Military 101: Understanding Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits

Military 101: Understanding Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits

By Morgan Thomas, Policy Associate

Members of the United States Armed Forces have access to a multitude of benefits. The Veterans Benefits Administration provides VA benefits under the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, some of which include retirement benefits, disability compensation, educational assistance and health care. Whether you are Active Duty or a member of the reserve component, a service member may qualify for one or more of these VA benefits.

Retirement Benefits

One of the main attractions to a career in the military is the retirement benefits. A federal retirement in the military grants you access to retirement pay, base Commissaries, Base Exchange and retired health care plans such as Tricare Prime and Tricare for Life. Any service member may retire with federal retirement benefits after completing a minimum of 20 years of Total Active Federal Military Service (TAFMS), which is used to calculate how much qualifying active-duty time a service member has accrued. An active-duty pension begins immediately after a service member retires. There are several exceptions to the 20-year rule, of which includes disability retirements or service members who qualify for early retirement under the Temporary Early Retirement Authority (TERRA).

Members of the reserves and National Guard may also retire after 20 years of service. The reserve component uses a point system under the Reserve Retirement System to calculate their TAFMS time. However, a reserve pension does not typically begin until a retired service member turns 60, with the exception of prior active-duty military service.

Additionally, active-duty service members and members of the reserve component can contribute to their retirement without completing a 20-year service time commitment through the Blended Retirement System (BRS). The BRS was first introduced as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2016 and combines the traditional military pension plan with a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). TSP is a retirement savings plan for service members that allows them to make contributions throughout their service even if they decide not to serve for 20 years. If an individual chooses, a TSP can be rolled into another 401(k) after separating from the military. Alternatively, a service member may leave their funds in their TSP account until they are ready to retire. Service members enlisted in the armed forces after January 1, 2018, were automatically enrolled in the TSP program.

Education Benefits

In addition to retirement benefits, one of the main attractions to a career in the armed forces is VA education benefits. Some of the most notable VA education benefits are the Post-9/11 GI Bill, the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty, the Montgomery GI Bill Selected Reserve and the Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program. Each of these education benefits offers its own unique coverage of tuition, fees, a book stipend, housing stipend, or a combination of one or more. Currently, the Post-9/11 GI Bill is the only education program that can be or dependent once certain qualifications by the service member have been met. Each education benefit has its own unique set of requirements based on a member’s service component.

VA education benefits are available to active-duty service members, the National Guard and the reserves with qualifying active-duty service time. In addition to VA education benefits, National Guard members may receive up to 100% state tuition assistance for attending specific schools within a state or may be eligible for additional state education benefits.

Disability Compensation

Many service members may obtain a service-related injury while serving on active duty. Disability compensation is a monthly, tax-free benefit that is paid to Veterans who receive at least a 10% disability rating due to injuries or diseases that were incurred or aggravated while serving on active duty or active-duty training. A service member may also receive disability compensation for post-service disabilities that appear later but result from their time in service.

Members of the National Guard and the reserves may also receive VA disability compensation so long as their service-connected disability was incurred while serving on federally qualifying active-duty orders. A Guardsman may be eligible to receive state disability compensation for injuries incurred while not serving on federal orders.

Healthcare

Active – duty service members, Guardsmen, reservists, retirees and their dependents – and in some cases former spouses – are eligible to enroll in a health care program called TRICARE provides access to both civilian healthcare networks and the Military Health System (MHS), which is comprised of Department of Defense military hospitals and clinics worldwide. The program provides coverage access through authorized civilian health network providers based on region and non-authorized providers, depending on which TRICARE health plan an eligible service member has. TRICARE also offers the TRICARE Overseas Program for active – duty service members and their eligible family members who are located in geographical areas outside of the U.S.

There are also additional VA healthcare benefits aside from TRICARE such as the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) and the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA). TRICARE, PCAFC, CHAMPVA and other VA healthcare programs are available to eligible service members and their families in both the active duty and reserve components. 

