Emergency funds.
- USA Cares — emergency financial assistance for veterans and military families. Low-income / hardship
- Operation Homefront — critical financial assistance, transitional housing, and family programs. Low-income / hardship
Veteran-owned and operated
Veteran benefits & resources.
A deep, curated hub of federal, California, and High Desert benefits, discounts, and organizations, with a focus on the ones most veterans never hear about. We are veteran-owned, and we built this to help our community actually use what they earned.
1Find the benefit or resource
2Open the official link
3Confirm and apply
On this page
Jump straight to what you need.
Quick filter
Show me what I qualify for.
Check anything that applies to you and the list below narrows automatically. This is a starting point, not a final answer — always confirm eligibility on the official link before you apply.
Showing all 110 benefits. Select what applies to you to narrow the list.
In crisis or just need to talk? Reach the Veterans Crisis Line now.
Free, confidential support, 24/7, for veterans, service members, and their families. You do not have to be enrolled in VA care.
- Call: dial 988, then press 1
- Text: 838255
- Online chat: veteranscrisisline.net
Heads up: Signal & Shield Solutions is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, CalVet, or any organization listed here. Benefit rules, discounts, and amounts change often, so always confirm details on the official links. Nothing here is legal, medical, or financial advice.
Get help now
Emergency financial help
Short-term help when things get tight.
Grants and assistance for rent, utilities, car repairs, and other urgent needs, often turned around quickly.
Funds for injured vets.
- Semper Fi & America’s Fund — immediate and lifetime financial support for combat wounded, critically ill, and injured across all branches. Any % disability rating
- VFW Unmet Needs — grants for basic needs during financial hardship. Low-income / hardship
Relief societies.
- Army Emergency Relief — the Army’s own nonprofit; interest-free loans (up to $6,000) and grants for active-duty and retired Soldiers and their families facing rent, food, car repair, or other emergencies.
- Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society — interest-free loans and grants for active-duty and retired Sailors, Marines, and their families, covering everyday emergencies, medical and dental bills, and PCS costs.
- Air & Space Forces Aid Society — the official charity of the Air Force and Space Force; interest-free loans and grants for active-duty and retired Airmen, Guardians, and their families.
- Coast Guard Mutual Assistance — interest-free loans and grants for active-duty, reserve, and retired Coast Guard members and their families.
Mental health & peer support
Help that gets military life.
Free, confidential, and often faster than you expect. You do not need a VA rating.
Crisis & peer lines.
- Veterans Crisis Line — dial 988, then press 1, or text 838255. 24/7.
- Vets4Warriors — 24/7 confidential peer support, veteran to veteran, for any problem, big or small.
Clinics & counseling.
- Cohen Veterans Network — low-cost, high-quality mental health clinics for post-9/11 veterans and families.
- Give an Hour — free counseling from volunteer mental health professionals.
- Vet Centers — free readjustment and PTSD counseling, separate from VA hospitals.
Trained service dogs, at no cost.
- K9s For Warriors — the country’s largest provider of free trained service dogs for veterans of any era living with PTSD, traumatic brain injury, or military sexual trauma. The dog, an 18-day residential training program, housing, meals, and lifetime follow-up support are all covered at no charge. You need a physician’s report confirming the diagnosis, not a VA disability rating. Expect a long waitlist.
Getting started
Getting started
New to this? Start here.
Account & DD-214.
- Create a VA.gov account — one login for claims, health, education, and more.
- Request your DD-214 / records — the document you need for most benefits.
File a claim the smart way.
- How to file a disability claim — the official step-by-step.
- Use a free County Veterans Service Officer or an accredited VSO like the DAV or VFW. Never pay for help filing a basic claim.
Money & benefits
Discounts, travel & everyday savings
The perks veterans leave on the table.
Free to join, and they add up fast. Verify your status once and reuse it across dozens of brands.
Armed Forces Vacation Club (AFVC).
- Armed Forces Vacation Club — free membership for active, retired, veteran, Guard/Reserve, and Gold Star families. Week-long resort stays from around $349, plus discounts on 600,000+ hotels, cruises, and car rentals worldwide.
