USO operates military-specific lounges in major airports all over the world, but these are not the only airport lounges available, and many are open to military members even if those troops are not members of the clubs themselves.

Many airlines have frequent flyer or VIP clubs with lounge facilities that require membership to get in. These airlines often have policies for admitting non-members who serve in uniform and their families. They include, but are not limited to:

  • Priority Pass Lounges
  • American Airlines Admirals Club
  • Delta Sky Club
  • Centurion Lounges

Who Can Use An Airline Club Airport Lounge?

Generally, the airport lounges run by American Airlines, Delta, etc. are members-only spaces and those memberships can cost roughly $500 a year. But the rules for these members-only lounges often include exceptions for military members and sometimes their families, too.

The key to getting access to these lounges is to remember that the staff isn’t used to people coming in without a membership, and even though there are special rules in place for qualifying military travelers, lounge staff isn’t always aware of them and may have to be shown-it’s very good to have a copy of the pertinent rules pulled up on your mobile device to show a staff member in case they are unaware.

It’s also good to do this in a nice and unobtrusive way.

General rules for lounge access where military fliers are concerned will vary depending on the lounge, and rules are always subject to change so it’s best to check with the airline prior to your travel day to make sure you are still entitled to use a members-only airport lounge according to the rules of the program.

Airport Lounges That Have Allowed Military Access Without A Membership

American Airlines operates the Admiral’s Club in select airports around the world, in both domestic and international lounges.

The American Airlines official site says military members and family traveling same-day on United are eligible to use these airport lounges with a boarding pass and a military ID. Military members must be in uniform to travel.

United Airlines has had a policy in the past that any active duty military member flying United same day may use United Clubs as long as you’re flying on orders AND are traveling in uniform. Some travel blogs report United Clubs staff being uninformed about this feature, needing to be shown the rules pertaining to military access as detailed on United.com.

But has this policy changed in recent days? Likely not, but it’s always better to check.

Delta Airlines operates Delta Sky Club lounges and have no specific policy listed on the Sky Club official site for military, but some travel blogs claim Delta may allow those traveling in uniform to and from deployments permission to use the lounge with a copy of orders and military ID.

Delta Sky Club membership options are open to those who apply for credit cards (see below), and military members traveling over the holidas may find Delta operating military lounge type operations during peak holiday travel season as a way of showing support for troops and military families.

Some Airlines Don’t Have A Lounge, But…

You may find certain airlines have partnered with other agencies allowing access to airport lounges as a perk of booking, of being a member of frequent flyer programs, etc. It’s always best to ask at the time you book your air travel about the availability of airport lounge perks and how to get them.

VA Education Benefits: Dependents

VA education benefits for dependents include options under the GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon program, and scholarship funds. If you are a military dependent wondering what your options from the VA might be, much depends on the nature of the military member’s service, time spent in uniform, and what GI Bill program the member signed up for at the start of their military career.

If you are eligible for any of the programs listed here, you will need the military member’s proof of service, your own proof of status as a military dependent, and other documentation as required by each individual program. You may also be required to submit bank information in order to receive VA benefits via Direct Deposit.

VA Education Benefits For Dependents: The GI Bill Transfer Option

Those who signed up for and are qualified to use the Post 9/11 GI Bill have the option to transfer some or all of the time remaining on the GI Bill to a dependent. Both eligible spouses and dependent children researching higher education should consider the transfer option in addition to any other type of financial assistance available.

Transferring GI Bill benefits can be complicated for some who are transitioning out of military service and back into civilian life; VA rules state that transferring GI Bill benefits must be done while the military member is still in the service. And the VA official site reminds service members that the Department of Defense has the final say in who is eligible (or ineligible) to transfer these benefits.

Once GI Bill benefits have been transferred to a dependent, the recipient is still required to apply with the Department of Veterans Affairs in order to receive and use them. GI Bill transfer recipients must be enrolled in the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS) and be eligible for benefits at the time of transfer to receive transferred benefits.