Additional Benefits

The VA also offers additional benefits such as VA home loans and life insurance, as well as benefits specific to . All VA benefit programs have their own unique eligibility requirements for active-duty service members and members of the reserve component.

Members of the National Guard may be eligible to receive some or all VA benefits based on qualifying active-duty service. For VA benefits, federal active-duty service is determined by the length of full-time active-duty service on Title 10 or Title 32 orders (link to Military 101: Orders). It is important to note that a service member may not receive access to one or more VA benefits if they receive a from any branch of service.

For more information on benefits eligibility, visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs benefits webpage.

Voter List Maintenance

Voter List Maintenance

Voter List Maintenance

By Cameron Sweeney, O’Connor Scholar

Having accurate and up-to-date voter registration lists is crucial to running elections in the United States, and with the ever-changing status of voters across the country, doing so is no easy task. More than 40 million Americans change their addresses every year. People move, become eligible to vote or lose their voting eligibility every day. With every change that occurs, election officials seek to keep their voter rolls up to date. Accurate voter rolls help reduce voting lines, decrease the number of provisional ballots cast and help ensure that only eligible electors can cast a ballot. The process of updating voter rolls is known as voter list maintenance, two major pieces of federal legislation, the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and the Help America Vote Act of 2002, set the regulatory framework for how this system works.

Federal Legislation and Voter List Maintenance

The National Voter Registration Act, or NVRA, limits when list maintenance verification activities can happen and specifies the reasons a state may remove a voter from the roles. Some reasons for removal include a felony conviction, mental incapacity, the voter’s request or because a voter no longer lives in the jurisdiction. The NVRA prohibited states from removing a voter from the registration rolls solely for failing to vote in an election. The law broaden opportunities for voter registration, requiring states to offer voter registration at driver’s license bureaus and other state agencies.

The Help America Vote Act, or HAVA, requires states to develop a digitized list for voter registration and coordinate with correctional and other state departments to maintain that list. HAVA also modified the NVRA, allowing states to remove voters who fail to vote in two consecutive general elections for federal office (this equates to approximately 4 years) and those who fail to respond to an address confirmation mailer.

Together, these two pieces of legislation only offer a framework for states, which gives them freedom to govern the voter list maintenance process. As a result, many nuances and difficulties arise as election officials update their voter rolls, especially when people move within a state and when states allow for same-day registration.

Voter List Maintenance Procedures Across the States

In states with same-day registration, such as Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Wyoming, voter rolls are actively changing as elections are being held. In other states, such as Indiana, Missouri and Virginia, citizens are allowed to register and vote at a new precinct on election day when they move residences within a state so long as they’re already registered to vote in that state. In states where registration is continuously updated, it can be near impossible to maintain a completely accurate voter roll. According to Remi Garza, the elections administrator of Cameron County, Texas, voter list maintenance is crucial and constant.

“Voter list maintenance is extremely important and is a perpetual process,” said Garza. “The belief that it can ever be finished is false. As soon as election officials update the rolls, someone has moved, someone has died, or someone new registers to vote.”

States differ in their approach to removing voters from rolls due to inactivity. While in most states, a lack of voting-related activity does not trigger removal from the rolls, this is not universal. In Idaho, Minnesota and New Hampshire, among others, the removal process is automatically triggered after four years of inactivity. In Wyoming, the removal process starts after failing to vote in just one general election. For most of these states, a non-voter is sent a mailer to confirm their intention to remain  an active voter. Failure to respond to this notice may cause their voter registration to be purged.

While some states share similarities, the process of voter list maintenance varies widely from state to state, as does the entity in charge of voter list maintenance s. Some states only authorize local election officials to add and remove names from voter lists, while others solely rely upon state-level officials. Several states utilize a mix of both local and state-level officials. According to the Election Administration and Voting Survey, 35 states, including California, Missouri, Nevada and New Mexico, only authorize local election officials to add and remove names from voter lists. In Alaska, Georgia  Massachusetts and other states, voter list maintenance is conducted solely at the state level. Hybrid systems are used in 13 states, including Arizona, Florida, Idaho and Maine.

