The state of Kansas provides several veteran benefits. This section offers a brief description of each of the following benefits.

  • Housing Benefits
  • Financial Assistance Benefits
  • Employment Benefits
  • Education Benefits
  • Other State Veteran Benefits

Kansas Veteran Housing Programs

Home Loans
The State of Kansas can assistance in locating approved lenders and completing applications for loan guarantees.

The VA and local banks offer a number of home loan services to eligible veterans, some military personnel, and certain spouses.

Learn more about Home Loans

Kansas Financial Assistance Benefits

Dependents' and Survivors' Benefits
Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is payable to certain survivors of:

The State of Kansas can assist you in completing these eligibility forms.
Death Pension is payable to some surviving spouses and children of deceased wartime veterans. The benefit is based on financial need.

Learn more about Dependents' and Survivors' Benefits

Disability Benefits
Disability Compensation: The KCVA can assist you in filing the forms for Disability Compensation for service connected disability determinations.

Disability Pension: The KCVA can assist you in filing the necessary forms for Disability Pension.

  • Basic entitlement for a veteran exists if the veteran is disabled as the result of a personal injury or disease (including aggravation of a condition existing prior to service) while in active service if the injury or the disease was incurred or aggravated in line of duty.

Time Limits: There is no deadline for applying for disability benefits.

Learn more about Disability Benefits

Burial Benefits
Headstones and Markers: The State of Kansas can furnish a monument to mark the unmarked grave of an eligible veteran if not covered by the federal government.
Presidential Memorial Certificate (PMC): The State of Kansas can complete a request to provide a PMC for eligible recipients.

Burial Flag: The United States Post Office or the State of Kansas through the Kansas Veterans' Affairs Commission can provide an American flag to drape over an eligible veteran's casket.

Reimbursement of Burial Expenses: The State of Kansas can assist in completing the forms necessary to receive a burial allowance of $2,000 for veterans who die of service-related causes. For certain other veterans, the VA can pay $300 for burial and funeral expenses and $300 for a burial plot.

Burial in a National or State Veterans Cemetery: Most veterans, spouses and some dependents can be buried in a national cemetery or one of the three state veterans cemeteries at no cost to the veteran or their family.

Time Limits: There is no time limit for claiming reimbursement of burial expenses for a service-related death. In other cases, claims must be filed within 2 years of the veteran's burial.

Learn more about Burial Benefits

Prescription Drug Coverage
The State of Kansas can assist in completing the application process to determine eligibility for VA provided medications for certain high priority veterans, including those with low incomes (below VA pension thresholds). Eligible veterans can receive free prescriptions or may be eligible for medications with a low co-payment.

Learn more about Prescription Drug Coverage

Kansas Employment Benefits

Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment
The State of Kansas, through the Department of Commerce, can help veterans with service-connected disabilities prepare for, find and keep suitable employment.
The State of Kansas through the Kansas Commission on Veterans' Affairs can assist veterans with serious service-connected disabilities in applying through the VA for services to improve their ability to live as independently as possible. Some of the services provided are:

  • Job Search: Assistance in finding and maintaining suitable employment
  • Vocational Evaluation: An evaluation of abilities, skills, interests, and needs
  • Career Exploration: Vocational counseling and planning
  • Vocational Training: If needed, training such as on-the-job and non-paid work experience
  • Education Training: If needed, education training to accomplish the rehabilitation goal
  • Rehabilitation Service: Supportive rehabilitation and counseling services

Time Limits: You generally have 12 years from the date the VA notifies you in writing that you have at least a 10 percent rating for a service-connected disability.

Learn more about Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment

Kansas Education Benefits

Education and Training
Benefits to eligible veterans, dependents, reservists, and service members while they are in an approved training program to include approved university, high school, on the job training and apprenticeship. The State of Kansas can assist you in applying for and approving your participation in these major programs:

Time Limits: Generally, veterans have 10 years from the date they were last released from active duty to use their education benefits. Reservists generally have 10 years from the date they became eligible for the program unless they leave the Selected Reserves before completing their obligation. Spouses generally have 10 years from the date the VA first determines them eligible. Children are generally eligible from age 18 until age 26. These time limits can sometimes be extended.

Learn more about Education and Training

Other Kansas State Veteran Benefits

Health Care
The State of Kansas can assist you in becoming eligible for the following services:

  • Hospital, outpatient medical, dental, pharmacy and prosthetic services
  • Domiciliary, nursing home, and community-based residential care including two state veterans' homes offering both domiciliary and nursing home care available to veterans and dependents
  • Sexual trauma counseling
  • Specialized health care for women veterans
  • Health and rehabilitation programs for homeless veterans
  • Readjustment counseling
  • Alcohol and drug dependency treatment
  • Medical evaluation for military service exposure, including Gulf War, Agent Orange, radiation, or other environmental hazards

Learn more about State Health Care

Filing Claims
In order for benefits of any type to be paid, appropriate claim form(s) must be filed with the VA. Assistance is provided through the KCVA in completing these forms and obtaining supporting records and documents to include military medical records, marriage certificates, death certificates, birth certificates, etc. at no cost to the veteran.

Learn more about Filing Claims

Appealing Claims
Veterans and other claimants for VA benefits have the right to appeal decisions made by a VA regional office. The KCVA in partnership with national service organizations like the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and the Veteran's of Foreign Wars represent veterans throughout the appeals process.

Learn more about Appealing Claims

Medals
The State of Kansas provides assistance to veterans in applying for service medals listed on their DD Form 214.

Learn more about Medals

DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty)
The State of Kansas maintains DD Form 214 files on veterans released from service and showing Kansas as their home of record. Copies of DD Form 214's from 1988 to Present may be immediately available in the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs central office. The State of Kansas' Adjutant General's Department has an Archives Office, (785) 274-1099, which can provide the following records of service: From 1946 to 1991, DD Form 214's for all branches of the service are available; a Statement of Service on World War II, 1941 -1946; and Kansas National Guard records from 1946 to the present. As required by the Privacy Act and to obtain a copy of DD Form 214, a formal request must be submitted to the Kansas Army National Guard by using Standard Form 180. The State's Kansas State Historical Society, has military records which include some of the following:

  • Territorial
  • Civil War
  • Indian Campaigns
  • Spanish American War
  • World War I and II
Learn more about DD Form 214