Who can transfer Post 9/11 GI Bill education benefits to a military dependent? The service member must meet the following criteria:

  • 10 years of service in the armed forces (active duty and/or Selected Reserve) on the date of approval, is precluded by either standard policy or statute from committing to four additional years and agrees to serve for the maximum amount of time allowed by such policy or statute.
  • Transfers must be submitted and approved while the service member is still on duty.
  • Served a minimum of six years (active duty and/or Selected Reserve) on the date of transfer approval and agrees to serve four additional years in the armed forces.

Signing up for this does not affect the basic ability to apply for other types of VA dependent education options; some educational assistance programs may require you to have used up or otherwise be unable to use GI Bill benefits. Others may be viewed as a supplement to other education assistance open to you.

The Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) Program

This VA program provides education and on-the-job training for eligible dependents of veterans with VA-rated medical issues deemed permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition. The program is also open to eligible dependents of veterans who died while on active duty or as a result of a VA-rated condition caused by or associated with military service.

45 months of education benefits maximum are available, but thanks to ruling updates, some may be eligible for as many as 81 months of GI Bill benefits “if they use the Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance program in conjunction with an entitlement from other VA education programs” according to the VA official site.

DEA benefits may be available to the dependent children or spouses meeting the following criteria:

  • A Veteran who died or is permanently/totally disabled as the result of a service-connected disability.
  • A Veteran who died from any cause while such permanent and total service-connected disability existed.
  • A service member missing in action or captured in line of duty by a hostile force.
  • A service member forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power.
  • A service member hospitalized (or getting outpatient treatment) for a service-connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged for that disability.

Other requirements include the following:

  • Dependent children must be between the ages of 18 and 26.
  • Some dependents can apply before age 18 and to continue after age 26 depending on circumstances.
  • Marriage does not prevent dependent children from applying.
  • Dependents serving in the military cannot apply for this benefit while on active duty. To pursue training after military service, your discharge must not be under dishonorable conditions.
  • Dependents in the military can apply to the VA for an extension of the eligibility period (see the age restrictions for dependent children above) by the number of months/days equal to active duty time.

The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship

Fry Scholarships are offered to qualifying children and spouses of service members who died in the line of duty after September 10, 2001. This scholarship pays at the 100% level for a maximum 36 months of benefits. Dependent children are eligible once they turn 18 unless the dependent has graduated high school.

Dependent children may be married and according to VA.gov, “A child may be married or over 23 and still be eligible. If they became eligible before January 1, 2013, their eligibility ends on their 33rd birthday. The age limitation is removed if the child became eligible on or after January 1, 2013”.

Eligible surviving spouses do not have a time limit to apply for a Fry Scholarship, but are no longer able to apply once remarried (where applicable).

Choosing Between The Fry Scholarship and DEA

Some won’t qualify for either the Fry Scholarship or the VA DEA program. Others may qualify for both, depending on circumstances. However, VA loan rules are set up to allow only one program to be used; applicants must make an “irrevocable election between the two programs” when applying.

In certain cases, a dependent may be technically able to apply for both programs but only one at a time can be used, and the maximum combined benefits are still capped at 81 total months of full-time learning total regardless.

Applying For VA Education Benefits For Dependents

To apply for any of the education benefits programs you see here, certain documentation will be required including discharge paperwork for the military member where applicable, or a statement of service from a currently-serving military member’s chain of command showing the military member is an active member in good standing.

You will also be required to supply Social Security Numbers, copies of military orders, dependent IDs, and school transcripts where applicable. In some cases, it may be required to show proof that you have been accepted into a learning program, apprenticeship, training, or college. You may need to submit paperwork to the nearest VA regional office, or fill out online forms and submit electronically where required.

You should also be prepared to supply bank information including routing numbers, account numbers, and address/phone information for your bank; this is so the VA (or the school, where applicable) can send your benefits payments to you once accepted into the program of your choice.

GI Bill: How Do I Use It?

Using your GI Bill benefits involves starting a process that begins with your school choices first. Not all colleges, Universities, training schools, or other institutions accept the GI Bill, though a great many do.

Getting Started

The first step toward using your GI Bill benefits is to apply for them through the VA online, in person at a regional VA office, or with a VA certifying official at the school of your choice.

