
Disabled Veterans Shopping Benefit
Starting January 1, 2020, the Department of Defense is expanding in-store military exchange and commissary shopping privileges as well as MWR resale facility use to:
- All Veterans with service-connected disabilities
- Purple heart recipients
- Former prisoners of war
- Caregivers or family caregivers registered as the primary caregiver for a veteran in the Department of Veterans Affairs Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers
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SEC. 621. Extension of certain morale, welfare and recreation privileges to certain veterans and their caregivers. Read more
Want to know more? Read the QAs below:
Questions and Answers
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Implementation of the Purple Heart and Disabled Veteran Equal Access Act of 2018 – FAQs
Who is eligible?
A:
Yes. Veterans with a Department of Veterans Affairs-documented service-connected disability rating will be eligible for Department of Defense and Coast Guard commissary, exchange and MWR retail privileges beginning Jan. 1, 2020, under the Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018. During the first phase of rollout of these privileges, veterans eligible solely under this act (Purple Heart recipients, former prisoners of war, or veterans with VAdocumented service-connected disability ratings of 0-90 percent) who have been issued a Veteran Health Identification Card from VA can present their VHIC to gain entry to DoD and Coast Guard installations and some commissary stores; and at point of sale at commissaries, exchanges and MWR retail activities to complete their transactions. The VHIC must display the Veteran’s eligibility status (i.e., PURPLE HEART, FORMER POW or SERVICE CONNECTED).
Veterans eligible solely under this act who are not enrolled in or are not eligible to enroll in VA health care, or who are enrolled in VA health care, but do not possess a VHIC will not have access to DoD and Coast Guard installations for in-person commissary, exchange, and MWR retail privileges, but will have full access to online exchanges and American Forces Travel. Visit https://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/vhic for information regarding eligibility for the VHIC and the application process.
A:
Yes. If you don’t have a service-connected disability, but you are a veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart, a veteran who was a former prisoner of war, or an individual approved and designated as the primary family caregiver of an eligible veteran under the Department of Veterans Affairs Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers, you will be eligible for privileges provided for under the Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018. During the first phase of rollout of these privileges, veterans who are Purple Heart recipients or former prisoners of war who have been issued a Veteran Health Identification Card from the VA can present their VHIC to gain entry to DoD and Coast Guard installations and some commissary stores; and at point of sale at commissaries, exchanges and morale, welfare and recreation retail activities to complete their transactions, The VHIC must display the Veteran’s eligibility status (i.e., PURPLE HEART, FORMER POW or SERVICE CONNECTED).
Veterans eligible solely under this act who are not enrolled in or are not eligible to enroll in VA health care, or are enrolled in VA health care, but do not possess a VHIC will not have access to DoD and Coast Guard installations for inperson commissary, exchange, and MWR retail privileges, but will have full access to online exchanges and American Forces Travel. Visit https://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/vhic for information regarding eligibility for the VHIC and the application process.
Primary family caregivers must present an eligibility letter to facilitate Department of Defense and Coast Guard installation and privilege access. Eligibility letters will be mailed to enrolled primary family caregivers from the VA’s Office of Community Care.
A:
A service-connected disability is an injury or illness that was incurred or aggravated during active military service, as determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
A:
Yes. Reserve members who are veterans who were awarded the Purple Heart, veterans who are former prisoners of war, or veterans with a Department of Veterans Affairs-documented service-connected disability will be eligible for privileges provided for under the Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018. During the first phase of rollout of these privileges, veterans eligible solely under this act (Purple Heart recipients, former prisoners of war, or veterans with VA-documented service-connected disability ratings of 0-90 percent) who have been issued a Veteran Health Identification Card from VA can present their VHIC to gain entry to Department of Defense and Coast Guard installations and some commissary stores; and at point of sale at commissaries, exchanges and morale, welfare and recreation retail activities to complete their transactions, The VHIC must display the Veteran’s eligibility status (i.e., PURPLE HEART, FORMER POW or SERVICE CONNECTED).
Veterans eligible solely under this act who are not enrolled in or are not eligible to enroll in VA health care, or who are enrolled in VA health care, but do not possess a VHIC will not have access to DoD and Coast Guard installations for in-person commissary, exchange, and MWR retail privileges, but will have full access to online exchanges and American Forces Travel. Visit https://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/vhic for information regarding eligibility for the VHIC and the application process.