Co - Colorado Veterans Benefits

jason · March 22, 2007

State of Colorado Department of Veterans Affairs

Military Benefits Fact Sheet

Summary: The State of Colorado offers special benefits for its military service members and Veterans including Retired Military Pay tax exemptions, state employment preferences, education and tuition assistance, vehicle tags, as well as hunting and fishing license privileges. Eligibility for some benefits may depend on residency, military component and Veteran disability status.

State Benefit Highlights and Eligibility

State Tax Advantage: SCR06-001 has passed and will be on the November ballot. It provides a Property Tax Exemption for 100% SC disabled veterans.

Retired Military Pay: Members of the Armed Forces can exclude up to $20,000 in any one taxable year from their retirement pay.

Eligibility: U.S. Armed Forces Retiree.

Military Disability Retired Pay: Disability Portion - Length of Service Pay; Member on September 24, 1975 - No tax; Not Member on September 24, 1975 - Taxed, unless combat incurred. Retired Pay - Based solely on disability: Member on September 24, 1975 - No tax; Not Member on September 24, 1975 - Taxed, unless all pay based on disability and disability resulted from armed conflict, extra-hazardous service, simulated war, or an instrumentality of war.

VA Disability Dependency and Indemnity Compensation: Not subject to federal or state taxes.

Motor Vehicle Tax: No fee shall be charged to certain disabled Veterans or Ex-POWs who have established their right to benefits under public laws. Applies to subsequent vehicles, but only one at a time.

Education Benefits: For Veterans: None

Tuition Assistance: Any member of the Colorado National Guard is eligible for state tuition assistance, up to 100% tuition paid at any CO state-funded school depending on funding available. State funding can be used in conjunction with Federal Tuition Assistance. Deadline for Spring Semester is Dec. 1. Deadline for Fall Semester is July 1. Summer deadline is May 1 (if funding is available).

Eligibility: Colorado National Guard member must serve 2 years for each year granted.

* Beginning July 1, 2000 any new member of the Colorado National Guard eligible for State Tuition Assistance must have a minimum of 6 months of service in the Colorado National Guard. Interstate Transfer (ISTs) and In-Service Recruits (ISRs) are waived from this requirement.

* As of 1 July 2005 the State Tuition Assistance (TA) program is no longer a payback program; To get TA the member must be in drilling status with the Colorado National Guard. If the member leaves drilling status, during the semester/quarter for which they are receiving TA, the member must reimburse the Department for the whole amount of TA received for that semester. For those members who received TA prior to 1 July 2005 (to include Summer 2005) the service requirement of 1 year for each semester sponsored PRIOR to 1 July 2005 still applies.

* Must maintain a 2.0 Grade Point Average.

Tuition Assistance for Children of POWs, MIAs, or Disabled/Deceased ARNG: Free tuition in certain State-support schools for children of prisoners of war or persons missing in actions who were Colorado residents when they entered the Armed Forces, or for children of Colorado National Guardsmen who died or were permanently disabled while on State active duty limited to dependents who do not qualify for Federal Education benefits.

Operation Recognition: Operation Recognition is a program to award High School diplomas to deserving and qualified WWII, Korea and Vietnam Era Veterans. Operation Recognition, is authorized by Colorado State Law and is offered by the Colorado Board of Veterans Affairs in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Education and the Colorado Association of School Boards.

Employment Assistance: State Active Duty employee receives 15 days of paid military leave per year.

Eligibility: Colorado National Guard

Employment Preference (Civil Service Rights): Disabled Veterans shall have 10 points added to their grades and non-disabled Veterans shall be credited with an additional 5 points for "state employment". For city and county governments that have a "Merit System" in place.

Special Vehicle License Plates: The State provides plates at no cost to the Veteran include: recipients of the Medal of Honor, recipients of the Purple Heart, to certain disabled wartime Veterans, special disabled (50%+)Veterans license plates, and special license plates for former POWs. Plates for honorably discharged Veterans may be purchased for nominal fee. January 2007, There will be issued a "Valor Plate" for those veterans who have received the Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross ,Air Force DSC, and Survivors of Pearl Harbor and/or their surviving spouse.

Medical Benefits: Dental coverage and full medical for line-of-duty

Eligibility: Colorado National Guard

Hunting and Fishing Privileges

Fishing license: No fee for

Eligibility: 1) Member of the Armed Forces stationed as a resident patient at a military hospital or convalescent station, 2) any resident patient at a USDVA hospital located within the State, 3) any Veteran who is permanently and totally disabled.

Small Game Hunting and Fishing License: Free lifetime combination small-game hunting and fishing license.

Eligibility: Resident Veteran with a service-connected disability of 60% or more.

Miscellaneous Benefits:

State Veterans' Home: Admission preference is given to Veterans, spouses, widows and mothers at State Veterans Center, Homelake, CO. With 40 operating beds in the domiciliary unit and 60 beds in nursing care service.

State Veterans Nursing Home: The Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home at Florence, CO with a bed capacity of 120 beds. Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home at Rifle, CO with a capacity of 100 beds. Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home at Walsenburg with a capacity of 120 beds. We have a new State Veterans Home. It is the Fitzimons State Veterans Home, located in Denver, CO. It has a capacity of 180 beds.

Burial Allowance: County allowance of up to $50 for burial and up to $50 for setting markers for pauper Veterans.

NEW LEGISLATION

HB06-1072- Special Armed Forces License Plates- fee

SB06-031- Bronze Star Special License Plate-fee

SB06-172- Exemption to fees on Special Military License Plates.

The Veterans Trust Fund

A fund established from the Master Tobacco Settlement which provides to Chartered Veteran Service Organizations, State Veteran Nursing Homes, Division of Veteran Affairs and the State Veteran Cemeteries for the operations of, maintenance of facilities, and/or veteran homeless shelters and transportation programs.

INSTALLATIONS AND FACILITIES IN COLORADO

Active Duty Installations:

Fort Carson, CO

http://www.carson.army.mil/

Buckley Air Force Base (AFB), Aurora, CO: http://www.buckley.af.mil/

Petersen Air Force Base (AFB), CO: http://www.peterson.af.mil/

Schriever Air Force Base (AFB), Colorado Springs, CO: http://www.schriever.af.mil/welcome.asp

96th Regional Readiness Command http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/96rsc.htm

Colorado Army National Guard

http://www.coloradoguard.army.mil/

Colorado Air National Guard

http://www.cobuck.ang.af.mil/