Inter-State Cooperation

Lack of information sharing across states can further complicate voter list maintenance procedures. States do not automatically share or cross-check voter registration information with one another, and no federal legislation requires interstate cooperation. Election Registration Information Center (ERIC) is a nonprofit made up of 24 states and the District of Columbia aimed at addressing this gap by allowing states to compare voter list data, data on address changes and death records to help keep voter rolls more accurate and up to date. Many states also utilize the U.S. Postal Service’s National Change of Address data and death records from the Social Security Administration to maintain voter lists.

When it comes to removing the deceased from voter rolls, tracking felony convictions (which disqualifies a person from voting in some states), identifying potential noncitizens for voter registration list maintenance and tracking interstate address changes, each state has a different approach and methodology for trying to keep up with the constantly changing status of voters across the country. While these differing approaches can spur fierce debates, voter list maintenance remains a crucial role in the running of secure and efficient elections.

Military 101: The U.S. Marine Corps

Military 101: The U.S. Marine Corps

15th MEU Marines hit sand running in Kuwait [Image 3 of 5] KUWAIT 08.17.2015 Photo by Cpl. Elize McKelvey 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit

By Joe Paul, Policy Analyst

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces operating under the Department of the Navy. Overall, the Marine’s mission is to provide power projection from the sea by utilizing the U.S. Navy’s resources to rapidly deliver multi-skilled forces and strategies. The Marine Corps works with the Navy, Army, Air Force and other branches. The Marine Corps is known for its focus on expeditionary warfare and the ability to quickly respond to crises around the world. The mission of the Marine Corps can be summarized by its motto: “Semper Fidelis,” meaning “Always Faithful.”

History

The Marines were formed on Nov. 10, 1775, during the American Revolutionary War. Originally established as the Continental Marines to serve aboard naval vessels, the Marines have since evolved into a versatile and elite fighting force. Throughout their history, the Marines engaged in numerous conflicts and operations, playing a pivotal role in defending the nation’s interests at home and abroad, including raids on the Bahamas and Nova Scotia during the Revolutionary War and alongside French troops in the war against the Barbary States.

The Marine Corps was instrumental in the Mexican-American War, including the battle of Chapultepec which inspired the Marine Corps Hymn “The Halls of Montezuma.” During the Mexican-American War, the Marines earned the name “leatherneck” for the thick leather collars they wore to ward off saber blows.

In World War I, Marines fought in significant battles like Belleau Wood in France, earning them the nickname “Devil Dogs” from German forces. In later conflicts Marines continued to be known for their success in harsh conditions. This includes the battles of Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Iwo Jima and Okinawa in World War II, the Battle of Chosin Reservoir during and in major battles like Hue City and Khe Sanh during the Vietnam War.

After the Vietnam war, the Marines adapted and modernized to the changing military landscape by participating in peacekeeping missions and the Gulf War of 1990-1991. Following 9/11, the Marines conducted combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, along with training local security forces.

Marine Corps Key Sectors

Infantry: As the backbone of the Marines, infantry units engage enemy forces on the ground. They may operate in various physical environments. Marines are trained and equipped for ground combat operations, including riflemen, machine gunners, mortarmen and anti-tank missilemen.

Aviation: The Marines operate a wide range of aircraft, including fighter jets, helicopters, transport planes and unmanned aerial vehicles. Aviation units provide close air support, transport, reconnaissance and other services to support ground forces. Aviation roles include pilots, aircrew, maintenance personnel and support staff.

Logistics: Logistics units supply and sustain Marine Corps operations around the world. This includes transportation, supply chain management, maintenance and other logistical support functions. These units provide supplies, transportation, maintenance and other logistical support to units in the field.

Armor and Artillery: The Marines’ armor and artillery units provide firepower and support to ground forces. This includes tanks, artillery guns and other heavy weapons systems used to suppress enemy positions. The unit also provides fire support to infantry units including cannons, rockets and missiles.