But does your chosen school accept the GI Bill? Is it allowed to accept GI Bill funds based on accreditation or other requirements?

Contact the school’s admissions department and ask if the school accepts the GI Bill, and how to get in touch with the person who handles VA issues on the school’s behalf. For smaller colleges, this may be one person’s part-time responsibility, but larger campuses may have several staff members dedicated to helping veterans and currently serving military members.

It’s best to assume you’re dealing with a busy, one-person office that handles your paperwork. This means being well-prepared for your dealings with your campus VA certifying official. This person does not work for the Department of Veterans Affairs, but will interact with the VA on your behalf.

Required Documentation For Your GI Bill Benefits Application

When you start working with your VA certifying official, you will need some documentation that includes your Social Security number, the bank account and routing numbers where you wish your GI Bill housing allowance and other payments sent, have any relevant transcripts send to the school, plus any paperwork that shows your current status as a veteran, retiree, etc.

Veterans will be required to provide a copy of DD Form 214 discharge paperwork. Those still in uniform will likely need to provide a copy of current orders, a letter from their orderly room, First Sergeant, or supervisor indicating that the member is in good standing and still serving.

It’s best to have as much of the required documentation as possible for your first meeting with the certifying official. You may be able to submit scans or electronic versions of your required paperwork, depending on school standards, state law, current VA requirements, etc.

Processing Times

It can take a month or longer for the Department of Veterans Affairs to process GI Bill benefit applications, which is why it’s best to begin the process as soon as possible. GI Bill housing stipends and other payments are often received approximately 30 days after the first month the student’s GI Bill benefits begin.

Your school may receive tuition and fee payments sooner (or later) than this. It’s very important to check school policy on late payments and whether the student is required to take action to remove admin holds or account suspensions because of delayed GI Bill benefit payments. In general, the school will have experience with these issues, but you should never assume that corrections to your student account happen automatically.

GI Bill: How Many Degrees Can You Get With It?

How many degrees can you get with the GI Bill? That depends on a variety of factors but the short answer is, more than one.

The key to getting the most credit hours out of your GI Bill benefits is to review your entitlement, review the school’s degree program requirements and/or your educational goals to structure a course of study that takes full advantage of your benefits and the time allotted to complete the classes.

That sounds fairly simple, but no two schools are alike and some veterans find they have to learn and understand new approaches to academics in order to get the most from their benefits.

Planning Ahead To Get Multiple Degrees With Your GI Bill

Those who serve and have not retired or separated from active service are in the best position to plan for more than one degree. The key is to use other tuition assistance offered to you while serving rather than using your GI Bill.

The Department of Defense offers Military Tuition Assistance to active duty, National Guard, and Reserve service members. This program pays 100% of the tuition expenses for education billed for $250 or less per semester hour.

Under Military Tuition Assistance, you can attend two-year or four-year institutions on-base, off-base, remotely, or in a traditional classroom. Each branch of the military including the Coast Guard offers to pay this tuition assistance directly to the school.

Tuition assistance can be used for:

  • Independent study
  • Vocational/technical programs
  • Undergraduate programs
  • Graduate programs
  • Distance-learning programs

Starting your program while still in uniform and using funding sources like these instead of your GI Bill is a great first step toward earning multiple degrees. The GI Bill funds you save here can be used for a Bachelors or Graduate-level program instead. Or both, one after the other.

Veterans don’t have access to Military Tuition Assistance once they retire or separate; it is useful to see if there are state or local programs aimed at veterans that may offset some of your costs before using the GI Bill.

Getting The Most Mileage From GI Bill Benefits To Earn Multiple Degrees

Some students don’t realize that having the GI Bill does not mean you can’t apply for other financial assistance in the form of grants, loans, state-operated veteran benefits programs, etc. It’s best to fill out a FAFSA form and determine what other financial help you may be entitled to. Doing so can stretch your GI Bill money even further for multiple degree programs.

