Veterans Services FAQs

No. Reservists with active duty time (i.e., a DD 214, proper orders) should not wait to submit their claim for any injuries or illnesses related to their active duty service. However, reservists should speak to their VSO representative to understand how their drill pay may be impacted by any disability compensation received.

It is never too late to submit a claim for injuries or illnesses related to active duty service. Contact a Navy Mutual VSO representative for assistance.

The VA will look to three key factors to determine whether your injuries or illnesses are related to service, including:

• A current, or recurrent, chronic disability (generally, a diagnosis is required)
• An in-service injury, illness, or event (typically evidenced by service treatment records, an after-action report, documented exposure to an environmental hazard such as aircraft engine noise or Agent Orange, or other official documents)
• A connection between the disability and service (referred to as a “nexus” by VA). A nexus is a causal link between your current disability and the injury, illness, or event from your service; a nexus can be established through a medical opinion from your doctor)

You will need to submit the appropriate claims forms and evidence. Typically, you should submit the following:

• VA Form 21-526EZ – Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits
• DD Form 214 – Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty
• Evidence supporting your claim – Evidence can include service treatment records, after action reports related to in-service injuries or events, witness statements, personal statements in support of claim, and any post-service medical records that document treatment for the claimed condition. The list of what can be considered evidence is extensive and will depend on the claim and the circumstances.

If you have questions on how to file your claim, reach out to a Navy Mutual VSO representative for assistance.

Maybe. All National Guard and Reserve members can qualify for some VA benefits. Different factors may affect eligibility for VA benefits, such as length of service, type of service (e.g., under Title 10 or Title 32), wartime service, and/or service-related disability. Contact a Navy Mutual VSO representative for more information.

If you need VA mental health services right away, you may call or walk into any VA medical center at any time, day or night. If you are in immediate danger or experiencing an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

To enroll in VA Healthcare, confirm your eligibility based on your service and type of discharge, then gather the necessary documentation and submit that documentation along with a completed application. This can be done either by mail or online at va.gov. The VA will contact you to let you know if you’ve been approved.

Note that enrolling in VA Healthcare is not the same as submitting a claim for disability. These benefits have independent application processes.

In most cases, no. However, if your dependents have a medical condition that is related to your service, care may be covered in certain circumstances. Additionally, dependents of a veteran who has been rated permanently and totally disabled for service-connected disabilities or a veteran whose death is service-connected may be able to get health insurance through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA). Contact a Navy Mutual VSO representative for more information.

If your service meets the requirements, you may be eligible to use the VA for healthcare. However, without a disability and the associated disability rating, the VA may assign you a higher priority group number and you may be asked to pay a copay.

Your benefits as a survivor are not a continuation of the veteran’s disability compensation. You must apply for benefits in your own right.

Benefits for you as a survivor are based on your veteran’s service and depend on several factors such as whether their death was service-connected, the nature of your relationship to them and, in the case of Survivors Pension, your income and assets.

Note that you cannot claim both Dependency and Indemnity Compensation and Survivor’s Pension. Assuming eligibility, the VA will pay the higher of the two benefits.

To make the claim, you must submit:

• The appropriate VA Claim form (dependent on the benefit sought and the nature of your relationship to the veteran)
• Proof of the veteran’s service
• Proof of the veteran’s death
• Proof of your relationship to the veteran
• Your income and assets (if claiming pension)

With some exceptions, all veterans whose character of service is other than dishonorable are eligible for burial in a national veterans’ cemetery. If possible, have the veteran complete a pre-need eligibility application well before their death and place the decision letter with other important estate planning documents.

You should discuss with your funeral director and the local management of the desired cemetery how to arrange for the transportation and burial of your veteran’s remains.

Military Funeral Honors are arranged through the Military Funeral Honors Directory.

It depends on the circumstances of your discharge. The VA cannot provide benefits to veterans whose reasons for discharge resulted in a statutory or regulatory bar to benefits. These bars can be difficult to overcome. If your current discharge does not meet the requirements for the benefit you are seeking, but you have not been barred from receiving that benefit, you may still submit a claim to the VA.

Submitting a claim is necessary to initiate a VA Character of Service Determination. This means that the VA will review your record to determine if your service was “honorable for VA purposes.” A successful VA Character of Service Determination will allow the VA to grant the claimed benefit. However, it will not change the character of service listed on your discharge document (i.e., you will not receive a DD 215 showing corrections to your DD 214). Additionally, this type of review cannot grant GI Bill/Post 9-11 GI Bill education benefits.

If you have multiple periods of service and you are claiming benefits for a disability that occurred during a period of service that resulted in a discharge or release under conditions other than dishonorable, you may apply for benefits based on that period of service.