Special Operations: The Marines have special operations forces, including Marine Raiders and Force Reconnaissance units, which are trained to conduct missions including direct action, special reconnaissance and unconventional warfare. This includes Marines trained in gathering, analyzing and disseminating intelligence to support decision-making.

Other units include engineering and communications. Overall, the Marines are a versatile force capable of operating in diverse environments and conducting a wide range of missions to protect and advance national interests.

Command Structure

The command structure of the Marines is like the Army’s, with teams, squadrons, platoons, company, battalions, regiments and divisions. Generally, it follows the “rule of three,” meaning there are three lower units within each of the next larger units. Teams consist of three Marines with a corporal as team leader. A squad consists of nine Marines with a sergeant as the squad lead. Platoons consist of 27 Marines with a lieutenant in command. Divisions consist of 6,561 Marines and are commanded by a major general.

Rank

Again, the rank structure of the Marine Corps mirrors the Army’s as they both have enlisted personnel and commissioned officers. Enlisted ranks range from private to sergeant, while officer ranks range from second lieutenant to general. Marine Corps ranks also include the unique title of “marine gunner,” which is a warrant officer ran

Enlisted Ranks

Officer Ranks:

Private (E-1)  

Private First Class (E-2)

Lance Corporal (E-3) 

Corporal (E-4)

Sergeant (E-5)

Staff Sergeant (E-6)

Gunnery Sergeant (E-7)

Master Sergeant (E-8)

First Sergeant (E-8)   

Sergeant Major (E-9) 

Second Lieutenant (O-1)

First Lieutenant (O-2)

Captain (O-3)

Major (O-4)

Lieutenant Colonel (O-5)

Colonel (O-6)                                                 

Brigadier General (O-7)

Major General (O-8)

Lieutenant General (O-9)

General (O-10)

The highest-ranking enlisted member of the Marine Corps is sergeant major. The highest-ranking officer is the commandant of the Marine Corps. Marines can also hold rank as a warrant officer in specialties from W-1 through W-5. Warrant officers are officer-level technical specialists in a particular field that provide leadership, training and extensive knowledge to the Marines in their occupational specialty. Five-star generals only exist during times of war.

The Roles of the Marine Corps

The Marines are a rapid-response force capable of a wide range of military operations. It’s website states “the mastery of the (sic) evolution in warfare is what allows (the Marines) to punch above their weight class. It is what keeps the U.S. Marine Corps, a small but effectively lethal service, respected by our allies and feared by enemies around the globe.”

The primary, yet evolving roles of the Marines include:

  • Amphibious operations: The Marines conduct amphibious assaults with naval vessels and aircraft to project power ashore from the sea.
  • Combat operations: The Marines form highly trained units equipped to engage in ground combat operations that neutralize enemy forces, seize and hold territory to further tactical, and strategic objectives.
  • Force projection: The Marine Corps strategically maintains forward deployed units. These units respond to military contingencies and crises, like natural disasters, at short notice. These units support allies, deter threats and conduct special operations in support of national objectives.
  • Security operations: The Marines provide security for military installations, diplomatic facilities and other strategic installations. They also promote stability in conflict areas by performing operations for peacekeeping and humanitarian missions.

For administrative purposes, The Marines are divided into four groups:

  • Operating forces — the fighting force.
  • Headquarters — Marine leadership.
  • Support — Logistical support.
  • Marine Corps Reserve — Civilian reinforcements ready to support the Marines in major combat, humanitarian and emergency operations.

"Marines, war is evolving – but that is nothing new. We evolve our equipment, training, and tactics to stay ahead of our adversaries. This evolution may change the shape of our formations or the technology we fight with, but it will never change the fundamental nature of our Marine Corps, nor the significance of each Marine. We have adapted alongside the changing character of war for centuries – we are still on top, and we will stay there."

Eric M. Smith, General USMC Commandant of the Marine Corps

Military 101: Voting as a Service Member under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act

Whether due to natural disasters, war or national security, members of the uniformed services are often away from their voting residence throughout their time in service. Even if the move is a permanent change of station, temporary duty assignment or a deployment, service members and their families can exercise their right to vote wherever they are through the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.

