DMVA

The Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs wants to assure veterans state and federal benefits processing continue.

The DMVA and the federal agency both continue to work remotely to provide veterans’ information, enroll veterans for benefits and serve other veterans’ needs throughout the COVID-19 pandemic emergency.

“The COVID-19 life restrictions and family impacts are unlike anything that has happened in our history and has created more hardship and need throughout the Pennsylvania veterans’ community,” Maj. Gen. Anthony Carrelli, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the DMVA, said. “Our Office of Veterans Affairs has reset to comply with the CDC guidelines and is working to make sure our veterans continue to receive the benefits they have earned.”

The DMVA administers an array of programs and services to meet the needs of veterans. Progams and service include:

• Veterans Temporary Assistance/Military Family Relief Assistance programs: These programs provide financial assistance to service members, veterans and families who experience unforeseen financial challenges. For questions, email Ra-vta@pa.gov.

• Records Request Program: Provides assistance in requesting military service records to include DD Form 214, DD Form 215, NGB Form 22, NGB Form 23 and other service-related documents. For questions, email Ra-req@pa.gov.

• Amputee, Paralyzed and Blind Veterans Pension programs: These programs provide a monthly pension to eligible veterans who incurred a service-connected disability. For questions about the amputee and paralyzed veterans pension email Ra-pvp@pa.gov. For questions about the blind veterans pension, email Ra-bvp@pa.gov.

• Educational Gratuity Program: The program provides financial assistance to children of honorably discharged veterans who have service-connected disabilities and served during a period of war or armed conflict or children of veterans who die or died in service during a period of war or armed conflict. For questions, email Ra-eg@pa.gov.

• Disabled Veteran Real Estate Tax Exemption Program: The program provides real estate tax exemption for any honorably discharged veteran who is 100 percent disabled, a resident of the commonwealth and has a financial need. For questions, email Ra-retx@pa.gov.

Applications for these programs are traditionally initiated with the county director for veterans affairs staff. If a CDVA is not available due to county office closure, a Pennsylvania veteran may contact state’s office of veterans affairs directly by calling 800-547-2838.

For more information and updates on all of DMVA’s programs and services, visit https://www.dmva.pa.gov/veteransaffairs or check the social media sites www.facebook.com/padmva or www.twitter.com/padmva.

Veterans, family members and people who work with veterans can connect with DMVA to request information related to state benefits, programs and services offered by also registering on the veteran’s registry at www.register.dmva.pa.gov.