Once you begin using your GI Bill benefits, you will need to determine what is possible under your program. For example, the Montgomery GI Bill does not feature access to the Yellow Ribbon Program–an agreement between participating schools and the VA that provides additional funds (provided by the school) to cover the gap between the VA GI Bill benefit and the final cost of tuition for private institutions.

However, the Post 9/11 GI Bill does include the Yellow Ribbon program, and that is an important factor in school choices, program choices, and how aggressively to approach your college career. The Yellow Ribbon program helps extend GI Bill benefits, but not for all programs or applicants.

The Montgomery GI Bill also does not pay a housing stipend, unlike the Post 9/11 GI Bill. But those who plan to attend remotely or online-only are not penalized under the Montgomery GI Bill, and those who attend online only classes using the Post 9/11 GI Bill are subject to greatly reduced housing stipends unless at least one class is taken in person.

Knowing the limits of your program will help you make more informed choices about how to stretch your benefits.

Attending Multiple Schools

Some GI Bill students need to take classes at more than one school in order to meet certain academic requirements or to speed up progress in the program. This is permitted under GI Bill rules as long as the attendance meets certain criteria.

Going to more than one school is sometimes needed to complete a degree program on time, especially if the student’s “main” college only offers a key class once per year.

VA rules for attending more than one school at a time state classes at more than one school may be approved when both of the following apply:

  • The school granting your degree considers the classes at the second school to be required in order to get your degree
  • The classes at both schools count toward your degree

What You Need To Know About Multiple GI Bill Degrees

There are things you cannot do with your GI Bill benefits. For example, GI Bill money can’t be used for the same class twice, “unless you get a failing grade in a class that the school requires for graduation” accordion to VA.gov.

You cannot use the GI Bill for classes that don’t count toward your stated degree. However you can use Post 9/11 GI Bill funds to pay for licensing fees related to your professional program, certification tests, SAT testing, LSAT, and others.

Depending on the nature of your degree, you may wish to earn a second Bachelor’s degree; this may or may not be possible depending on the nature of the second degree. A degree too similar to the first one earned may not qualify.

That’s not the same as applying for a graduate-level program in the same field–a Bachelors’ degree in Psychology, for example, followed by a Masters’ degree in the same discipline would not be rejected.

The Process Is Simpler Than You Think

Earning more than one degree with your GI Bill benefits does not require you to sign a statement of intent to do so, or otherwise commit to the VA to proceed with more than one; all you have to do is have enough remaining GI Bill benefits to enter your program and structure your attendance according to your needs.

What does this mean? Basically, going through the process of applying to the school, going through the school’s Veterans Affairs office or veteran rep to get your GI Bill benefits moving forward, and decide how to attend.

If you have never used your benefits before you will have your full entitlement. If you have, you will need to check to see how much of your entitlement remains. Then the real work begins.

No two schools may run exactly the same. Some measure classes using terms, the semester approach may be used, or some other unit of measure. The key to maximizing your GI Bill benefits includes knowing what constitutes full-time attendance versus part-time and how you can use that to your advantage.

Your VA benefits are paid based on your status as a full-time or part-time student. But you get more mileage out of your benefits if you take the most number of credit hours you are allowed to take as a full or part-time student.

If full time attendance is between 12 and 15 hours, you get more from your benefits taking the full 15–reducing your overall degree program length. This doesn’t work at all schools, but where and when it does you may find it helpful. These are the little details you’ll need to know about your school, your program, and how your version of the GI Bill will pay for it and the program you select afterwards.

A Hiring Guide for Military & Veterans

Many companies understand the value that veterans and military family members can bring to a workplace. Members of the military community have many qualities and skills that can benefit companies in a variety of industries.

What qualities can veterans and military family members bring to a company?

Companies that are interested in recruiting and hiring members of the military community can find employees in three categories:

  • Military spouses: spouses are often highly educated, but many need jobs that offer mobility and flexibility to allow them to continue their careers when their spouse’s job requires them to move.
  • Veterans: veterans have separated from the military and have education and/or professional experience and are seeking companies and organizations that can help them build on their existing training and skills.
  • Transitioning service members: service members who are transitioning are in the process of separating from the military and are looking to start their civilian career. These service members may be seeking assistance in their job search as they transition into the civilian workforce.