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Military 101: Orders 

Military orders are the official documents that verify a servicemember’s past, current or future military service. In the United States Armed Forces, there are three classifications of orders: Title 10, Title 32 and State Active Duty (SAD). The type of order a service member operates under determines who’s in charge, who provides funding and what benefits they are entitled to receive.

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Military 101: The U.S. Air Force

The U.S. Air Force is one of six branches of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Air Force operates under the Department of the Air Force which is one of three military departments under the Department of Defense. Although the U.S. Air Force is the second youngest branch, it has operated, under different names, alongside the U.S. Army since 1907. Today, the U.S. Air Force operates as the largest air force in the world.

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OVI releases resources for supporting voters in military service, their families and US citizens living abroad

The Overseas Voting Initiative has released two resources to help election officials support military service members, their family members and U.S. citizens living abroad who are interested in voting from abroad. Both publications were developed in collaboration with our working group of state and local election officials and the U.S. Department of Defense Federal Voting Assistance Program.

The first resource is a toolkit for state and local election officials that are building relationships with military installations in their community. Titled “Toolkit: Building Relationships with Local Installations,” this resource provides seven tools that can be used to build lasting relationships with military bases. It also includes a helpful email template for outreach to the voting assistance officer assigned to the military base near you.

Building Relationships with Local Installations

The second resource outlines a series of best practices for websites that support military service members, their families and U.S. citizens living abroad. These nine best practices highlight how states can ensure that their election websites provide the most utility for these voters. By ensuring valuable information can be found online, these voters who may not be able to call during regular business hours will be able to answer questions they may have.

Best Practices for State UOCAVA Web Pages

For questions, please contact [email protected] or Casandra Hockenberry at [email protected].

Evolving CSG, Dept. of Defense Initiative Continues Enhancing Accessibility for U.S. Military, Overseas Voters

By Morgan Thomas

The Overseas Voting Initiative continues to conduct research, analyze Uniformed Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act voter data, and cultivate dialogue surrounding innovative strategies to enhance voter accessibility through the act. 

The OVI is a collaboration between The Council of State Governments and the Department of Defense Federal Voting Assistance Program focused on improving voting access for U.S. military and overseas voters. 

Service members, their families and other U.S. citizens residing overseas face many challenges when trying to obtain and cast their ballots in U.S. elections. Service members deployed to remote areas, students studying abroad or government workers working abroad in difficult-to-access locations must overcome hurdles to exercise their right to vote. Mail operations can be intermittent or even nonexistent in some locations. Power, and therefore access to electronic communications, can also be unreliable. 

Voters facing any of these challenges are protected under the Uniformed Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, which is also commonly referred to as UOCAVA. UOCAVA was enacted by Congress in 1986 and provides U.S. citizens and their eligible family members a legal basis for absentee voting requirements. Each U.S. citizen abroad faces unique challenges, making it difficult for both the voter and election officials. 

The Overseas Voting Initiative works with local and state election officials who comprise its OVI Working Group. The Working Group is divided into subgroups that focus on specific areas of interest centered on improving voting accessibility for UOCAVA voters. Through these subgroups, the OVI has conducted research, promoted technology and policies, informed state policymakers about overseas voting issues, and shared best practices with state and local election officials and other stakeholders. Some critical areas of research include: 

UOCAVA balloting solutions. 

Improving communications and connections between UOCAVA citizens and their election offices. 

Making voter registration easier for UOCAVA citizens. 

Considering how DOD digital signature capabilities can facilitate document signing by certain UOCAVA voters. 

Examining how the ballot duplication process can be improved through transparent standard operating procedures and new technologies. 

In addition to these areas of research, the OVI has also created a data standard for the Election Administration and Voting Survey, or EAVS, Section B Data. This standard allows election officials and the Federal Voting Assistance Program to conduct a deeper analysis of UOCAVA voter behavior. The Working Group analyzes and makes recommendations for changes to EAVS Section B Data to improve the survey to serve the voters and election officials better. 