Oakley Standard Issue (SI).
- Oakley Standard Issue — free program with direct/discount pricing on Oakley eyewear and gear for military, veterans, first responders, and government. Veterans get lifetime membership.
WeSalute, GovX & ID.me.
- WeSalute (formerly Veterans Advantage) — a digital military ID plus year-round discounts and travel perks.
- GovX — free exclusive pricing on hundreds of brands and gear.
- ID.me military verification — verify once and unlock military discounts across many major retailers.
National Parks lifetime pass.
- America the Beautiful Military/Veterans Pass — free lifetime access to national parks and federal recreation lands for veterans and Gold Star families.
- Tip: many retailers (home improvement, cellphone, insurance, hotels) give 10–25% off with a verified military ID. Ask everywhere.
VA benefits most people miss
Earned benefits that quietly save real money.
The ones veterans are most surprised to learn they qualify for. Eligibility varies, so check each link.
Commissary, Exchange & MWR.
- Expanded base privileges — since 2020, all service-connected disabled veterans, Purple Heart recipients, former POWs, and caregivers can shop tax-free at commissaries and exchanges and use MWR facilities. Any % disability ratingorCaregiver
Space-A military flights.
- Space-Available travel — 100% service-connected disabled veterans can fly standby on military aircraft, often for free. 100% / P&T disability rating
Aid & Attendance.
- Aid & Attendance and Housebound — an added monthly payment on top of VA pension if you need help with daily activities or are largely confined to home. Widely underused by older veterans. Low-income / hardship
MilTax free tax software.
- MilTax — free federal and state tax prep and filing built for the military community, with no income limit.
Individual Unemployability (TDIU).
- Individual Unemployability (TDIU) — pays disability compensation at the full 100% rate even if your combined rating is lower, if service-connected conditions keep you from holding steady work. Needs one condition rated 60%+, or a combined 70%+ with one rated 40%+. Any % disability rating
Clothing & vehicle allowances.
- VA annual clothing allowance — a yearly payment if a prosthetic or orthopedic device, or a prescribed skin medication for a service-connected condition, wears out or stains your clothes. You must qualify by August 1 to be paid that year, and you can receive more than one allowance if multiple devices affect different garments. Any % disability rating
- Automobile allowance & adaptive equipment — a one-time payment toward a specially equipped vehicle, plus grants for adaptive equipment like hand controls or lift gear, for service-connected loss or permanent loss of use of a hand or foot, severe burns, ALS, or qualifying vision loss. Apply and get approval before you buy. Any % disability rating
CRSC and VALife.
- Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) — a tax-free monthly payment that restores retired pay offset by VA disability compensation, for military retirees rated at least 10% by VA for a combat-related condition (armed conflict, hazardous duty, an instrumentality of war, or training that simulates war). It is never automatic; you apply through your branch of service. Any % disability rating
- VALife life insurance — guaranteed-acceptance whole life coverage up to $40,000 for veterans age 80 or younger with any service-connected rating, including 0%. No health questions, premiums locked at your enrollment age, and full coverage begins after a two-year waiting period. Any % disability rating
Health care & disability
Care, ratings, and the PACT Act.
VA health care.
- Apply for VA health care — more veterans qualify than assume they do, especially after recent expansions.
- VA dental (VADIP) — dental coverage options many veterans overlook.
Disability benefits.
- Disability compensation — file a new claim, add conditions, or request an increase.
- PACT Act — expanded eligibility for burn pit, Agent Orange, and other toxic exposures. If you were denied before, it may be worth another look.
Coverage for dependents.
- CHAMPVA — health coverage for spouses and children of permanently and totally disabled veterans. Spouse, dependent & survivors
- Caregiver support — stipends, training, and health coverage for those caring for a veteran. Caregiver
Education, work & housing
Education & scholarships
School, trades, and tech, for you and your family.
Post-9/11 GI Bill.
- GI Bill benefits — tuition, housing allowance, and books.
