Louisiana offers a wide array of benefits for its veterans, ranging from educational assistance and housing benefits to financial incentives and employment services.
Educational Benefits
- Educational Benefits for Children, Spouses, and Surviving Spouses of Veterans: This includes tuition waivers for eligible dependents of veterans who have died in service, from service-connected disabilities, or are rated 90% or more service-connected disabled. Eligibility requirements vary, including residency and age limits for dependents.
- Louisiana State Tuition Exemption Program (STEP): Provides tuition exemptions at state-supported educational institutions for Louisiana National Guard members under certain conditions.
- Residency for Tuition Purposes: Service members, veterans, and their dependents stationed or residing in Louisiana are granted residency status for tuition purposes at public colleges and universities.
Housing and Financial Benefits
- Veterans Homes: Louisiana operates five veterans homes across the state for veterans who are residents of Louisiana and have an other-than-dishonorable discharge. Eligibility for spouses and Gold Star parents is also provided under specific conditions.
- Income Tax Benefits: Active duty pay up to $30,000 is exempt if stationed out of state, with additional exemptions for retired pay and Survivor Benefit Plan payments. Property tax exemptions for disabled veterans were approved in November 2022, with the exemption amount correlating with disability percentage.
- Military Family Assistance Fund: Offers financial aid to Louisiana veterans and their families facing financial hardships, with the possibility to receive up to $10,000 based on eligibility and available funding.
Employment Benefits
- State Employment Preference: Veterans receive a 5- to 10-point preference for Louisiana state and city civil service jobs. This benefit extends to spouses of veterans who are rated unemployable by the Department of Veterans Affairs, among others.
- Veterans’ Employment and Training Services: Offers job assistance, training referrals, and placement services, with priority given to veterans and eligible spouses for job training programs.
Recreation Benefits
- Hunting and Fishing Licenses: Disabled veterans with a service-connected permanent disability rated 50% or higher are eligible for free licenses. Active-duty military and their dependents also qualify for licenses at the resident rate.
- State Park Admission: Discounts or free admissions are available for disabled veterans and active-duty military personnel.
Burial Benefits
- Veterans Cemeteries: Louisiana has four veterans cemeteries that offer burial services for qualifying veterans, their spouses, and dependent children at no charge for the veteran and a small fee for dependents.