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The U.S. Department of Defense is categorized into different branches: Army, Marine, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, and National Guard.

Veterans refer to individuals who have actively served in any branch of the U.S. Department of Defense.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > About > Military Departments > Uniformed Services

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Official website for U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

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Data from The Veteran Affairs reveals:

There are a total of 19,397,944 veterans living in the U.S. by September 30, 2020.

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Veterans learned their military culture through a long time of training and active service, and they may carry this culture along their post-deployment life.

Each branch of U.S. Forces holds its own military culture. Yet there are some common military culture shared among all, which are discipline, loyalty, military rank, etc.

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Healthcare Resources and Benefits for Veterans

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Healthcare Resources and Benefits for Veterans

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The VA provides numerous free healthcare services for veterans, including medical exams, immunizations, inpatient hospital services (e.g. surgeries, acute and specialized care), mental health care, home health care, etc.

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Each Veteran's medical benefits package is unique. Yours will include care and services to help:

Treat illnesses and injuries

Prevent future health problems

Improve your ability to function

Enhance your quality of life

All Veterans receive coverage for most care and services, but only some will qualify for added benefits like dental care. The full list of your covered benefits depends on:

Your priority group, and

The advice of your VA primary care provider (your main doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician's assistant), and

The medical standards for treating any health conditions you may have

Learn more about priority groups
You should also know that being signed up for VA health care meets your Affordable Care Act (ACA) health coverage requirement of having "minimum essential health coverage." We'll update this site if the ACA changes with new laws.
Learn more about the ACA, VA, and you

We can help you learn about and apply for VA health care benefits. A member of our Concierge for Care (C4C) team will call you soon after your separation from military service. We can answer any questions you may have, process your application over the phone, and help you schedule your first VA medical appointment.
Learn about transitioning from TRICARE to VA health care

We cover preventive care services, like:

Health exams (including gender-specific exams)

Health education (including nutrition education)

Immunization against infectious diseases (like flu shots)

Counseling on genetic diseases (diseases that run in families)

We cover inpatient hospital services, like:

Surgeries

Medical treatments

Kidney dialysis

Acute care (short-term treatment for a severe illness or injury or after surgery)

Specialized care (including organ transplants, intensive care for mental and physical conditions, and care for traumatic injuries)
Review more VA medical and surgical specialty care services

We cover urgent and emergency care services, like:

Urgent or emergency care at some VA health facilities.
Find a VA health facility near you

Urgent care for injuries and illnesses that need attention right away, but aren't life threatening, at urgent care locations that are part of our contracted network. This may include care at a VA-approved:

Walk-in retail health clinic for minor illnesses like a sore throat or earache

Urgent care facility for more pressing (but not life-threatening) illnesses or injuries that require treatment like splinting, casting, or wound care

To use these services, you'll need to be enrolled in VA health care, and you'll need to have received care from us within the past 24 months. Be sure to tell the urgent care provider that you're using the VA urgent care benefit when you arrive.
Learn more about urgent care
Get advice on choosing between urgent and emergency care

Emergency care in a non-VA hospital, clinic, or other medical setting-only under certain conditions. For us to consider covering non-VA emergency care for a non-service-connected condition, you'll need to meet several requirements.
Learn more about non-VA emergency medical care

We cover other services and needs, like:
We may cover services that your VA primary care provider concludes you need to support your treatment (called ancillary services), like:

Tests used to diagnose health conditions, including blood work, X-rays, and ultrasounds

Therapy and rehabilitation services, including physical therapy, vision rehab, and therapy for traumatic brain injury

Additional services, including prosthetic items, audiology (care for hearing loss), and radiation oncology (cancer care)

You may be able to get help with some non-medical services, like:

Contact the patient advocate at the VA medical center where you go for care. Your patient advocate can help you get foreign language or American Sign Language services to help you or your family members understand your medical or health care benefits.

To find out how to reach the patient advocate at your VA medical center, go to the website of the VA health care system that the medical center is part of. In the page's navigation, click on "Patients & Visitors." A submenu will appear. Select "Patient Information" and then "Customer Service."
Find your medical center's website

These services aren't included in the VA medical benefits package under current regulations:

Cosmetic surgery, unless we conclude that it's medically necessary (needed to prevent or treat a certain illness, injury, condition, disease, or symptoms)

Gender-affirming surgical interventions
Learn more about gender-affirming surgery regulations on our patient care website

Health club or spa membership

Inpatient hospital or outpatient care if you're a patient or inmate in a non-VA government agency institution, if that agency must provide the care or services by law

Medicines and medical devices that aren't approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Exception: You can get VA health care for medicines and medical devices that aren't approved by the FDA if you're in an approved clinical trial. This exception also applies if you're seriously ill and your VA health care provider prescribes a new, unapproved medicine because there are no other comparable treatment options (called a compassionate use or expanded access exemption).

We'll fill prescriptions by a non-VA community provider only if you meet all these requirements.

All of these must be true:

You're enrolled in VA health care

You have an assigned VA primary care provider

You've given your VA provider your medical records from your non-VA provider

Your VA provider agrees with the prescription

Learn more about prescriptions from community providers

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About VA health benefits | Veterans Affairs

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Learn about the VA health benefits in your VA medical benefits package. Get details on Veterans medical benefits, like which services we cover, who will care for you, where you'll go for care, and how VA health care works with other insurance.

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Additional Resources and Benefits for Veterans

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Additional Resources and Benefits for Veterans

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Apart from the health care benefits, the VA also assists the veterans in education and training, career and employment, monthly pension and compensation, housing loans, burials and memorials, etc.

