Vermont offers a variety of benefits for veterans, including assistance in employment, housing support, financial aid, and recreational opportunities:
Employment Benefits
- Veterans Hiring Preference: Veterans seeking state employment in Vermont can receive preference points, enhancing their opportunities for state jobs. This also extends to certain spouses and un-remarried surviving spouses under specific conditions​​.
Housing Benefits
- Veterans Assisted Care Homes and Nursing Homes: The Vermont Veterans Home in Bennington provides a wide range of medical services to eligible veterans, including skilled nursing and rehabilitation therapies. Gold Star parents and spouses of eligible veterans may also qualify for admission​​.
Financial Benefits
- Vermont Veterans Assistance Fund: Offers financial assistance up to $500 for veterans or their families experiencing financial crises that impact their ability to pay for housing, utilities, or other critical needs​​.
- Tax Breaks: Eligible veterans may receive tax breaks on military disability retirement pay and a property tax exemption for totally disabled veterans​​.
Recreational Benefits
- Free Disabled Veteran, Fishing, Hunting or Combination Licenses: Eligible disabled veterans with a service-connected VA disability rating of 60% or greater can receive a free permanent fishing, hunting, or combination license​​.
- Active Duty and Reserve Component Service Member License Benefits: Offers free one-year fishing, hunting, or combination licenses for resident service members on active duty for 120 or more consecutive days, and resident prices for nonresident service members stationed in Vermont​​.
- Green Mountain Passport Lifetime Pass: Provides free or reduced-cost access to Vermont State Parks, historic sites, and fully state-sponsored events for veterans with honorable discharge​​.
Additional Benefits
- Medals for Veterans: Vermont recognizes the service and sacrifice of service members and their families with several medals, including the Vermont Veterans Medal, the Vermont Distinguished Service Medal, and the Vermont Patriots Medal​​.
- Veterans Assistance Fund: Offers a one-time payment to veterans or their families in financial crisis for critical needs​​.
- Veterans Discharge Records: Maintains copies of discharge records for veterans who entered the U.S. Armed Forces from Vermont, assisting with benefit claims​​.