VA benefits are administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs and are separate from — and generally not dependent on — military retirement. Even veterans who didn't reach 20 years of service can be eligible for a range of VA benefits based on their discharge status and service history.
Main categories
- Disability compensation — monthly payments for service-connected conditions. See our disability compensation overview.
- VA healthcare — enrollment is based on priority groups determined by service history and disability rating, separate from TRICARE.
- Education benefits — primarily the GI Bill. See our GI Bill overview.
- Home loan guaranty — the VA loan program, which doesn't require a down payment in most cases.
- Pension benefits — needs-based, for wartime veterans with limited income, distinct from disability compensation.
Eligibility rules for each category differ, so it's worth checking your status against all of them rather than assuming your retirement paperwork already covers it — VA benefits are a separate application process.
Relocating to Arkansas specifically? See our Arkansas relocation guides.