• The Veterans Administration began its work in 1930.young soldier in field cap image by Alexey Klementiev from Fotolia.com
  
  The U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs administers most of the grants and other benefits for combat veterans and all current and former service members. Congress created the VA in 1930 when it authorized the president to "consolidate and coordinate government activities affecting war veterans." A number of other organizations also provide for grants and other aid to combat veterans and their families.
  
  

VA Pension Benefits

• Disabled service members are eligible for various disability benefits. These benefits include disability compensation, pension, vocational rehabilitation and training, specially adapted housing and an automobile allowance, all of which can begin prior to their separation from the military. The VA also offers claims assistance and counseling through the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and the Disabled Transition Assistance Program (DTAP).
  
  The VA also administers a special Medal of Honor pension payable to active duty members of the armed services who have been awarded the Medal of Honor.
  
  

VA Loan Benefits

• Both active-duty and former service members are eligible for a VA Home Loan guaranty if they have served on continuous active duty for at least 90 days. This is not a mortgage loan program, but rather a method by which the U.S. government is the guarantor of a loan (assumes responsibility for the repayment obligation) if the service member defaults on the loan.
  
  A service member with a qualifying disability sustained while on active duty may be eligible for financial assistance to buy an automobile or adapt it to accommodate the disability.
  
  

Educational Benefits

• The Post-9/11 GI Bill provides funding for educational and housing assistance to all current and former service members with at least 90 days of aggregated active duty on or after September 11, 2001. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for benefits under this bill.
  
  The Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) is available for those who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces. The MGIB includes the Montgomery GI Bill-Active Duty (Chapter 30) and The Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606). Under Chapter 30, active duty members pay $100 per month for 12 months. After they have completed a minimum service obligation, they are then eligible to receive a monthly education benefit payment. Under Chapter 1606, a reservist must be regularly drilling and must have committed to a six-year hitch in the Selected Reserve to be considered eligible for this program.
  
  The dollar value of these GI Bill benefit payments vary widely depending upon the type of educational institution you choose, any additional "kicker" money you may have contributed during your service career, and a number of other factors.
  
  The Horatio Alger Military Scholarship considers itself to be possibly the first national scholarship designed especially for veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. The Horatio Alger Association will distribute a total of $10 million in scholarships worth $5,000 each over a four-year degree program. Veterans must demonstrate U.S. citizenship, financial need, and the intent to pursue bachelor's degrees.
  
  Our Military Kids was founded in 2004. It supports children ages three to 18 of financially distressed National Guard and Reserve families with deployed service members. They provide $500 grants for sports and fine arts activities, as well as tutoring programs for children while a parent is serving overseas. Additionally, the program is available to children of severely injured service members in all branches of the military. Our Military Kids is funded by corporations, private donors, and government grants.
  
  

VA Health Care Benefits

• All VA health care facilities are available to both active-duty and retired service members at no charge.
  
  Service members and their families are eligible for up to $400,000 under the Service members' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) program. Any service member covered by SGLI is eligible for a traumatic injury protection rider (TSGLI) that provides benefits of up to $100,000 for losses due to traumatic injuries like amputations, blindness, paraplegia or quadriplegia, for example.