WELL DESERVED BENEFITS: Military members who have combat injuries or are battling serious illness because of their service are eligible for a host of benefits. Access to quality care and valuable services does not end when wounded, ill or injured service members leave a military treatment facility.
EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
Subsistence Allowance Rates: Some veterans participating in vocational rehabilitation and education programs may be eligible to receive an allowance while they pursue an educational or training program (benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/subsistence_allowance_rates.asp).
If a veteran qualifies for the GI Bill, he or she may be eligible to receive the Basic Allowance for Housing rate for subsistence (defensetravel.dod.mil).
The VA's Vocational Readiness and Employment Program helps veterans with service-related disabilities find and keep employment. The program helps veterans prepare for employment and provides counseling and independent living services for disabled veterans who are unable to work (bene- fits.va.gov/vocrehab/index.asp).
The VA's VetSuccess On Campus Program helps veterans, service members and their dependents complete their education and prepares them to enter the workplace through on-campus benefits assistance and counseling (benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/vsoc.asp).
The Department of Defense Transition Assistance Program is an outcome-based program that bolsters opportunities, services and training for transitioning service members in their preparation to meet post-military goals (dodtap.mil).
MILITARY RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS
Each service has a private, nonprofit organization that assists families in times of need. Assistance may include emergency transportation; help with medical bills, child care expenses, food, rent, utilities and other household bills; vehicle repair and family emergency assistance. For more information on relief societies, contact Army Emergency Relief (armyemergencyrelief.org), the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society
(nmcrs.org) or the Air Force Aid Society (afas.org).
SEMPER FI FUND
The Semper Fi Fund provides immediate financial assistance and lifetime support to post-9/11 wounded, critically ill and injured service members and their families, ensuring that they have the resources they need during their recovery and transition back to their communities (thefund.org).
MILITARY HEROES FUND EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
The Military Heroes Fund, an initiative of the PenFed Foundation (penfedfoundation.org), provides wounded veterans, military families and caregivers with financial assistance and support that cannot be supported by government agencies. The MHF has two components:
Emergency Financial Assistance for Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom wounded warriors and their families facing short-term financial difficulties.
Family and Caregiver Transition Support including child care support for families of wounded OIF/OEF veterans while receiving outpatient care; short-term training or education expenses for job certification, licensure requirements and course materials; and in-home health care for injured veterans to support caregiver respite needs.
The DOD Wounded, Ill, and/or Injured Compensation and Benefits Handbook for Service Members of the Armed Forces provides military members and their support network with an extensive list of military support services and resources to assist through the complexities of recovery (health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Access-Cost-Quality-and-Safety/Warrior- Care/DoD-Compensation-and-Benefits-Handbook)