Massachusetts, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and South Dakota have special programs that provide benefits directly to Veterans. These benefits are in addition to benefits offered by the federal Veterans Administration. Some of these programs are specifically for Veterans of the Persian Gulf I and II, Afghanistan, and Iraq conflicts and some states have bonus programs going back to WWI and to the present.
Veterans or the families of deceased Veterans of all wars/conflicts or eras should check with their state Veterans affairs office to see if they are eligible for any bonuses offered by a state. Note: Veterans should pay particular attention to eligibility rules for any bonus. A listing of State Veterans affairs office is located at on the United States Department of Veterans Affairs website at http://www.va.gov/statedva.htm.
Carlos L. McDade, Esq., Colonel (Retired), USAF