By hiring a member of the military community, a company can bring a great deal of value to their team. Some of the qualities these individuals contribute to a workplace include:

  • Ability to perform under pressure; veterans understand how to accomplish tasks on time and despite being under stress.
  • The ability to learn new concepts and skills, as well as transferable skills that have been proven in real-world situations.
  • Leadership skills, as well as skills in direction, motivation, inspiration, and delegation. Veterans understand leadership dynamics and how to lead many different types of people.
  • Teamwork and having a responsibility to coworkers, as well as the ability to be productive individually or as part of a team.
  • Diversity and inclusion; veterans can work alongside others regardless of their race, gender, ethnic background, economic status, or religion, and are able to cooperate with many different types of people.
  • Respecting procedures and having accountability.
  • Veterans are often knowledgeable about technical trends in business and industry and bring a global outlook and technological savvy to an employer.
  • Integrity, trustworthiness, and sincerity.
  • Resilience and the ability to overcome adversity.

Some additional qualities that veterans bring to an organization include:

  • An ability to learn new skills quickly
  • High rates of productivity
  • Higher retention rates after being hired
  • Loyalty to a company and to their coworkers

Veterans also offer a variety of “soft skills” that are valuable across many different industries.

These include:

  • Communication
  • Managerial skills
  • Problem solving

How can companies recruit veterans and military family members?

There are several steps that companies can take to recruit members of the military population:

  • Work to build the company’s brand in the military community as a military employer of choice.
  • Attend job fairs on military installations, or post job openings on military job boards.
  • Ask members of their existing workforce, especially those who have served in the military, if they have any contacts they could recommend for open positions within the company.
  • Utilize government initiatives such as FedsHireVets and USAJobs.gov to post job openings and recruit veteran applicants.
  • Use a skills translator to translate military job duties into civilian skills and ask veterans in your organization to help mentor new recruits.

How can hiring veterans help companies?

In addition to the qualities veterans bring as employees, companies can receive certain benefits as a result of hiring veterans. The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program provides several incentives to companies that employ veterans. These include:

  • Salary reimbursement: under the Special Employer Incentive, employers may be eligible to receive incentives for hiring veterans facing obstacles to employment, which include reimbursement of up to half the veteran’s salary for as long as six months.
  • Subsidies for salaries: the VR&E provides on-the-job training and subsidizes salaries for veterans so employers pay an apprentice-level wage. As the veteran gains experience, the employer pays a higher portion of their salary until the training program is complete, and the employer pays the veteran’s full salary.
  • Assistive technology: VR&E can provide workplace modifications, specialized tools, and equipment to allow veterans to perform their job duties.
  • Federal tax credits: under the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, employers who hire veterans may be eligible to receive tax credits.

What are the benefits of hiring military spouses?

Military spouses face many barriers to employment and building a career due to their military lifestyle. These can include having to change jobs often due to frequent moves, and difficulties obtaining childcare when spouses are deployed. The current unemployment rate for military spouses is 24%, higher than the national average. The Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP) was created to address these challenges and help spouses find employment. MSEP is part of the Department of Defense’s Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO) program, which helps connect military spouses and employers.

In addition to MSEP, SECO offers multiple resources to military spouses to help improve career and education opportunities, including:

  • Helping spouses identify their skills, interests, and goals through career exploration opportunities.
  • Training and education to help spouses identify licensing, credentialing, or academic requirements that will help them reach their career goals.
  • Employment networking and connections to help spouses find a rewarding career.
  • Employment readiness assistance to help spouses market their skills.

Military spouses have many valuable qualities that can help an organization, including:

  • The ability to handle pressure and stress: they must deal with spouse deployments, relocate often, learn about a new location, and develop new support networks frequently.
  • They are able to learn new skills quickly.
  • They take responsibility, are accountable, and are loyal employees.
  • They are patient, flexible, resilient, and able to adapt to new environments and cultures.
  • They have excellent communication skills, emotional intelligence, are able to handle logistics, and have many other abilities.