- Yellow Ribbon Program — covers tuition beyond the GI Bill cap at many private and out-of-state schools.
Training & retraining.
- VR&E (Chapter 31) — for service-connected veterans, often more generous than the GI Bill, and it can fund training, school, or starting a business. Any % disability rating
- DoD SkillBridge — civilian job training and internships during your final months of service.
- VET TEC 2.0 — VA-funded high-tech training (coding, IT support, data, cybersecurity) that does not use up GI Bill months. Open to Veterans discharged other than dishonorably, or service members within 180 days of separating, with at least 36 months on active duty.
Scholarships & waivers.
- CalVet College Fee Waiver — waives California public college tuition and fees for eligible children and spouses of service-connected disabled or deceased veterans. Can be worth tens of thousands. Spouse, dependent & survivors+California resident
- Pat Tillman Foundation — scholarships and leadership development for veterans and military spouses.
- Folds of Honor — scholarships for spouses and children of fallen or disabled service members. Spouse, dependent & survivors
- Fry Scholarship & DEA — education benefits for survivors and dependents. Spouse, dependent & survivors
- Student Veterans of America (SVA) — a national nonprofit with campus chapters for peer support and community, plus its own scholarship programs for student veterans.
- Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship — extra months of Post-9/11 GI Bill funding for veterans (or Fry Scholarship dependents) pursuing a qualifying STEM degree who are close to running out of benefits.
Employment & business
Careers, hiring preference, and veteran-owned business.
Jobs & coaching.
- Hire Heroes USA — free, personalized career coaching, resume help, and job placement.
- Hiring Our Heroes — U.S. Chamber program connecting veterans and spouses with employers and fellowships.
- Onward to Opportunity (IVMF) — free professional certifications and job placement.
- Feds Hire Vets — veterans’ preference and federal hiring explained.
- American Corporate Partners (ACP) — free, year-long one-on-one mentorship pairing post-9/11 veterans and eligible military spouses with a corporate professional for resume help, career guidance, and networking.
Start & grow a veteran business.
- SDVOSB / VOSB certification (SBA) — certify to compete for set-aside federal contracts.
- Veterans Business Outreach Center — free counseling and the Boots to Business program.
- Warrior Rising — free mentoring and startup support for veteran entrepreneurs.
- VetFran — International Franchise Association program where 650+ participating franchise brands offer honorably discharged veterans discounted franchise fees, often 10–25% off or more.
- CA Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) certification — for California-resident veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 10% or more; certified DVBEs compete for a share of the state’s contracting dollars through set-aside and streamlined state contracts. Any % disability rating+California resident
Home & housing
Buying, adapting, and staying housed.
VA & CalVet home loans.
- VA home loan — no down payment, no PMI, and the funding fee is waived if you are service-connected disabled.
- CalVet Home Loans — California’s own veteran loan program. California resident
- SAH & SHA grants — help paying for disability-related home modifications. Any % disability rating
Homes for severely injured vets.
- Homes For Our Troops — builds and donates specially adapted, mortgage-free homes for severely injured post-9/11 veterans. 100% / P&T disability rating
- Tunnel to Towers — mortgage-free and smart homes for catastrophically injured service members and Gold Star families. 100% / P&T disability ratingorSpouse, dependent & survivors
- Fisher House — free lodging for families while a veteran receives care at a VA or military hospital.
Property tax & homeless support.
- California Disabled Veterans’ Property Tax Exemption — a substantial property tax break for 100% disabled veterans and eligible surviving spouses. 100% / P&T disability ratingorSpouse, dependent & survivors+California resident
- HUD-VASH — housing vouchers plus case management for veterans facing homelessness. Homeless / at-risk
- Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) — VA-funded grants to local nonprofits for rapid re-housing and homelessness-prevention case management, plus help with rent, utilities, or move-in costs, for very low-income veteran families who are homeless or at risk. Low-income / hardship+Homeless / at-risk
Family & community
Survivors & families
Support for spouses, children, and caregivers.