Family members of veterans such as spouses, dependent children, or family caregivers can also be qualified for health care benefits, education assistance, life insurance, etc.

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Women's Health Focus Infographic 2022-v02

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There are more than 2 million women veterans living in the U.S. today.

In 1983, the Congress passed a law to protect women veterans from discrimination and unequal access to benefits they had endured compared to their fellow men veterans.

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The VA provides a wide range of free services to assist women veterans with their health.

Reproductive health: fertility, maternity care, sexual health, etc.

Mental health: PTSD, substance use, eating disorders, suicide, etc.

General health: HIV testing, mammography, cervical cancer screening, etc.

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Services by Health Topic

If you have questions or can't find what you're looking for, you can call, text, or chat online with the Women Veterans Call Center (WVCC) at 855-829-6636 to get help and find available resources and services in your area. Trained women representatives can also:

Provide you with information on enrolling in VA health care if you have not already

Provide you with information on setting up a medical appointment in your area

Provide you with information about your eligibility (including questions about disability ratings) and other VA benefits like employment, education, and home loans

Connect you with your local VA Medical Center or local women's health contact who can assist in coordinating all the services you need

WVCC representatives are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET, and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET.

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US Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration

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Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you've earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member-like health care, disability, education, and more.

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Veterans who are eligible for the VA health benefits if:

They have served in the active military, naval, or air service with no dishonorable discharge.

They have served a full period of active service or for at least 24 continuous months after October 16, 1981.

They have served as a member of the Reserves or National Guard.

They have served in certain locations or time periods during the Vietnam War.

They met the basic service and discharge requirement due to the exposure to toxins or hazards that may cause disability.

Eligibility may be varied among individual veterans, depending on their background, service history, etc.

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Eligibility for VA health care | Veterans Affairs

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Find out if you can get VA health care as a Veteran.

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Nursing Roles in Helping Veterans Access Their Healthcare Resources and Benefits 

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Nursing Roles in Helping Veterans Access Their Healthcare Resources and Benefits 

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Gaining a comprehensive understanding of VA healthcare and their various health services helps nurses provide better patient advocacy and education.

The nurses also play an important role in collaborating with the social work team to maximize resource utilization.

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Nursing Roles in Helping the Veterans Access Their Healthcare Resources and Benefits

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The Most Concerning Health Issues and Living Conditions to Veterans 

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The Most Concerning Health Issues and Living Conditions to Veterans 

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Veterans may experience many health issues such as PTSD, military sexual trauma, Agent Orange, TBI, infectious diseases (e.g. Gulf War illness) due to long-term exposure to traumatic events in the past.

As a result, they may suffer from difficult living conditions associated with their health, which can be substance use, homelessness, suicide, etc.

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Certain health concerns may be more likely to affect Veterans who served in a specific time and place. Find out which health concerns you should be aware of depending on when and where you served.

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Veterans health issues related to service history | Veterans Affairs

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Learn about Veterans health issues that may be related to where and when you served. Find out what steps to take to care for your health and whether you may be eligible for VA health care and disability compensation.

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PTSD is a serious mental health condition when the patients react to their traumatic events (e.g. war and combat, MST, terrorism, etc.)

The reactions to traumatic events develop over time and vary among individual veterans, but commonly seen are fear, anxiety, insomnia, irritation, nightmares, social withdrawal, etc.

The VA Statistics reports that 23% of veterans have PSTD.

PTSD increases the risk of chronic physical illnesses, depression, dementia, suicide, etc.

PTSD is one of the VA's priorities in providing care for the veteran.

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A Vietnam Veteran’s story of recovery from PTSD

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Nursing Care For Veterans with Health Issues

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Nursing Care For Veterans with Health Issues

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Nurses performing a complete physical assessment is crucial to early identifying possible health issues as well as initiating timely treatment.

Nurses should provide appropriate patient education about their current health condition, available treatment options, etc.

Nurses should encourage veteran patients to have regular follow-ups to monitor the treatment process closely.

Interprofessional interventions are necessary to provide patients with adequate treatment, therapy, rehabilitation, and resources.

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Nursing Care for Veterans with Difficult Living Conditions

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Nursing Care for Veterans with Difficult Living Conditions

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Performing a social assessment to evaluate the patient's social relationships, history of substance use, etc.

Utilizing patient interview or questionnaire method to recognize patient's difficulties in accessing basic needs such as food, clothes, housing, transportation, etc.

Referring the patients to the social work team to search for available resources that can assist them with basic needs (e.g. shelter, food stamps, etc.)

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Veterans are parts of families. They are impacted by their family members in some way.

The family contribution can influence treatment outcome.

Families provide significant emotional support and give the patients power to overcome their health conditions.

Families hold a certain responsibility in the care of patients, especially when the patients become more dependent and need their family members to help them with important decisions during the treatment process.

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Family Focused Nursing Care_Ch02_Denham (1) (1)

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Nursing Care for Family Members of veterans

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Nursing Care for Family Members of veterans

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Nurses should always thinking family when caring for veterans and their families.

The nurses need to clarify the role of each family member and the patient's preference of which family member they may be closer to to provide comfort and effective care.

Giving appropriate education to patients and their family members about the patient's condition, treatment options, available resources, etc.

Assessing family members for physical, mental, or spiritual needs and offering adequate assistance without judgment.

Providing effective communication to build trust with the family members.

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Standing By a Veteran | Supporting Family