Veterans and Servicemembers

Veteran Affairs

United States Department of Veteran Affairs

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a variety of services and information to veterans including:

• Compensation and Pension Benefits
• Education Benefits
• Home Loans Benefits
• Life Insurance Benefits
• Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits
• Survivor’s Benefits
• Pharmacy Benefits
• Burial Benefits
• Health Care Benefits

If you have questions about benefits, you may contact the VA as follows:

United States Department of Veteran’s Affairs
Veterans Benefits Administration
St. Paul Regional Office
1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling
St. Paul, MN 55111
(800) 827-1000
www.va.gov

Additional VA facilities are listed in the Resources section.

Minnesota Department of Veteran Affairs

The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) assists veterans and their dependents in obtaining benefits from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Specifically, the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs may act as an “agent” to assist you with a claim against the United States for benefits arising out of service in the armed forces. State law provides that the MDVA maintain a State soldiers’ assistance fund to assist you and your dependents in obtaining benefits relating to their health, compensation, pension, and other benefits provided to veterans. The MDVA is charged with cooperating with all other public entities to secure benefits provided by national, State, and county laws as well as public and private social agencies for you and your dependents. The Commissioner must also provide necessary assistance if other adequate aid is not available to your dependent family members while you are hospitalized or after you are released. The MDVA provides the following contacts for its divisions and programs on its website at www.mn.gov/mdva:

• Veterans Benefits: (651) 296-2562
• Veterans Preference in Employment/Dismissal: (651) 757-1568
• Claims Division: (612) 970-5662
• State Veterans Cemetery
  Little Falls: (320) 616-2527
  Preston: (507) 765-7320
• Crisis Line: (800) 273-8255, Text: 838255
  (Confidential help for Veterans and their families)

Additional services and programs such as the War Orphans Education Program, Veterans Educational Assistance Program, and Military records may be accessed by contacting your County Veterans Service Officer. To determine who your County Veterans Service Officer is, visit www.macvso.org/directory.aspx.