Arkansas State Benefits for 100% Disabled Veterans

100% State Benefits – Arkansas

Note: Information in this section was gathered from: https://www.military.com/benefits/veteran-state-benefits/arkansas-state-veterans-benefits.html

Visit the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs for more detailed information: https://www.veterans.arkansas.gov/benefits/state-benefits

Arkansas Veterans Homes

For more information, visit: https://www.nasvh.org/state-homes/statedir.cfm

Your eligibility for State Veterans Homes is based on clinical need and setting availability.

Each State establishes eligibility and admission criteria for its homes.

Talk with a VA social worker about the eligibility requirements of State Veterans Homes near you and to figure out a plan for paying for State Veterans Home care services.

Veterans Homes Locations:

With twenty-four-hour nursing service and a staff physician, medical needs are fully met.

Criteria for admission:

No criminal record
Honorable discharge
Arkansas residents have first priority.
Veteran’s spouses and Gold Star parents may apply for admission.
Have a medical need for nursing home placement

Arkansas State Veterans’ Cemeteries

For more detailed information visit: https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/state.asp?State=AR

National Veterans Cemeteries:

Fayetteville National Cemetery	1000 S. Lt. Col. Leroy Pond Avenue Fayetteville, AR 72701	Phone: 479-442-2566 FAX: 479-442-3046	Open
Fort Smith National Cemetery	522 Garland Avenue and South 6th Street Fort Smith, AR 72901	Phone: 479-783-5345 FAX: 479-785-4189	Open

State Veterans Cemeteries:

Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery at Birdeye	3600 Highway 163 Birdeye, AR 72324	Mary Anne Parker, Administrator Phone: 870-588-4608 FAX: 870-588-4666
Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery at North Little Rock	1501 West Maryland Avenue North Little Rock, AR 72120	Mada Stanley, Cemetery Director Phone: 501-683-2259 FAX: 501-992-0162

Many states have established state veterans cemeteries. Eligibility is like Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) national cemeteries but may include residency requirements. Even though they may have been established or improved with Government funds through VA’s Veterans Cemetery Grants Program, state veterans cemeteries are run solely by the states.

Arkansas Veteran Financial Benefits

Personal Property Tax Exemption

Veterans who have been awarded special monthly compensation by the VA for:

the loss of – or the loss of use of – one or more limbs
total blindness in one or both eyes
100% service-connected total and permanent disability

may be exempt from payment of all state taxes on their homestead and personal property. Un-remarried surviving spouses, and dependent minor children may also get this benefit.

Surviving spouses are also eligible if the veteran was killed or died in-service, is missing in action, or died from service-connected causes.

If subsequent marriage is terminated, surviving spouse may be reinstated.

In all cases, annual re-certification of continued entitlement by the VA is required. Contact local tax- assessor for more information.

Find your local tax assessor at this link: https://www.publicrecords.onlinesearches.com/Assessor-and-Property-Tax-Records.htm

Arkansas Veteran Hiring Preference

Veterans with an honorable discharge or reserve/guard members with at least six years of service will get a 5-point preference on state hiring exams.

Disabled veterans and their spouses will get a 10-point preference.

Arkansas Education Benefits

Free Tuition for Dependents

The Military Dependents Scholarship provides a waiver of tuition, fees, room and board at any public college, university, or technical institute in Arkansas for dependents and spouses of Arkansans who were killed or missing in action or who were prisoners of war or who are totally and permanently disabled because of their service.

Link to Arkansas Department of Higher Education: https://scholarships.adhe.edu/scholarships-and-programs/other/

Eligibility Requirements:

An Applicant must:

Be a bona fide Arkansas resident.Be a citizen of the United States or permanent resident alien.
Be the biological, legally adopted child OR spouse of an eligible Arkansas veteran.
Be enrolled, or be accepted for admission to, an approved Arkansas public or private institution.
Provide required documentation as determined by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education to determine eligibility.

Award Amount

The MDS Program will cover the unpaid portion of the cost (if any) of tuition and mandatory fees and a room and meal plan when provided in on-campus facilities after three (3) months of Dependents Education Assistance (DEA) or Chapter 35 benefits have been deducted from the total costs. If there is no positive balance after deduction of DEA benefits, then no benefits will be paid.

The MDS Program cannot be used to cover the cost of books, auto permit, damages or accessories to dorm room, or utility bills. The institution will be reimbursed for covered charges after verification of full-time (12 or more credit hours) enrollment each semester. Eligibility is limited to eight semesters or the achievement of a degree, whichever occurs first. The spouse will no longer be eligible if he or she remarries.

Continuing Eligibility Requirements

Must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Must complete a minimum of 24 semester hours per academic year.
Application Deadline: July 1 to apply and submit required documentation.

Arkansas Veteran Recreation Benefits

Discounted Hunting & Fishing Licenses

For more details, visit: https://www.agfc.com/en/resources/licensing/disability-65-plus-and-lifetime-licenses/

Military retirees over age 60 and 100% disabled veterans who are Arkansas residents can get discounted hunting, fishing or combination license. All special stamps and endorsements must still be purchased.

This license is available from the AGFC Little Rock office and by mail. Call 800-364-4263 or 501-223-6388 in the Little Rock area, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday, for details.

Arkansas State Parks

Contact the following for more information: ARKANSAS STATE PARKS 1 Capitol Mall – Little Rock, Arkansas 72201

Call: 1-888-287-2757 (TDD) / email: parks.info@arkansas.gov

Half price camping in most Arkansas State Parks for 100% permanently disabled Arkansas resident veterans.