Now in its 10th year, the OVI has conducted more than 27 Working Group meetings in 14 states and U.S. territories, one U.S. Embassy, and visited 11 military installations. In early spring 2024, the OVI will be releasing a series of modules identifying best practices for communicating with military service members, their families and citizens living abroad. 

Protecting Disabled Veterans in the Workforce

By Joe Paul

As long as there has been war, veterans have been coming home. Many have injuries that make work difficult or make some careers impossible. Questions surround veterans who have sustained physical or mental injury in service of their country. Will I be able to work? How can I provide for my family? Will someone hire a veteran with injuries? Given the prevalence of these concerns, there is a federal support system in place to assist veterans.

The two laws integral to protecting veterans in the workplace are the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act. USERRA provides requirements for reemploying veterans both with and without service-related injuries, while Title I of the ADA outlines what qualifies as disabilities and accommodations. USERRA is enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Justice.

USERRA prohibits employers from discriminating against employees or applicants for employment based on their military status, including military obligations resulting from duties as part of the National Guard or Reserves. Reemployment protection for persons with or without service-related disabilities is also included.

All veterans are covered under USERRA regardless of disability status. The veteran is also protected by ADA if their disability falls under the ADA. Employers must make “reasonable efforts” to help a veteran returning to employment become qualified to perform the position they would have had if employment had not been interrupted by military service or if they sustained a disability during their military service.

Title I of the ADA, enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and applying to all workers, prohibits private, state and local government employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating against individuals based on disability. Having a disability or having a history of disability cannot factor into any aspect of employment, such as hiring, promotions, assignments, training, termination, or any other terms, conditions or privileges of employment, including questions of access to training or social events that are employer sponsored.

If a veteran is diagnosed with PTSD, or if the employer believes that the veteran may have PTSD, it is illegal for the employer to refuse to hire the veteran if they are otherwise qualified for the job. The ADA also limits the types of medical information employers can obtain and strictly prohibits disability related harassment and retaliation. Section 501 applies those standards to the federal executive branch and U.S. Postal Service, among others.

If an employer can prove that employment of a person with disabilities would cause an undue hardship, employers can propose reasonable alternatives. Generally, undue hardships come at significant difficulty or expense to the employer. The ADA National Network defines “undue hardship” as an “action requiring significant difficulty or expense” given any number of circumstances. The size, resources, nature and structure of the employer’s operation must be considered. Many, if not all, of these provisions do not apply to employers of less than 15 employees. For example: if a chair lift is requested, an employer could propose a ramp as a reasonable alternative.

Many veterans self-eliminate themselves from viable career opportunities by thinking their injuries either disqualify them for a job or that performing the job would not be possible given their injuries. The reality is that veterans are protected if they meet the ADA’s definition, and the veteran is otherwise qualified for the job. An “individual with a disability“ is a person who (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; (2) has a record of such an impairment, such as a substantial limitation prior to undergoing rehabilitation; and (3) is regarded or treated by an employer as having such an impairment, even if no substantial limitation exists.

If the veteran is qualified for the job by meeting the employer’s requirements for education, training, experience, skills, licensure or other requirements, and would be successful in the position with or without accommodations, they must be considered. There are additional requirements if the employer is the recipient of federal funds.

Disabled veterans should be aware of the 2008 ADA Amendments Act which added the term “major life activities,” and defined them to include not only activities such as walking, seeing, hearing and concentrating, but also the operation of major functions of the brain and neurological system. A list of reasonable accommodations for veterans with any of these disabilities can be found on the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s website.

An impairment should not prevent or severely or significantly restrict a veteran’s performance of a major life activity to be considered substantially limiting. The determination of whether an impairment substantially limits a major life activity must be made without regard to any mitigating measures, including medications or assistive devices such as prosthetic limbs, that you may use to lessen your impairment’s effects. Impairments that are episodic or in remission, such as epilepsy or PTSD, are considered disabilities if they would be substantially limiting when active.