Compensation & pension.
- Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC) — monthly benefit for eligible surviving spouses, children, and parents. Spouse, dependent & survivors
- Survivors Pension — for eligible low-income survivors of wartime veterans. Spouse, dependent & survivors+Low-income / hardship
Caregiver support.
- VA family & caregiver benefits — stipends, training, health coverage, and respite. Caregiver
- Elizabeth Dole Foundation — resources and community for military and veteran caregivers. Caregiver
Survivor support community.
- TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) — free 24/7 peer support, grief resources, and survivor seminars for anyone grieving the loss of a military loved one, regardless of how, when, or where they died. Spouse, dependent & survivors
Burial benefits and memorial items.
- VA burial benefits & memorial items — a gravesite, opening and closing of the grave, and perpetual care in a VA national cemetery at no cost, plus a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, and a Presidential Memorial Certificate. Families can also claim a burial allowance toward funeral and transport costs, and veterans can request a pre-need eligibility decision now to spare their family the paperwork later.
Veteran service organizations
Free claims help and a community that has your back.
Accredited Veterans Service Organizations file and appeal VA claims for you at no cost, and you should never pay anyone to file a basic claim. They also offer rides to appointments, events, and camaraderie.
The major VSOs.
- Disabled American Veterans (DAV) — free claims help and free rides to VA appointments.
- Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) — claims help, advocacy, and emergency grants.
- The American Legion — claims help, community, and programs nationwide.
Specialized organizations.
- AMVETS — claims help, scholarships, and career services.
- Paralyzed Veterans of America — for veterans with spinal cord injury or disease. Any % disability rating
- Wounded Warrior Project — programs for post-9/11 wounded, ill, or injured veterans and families. Any % disability rating
Purpose, recreation & community
Stay connected and keep serving.
For a lot of veterans, the hardest part of transition is losing the mission and the team. These help you get both back.
Community through activity.
- Team RWB (Red, White & Blue) — local fitness and social events that reconnect veterans to their community.
Serve again.
- Team Rubicon — put your skills to work on disaster response and humanitarian missions.
Therapeutic recreation.
- Project Healing Waters — fly fishing and outdoor programs for physical and emotional rehabilitation.
Live events, on the house.
- Vet Tix (Veteran Tickets Foundation) — free nonprofit ticket program for concerts, sports, and other events. Register once and enter a lottery for tickets in your area; has given away more than 31 million tickets since 2008.
California & local
California statewide
State benefits worth claiming.
California adds real benefits on top of federal ones. CalVet is the hub for all of them.
CalVet.
- CalVet — California Department of Veterans Affairs, the front door to every state benefit. California resident
- CalVet Veterans Homes — long-term and skilled nursing care. California resident
DMV & state parks.
- California DMV veteran services — a free “VETERAN” designation, disabled veteran plates, and fee waivers. California resident
- California state park veteran passes — free or discounted access for eligible disabled veterans and others. California resident
- CDFW reduced-fee hunting & fishing licenses — honorably discharged veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 50% or greater can get a hunting license for about $9.79 and a fishing license for about $10.54. Any % disability rating
Education & property tax.
- College Fee Waiver — California public college tuition waived for eligible dependents. Spouse, dependent & survivors+California resident
- Disabled Veterans’ Property Tax Exemption — a significant break on your home’s property tax. 100% / P&T disability ratingorSpouse, dependent & survivors+California resident
- Military retirement pay tax exclusion — California lets qualifying retirees, and survivors receiving a Defense Department Survivor Benefit Plan annuity, exclude up to $20,000 of military retirement pay from state income tax through 2030, if income is under $125,000 (individual) or $250,000 (joint filer or surviving spouse). California resident
CalFresh food assistance.
- CalVet Food Assistance & CalFresh — CalFresh (California’s SNAP program) adds to your grocery budget with a monthly EBT card; CalVet’s food assistance page also connects veterans to emergency food banks and the Emergency Food and Shelter Program. Other VA or Social Security income usually does not disqualify you. Low-income / hardship+California resident
Veterans’ Preference for state employment.
