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Resources

Below are websites that provide information on veterans benefits and how to file/ask for them. Accordingly, there are many sites that explain how to obtain books, military/medical records, and healthcare information. Please pass this information on to every veteran you know. Nearly 100 percent of this information is free and available for all veterans. The only catch is you have to ask for it because they won’t tell you about a specific benefit unless you ask for it. You need to know what questions to ask so the right doors open for you, and then be ready to have an advocate who is willing to work with and for you, stay in the process, and press for your rights and your best interests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Healthcare

Textbooks

State of Michigan

Employment

Housing

VA Contact Information

  • VA Education Office – 888-442-4551
  • VA website
  • Michigan Veteran Resource Service Center
  • Veterans Crisis Hotline – 800-273-8255 (press 1)
  • U.S Department of Veterans Affairs
  • VA Campus Toolkit
    • This toolkit provides faculty, staff, and administrators resources to support student Veterans. The Post 9/11 GI Bill is bringing student Veterans to campuses in record numbers. Our aim is to help campuses welcome these men and women by recognizing who they are, and understanding their unique experiences, adjustments, and needs.
  • Student Veterans of America
    • This nonprofit organization provides support to help Veterans succeed in higher education, achieve their academic goals, and gain meaningful employment.
  • VA GI Bill®
    • This website is the home for all educational benefits provided by VA. It offers tools and resources to help Veterans who are pursuing college degrees, on-the-job training, apprenticeships, or non-degree programs.
  • Real Warriors
    • Discover resources especially for Veterans and Service members related to educational and vocational counseling, making the transition to academic life, and recognizing other issues you may be dealing with.
  • Vet Center
    • If you are a combat Veteran, you can bring your DD214 to your local Vet Center and speak with a counselor or therapist — many of whom are Veterans themselves — for free, without an appointment, and regardless of your enrollment status with VA. In addition, any Veteran who was sexually traumatized while serving in the military is eligible to receive counseling regardless of gender or era of service.
  • VA Medical Center Facility Locator
    • Some problems while in school might be signs of health-related conditions that need attention. VA provides world-class health care to eligible Veterans. Most Veterans qualify for cost-free health care services, although some Veterans must pay modest copays for health care or prescriptions.

Buddy-to-Buddy Veteran Mentorship Initiative

Now administered by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, the Buddy-to-Buddy Veteran Mentorship Initiative is a peer-to-peer outreach program that trains veterans to provide peer support and linkage to needed resources for Michigan’s service members and veterans of all eras.  Please contact the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency if you are interested in learning more about the Buddy-to-Buddy Program, would like to become a volunteer, or are seeking assistance.

If you are an honorably discharged veteran interested in volunteering, please contact the Michigan Veterans Resource Service Center at 1-800-MICH-VET.

The Buddy-to-Buddy Program cannot provide an immediate response in an emergency. If you or someone you know needs immediate assistance, please contact one of the following resources:

  • If you or someone you know is currently in the act of harming him/herself and/or in immediate need of medical attention, call 911 immediately.
  • If you are a veteran in emotional distress or thinking about suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at -800-273-TALK (8255) and press 1 for veterans.