- California Veterans’ Preference (CalHR) — pass any open State civil service exam with a score of 70 or better and you are placed in the top rank of the resulting eligibility list, which sharply improves your odds of landing an interview. Open to veterans discharged under other than dishonorable conditions, veteran widows and widowers, spouses of 100% disabled veterans, and service members within six months of separating. File Form CalHR 1093 once and it applies to every future exam you pass. California resident
Local — High Desert & San Bernardino County
Help close to home, from people who know the area.
Start with a County Veterans Service Officer. They file VA claims for you at no cost, and you should never pay anyone to file a basic claim.
San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs.
- Find your County Veterans Service Officer — official CalVet directory; look up San Bernardino County for the office nearest the High Desert. High Desert / local
- San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs — the county's own veterans affairs office, with a High Desert location in Hesperia; helps with disability, pension, health care, and other VA benefits by phone or in person. High Desert / local
- Welcome Home Veterans! — San Bernardino County's veteran resource portal, covering benefits, jobs, CalFresh food assistance, housing, health care, and education in one place. High Desert / local
- Shelter Treatment Court — a monthly collaborative court event, run by County Veterans Affairs with Probation and the Superior Court, that resolves warrants and fines for low-level offenses so veterans and other residents experiencing homelessness can clear legal barriers to housing, jobs, and benefits. Homeless / at-risk+High Desert / local
VA care in the High Desert.
- VA Loma Linda Healthcare System — the regional VA health system for our area.
- VA facility locator — find the nearest clinic (including the Victorville area) or Vet Center by ZIP code.
- High Desert Vet Center — free, confidential readjustment counseling in Victorville for combat veterans, military sexual trauma survivors, and their families. You do not need a VA disability rating or to be enrolled in VA health care.
Local posts & counseling.
- Find a Vet Center — free readjustment counseling near you.
- American Legion & VFW — find posts in Apple Valley, Victorville, and Hesperia. Call to confirm current hours. High Desert / local
Sober living for veterans.
- Orenda Veterans Project — Apple Valley-based sober living and transitional housing for veterans in all phases of recovery, with wellness, education, and career-development support; now also open to women veterans. Homeless / at-risk+High Desert / local
- U.S.VETS Inland Empire — emergency, transitional, and permanent housing, plus free mental health care and career services for homeless and at-risk veterans across San Bernardino and Riverside counties, based at March Air Reserve Base with a newer San Bernardino city location. Homeless / at-risk+High Desert / local
Victor Valley College Veterans Resource Center.
- VVC Veterans Resource Center — benefits and enrollment help, priority registration, and connections to county and VA resources for student veterans in Victorville; walk-in hours run several days a month, with remote support on weekdays. High Desert / local
Discounted transit (VVTA).
- Victor Valley Transit Authority veteran fare — veterans ride at the discounted Veteran/Senior/Disabled rate (about half off regular fare) on all VVTA Fixed Route, County Route, Micro-Link, and Route 15 buses across Victorville, Apple Valley, Hesperia, Barstow, and Adelanto. Show a veteran photo ID when boarding. High Desert / local
Civil legal aid for veterans.
- Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino — its Veterans Support program provides free civil legal help to veterans across San Bernardino and Riverside counties, offered at the San Bernardino Vet Center and through local veteran partners. Covers housing and landlord disputes, clearing criminal records, ticket matters, reinstating a suspended or revoked driver’s license, and reducing back child support. Call (909) 889-7328. High Desert / local
Veteran-owned, and we back it up.
Signal & Shield Solutions is proud to support fellow service members and their families. Mention your service and ask about our military discount on IT support, security camera and system installs, and 3D printing.
- Managed IT and on-site help for business and home
- Security cameras and systems, installed and supported
- Custom 3D printing, designed and printed locally
Prefer to talk? Call or text (442) 390-6785.
This page is a free community resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the VA, CalVet, or any organization listed. Links go to official and nonprofit sources; please verify current eligibility and details there.