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Ohio Heroes Program, Ohio War Orphans Scholarship, Veteran Camping Discount and more
As a nation, America understands the sacrifices and struggles of its Servicemembers. Because the military is entirely voluntary, the decision to serve in defense of the country is profound and not without its struggles. Military families often face hardships related to constant relocations, financial burdens not always offset by military programs, and the difficulties that come with having a family member deployed on active duty. Likewise, individual states also recognize the issues facing their residents who serve in the military, which is why every state in the Union looks to offer their own programs and benefits to its Servicemembers and Veterans in addition to the programs offered by the federal government through the Veterans Administration (VA). Ohio is one such state, and Ohio Veteran benefits are numerous, including Ohio disabled Veteran benefits, the Ohio War Orphans Scholarship, Ohio income tax exemption for Veterans, Veterans cemeteries in Ohio and the Ohio Military Injury Relief Fund. Read on to learn more.
There are many financial perks offered as part of the Ohio Veteran benefits program, in addition to federal programs. These programs are designed to work in conjunction with VA benefits Ohio programs aimed at helping Veterans and Servicemembers avoid and recover from financial hardships, especially those incurred as a result of service.
In Ohio, the Ohio Disabled Veterans Property Tax Exemption, also known as the Homestead Exemption, provides a reduction in property taxes on a qualified disabled Veteran’s primary residence and up to one acre of land. The exemption allows eligible Veterans to exempt up to $50,000 of the home’s assessed value from property taxes. To qualify for these Ohio Veterans benefits, one must have a 100% disability rating from the VA, serve active duty with an honorable discharge, and the applicant must reside in the property as his or her primary residence.
Servicemembers and Veterans may deduct from their taxes any military pay earned while residing in or stationed in Ohio, or Ohio residents who are stationed outside of Ohio. In certain cases, this also applies to salaries earned by non-military spouses. Uniformed services retirement income is exempt from state taxes, as are injury relief grants and military disability pay. Certain Ohio National Guard reimbursements and Ohio Veterans benefits are also exempt.
The Ohio Veterans Bonus Program offers a monetary bonus to Veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces after October 7, 2001. To be eligible for these Ohio Veterans benefits, one must have served on active duty for more than 90 days (excluding training) after October 7, 2001, and before August 30, 2021. The applicant must show an honorable discharge while still serving active duty, Ohio residency during this time, and not have received any other similar bonus from another state.
The Ohio Military Injury Relief Fund provides a one-time, tax-exempt monetary grant to Ohio residents who are military service members injured in combat or diagnosed with PTSD related to combat service after October 7, 2001. The grant, currently at $500, is intended to help injured Veterans and their families with various expenses.
The Ohio Heroes Program is a mortgage program offered by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA) that provides discounted mortgage interest rates to Ohio Veteran residents serving the public as part of the Ohio Veterans benefits program. This program is designed to make homeownership more affordable for those former military personnel who work in essential public service roles.
While the VA offers such educational benefits as the GI Bill and several scholarships to Veterans, Ohio also offers state-level educational Ohio Veterans benefits as well.
The Ohio National Guard Scholarship Program (ONGSP) is a program that provides financial assistance to eligible members of the Ohio Army and Air National Guard for their education. It covers 100% of tuition charges for courses leading to an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, diploma-granting nursing programs, and approved trade certifications at participating public colleges and universities.
The Ohio War Orphan & Severely Disabled Veterans’ Children Scholarship Program (WOS) provides tuition assistance to the children of Ohio Veterans who were killed or severely disabled during their service in a declared war or conflict. The program aims to help these children pursue higher education by funding a portion of their undergraduate tuition and general fees, in addition to various benefits offered by the GI Bill for families.
Many Servicemembers returning to civilian life face struggles transitioning from military employment to civilian employment. For this reason, in addition to federal programs designed to address this, Ohio also offers resident Veterans some of the following employment Ohio Veterans benefits.
In Ohio, Veterans who meet certain criteria receive hiring preference for state government jobs. This preference is reflected in both the Ohio Revised Code and the Ohio Administrative Code. The system prioritizes Veterans over non-Veterans, with specific priority given to special disabled Veterans under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and Ohio disabled Veterans benefits.
OhioMeansVeteranJobs.com is a dedicated platform within the broader OhioMeansJobs network system, offering specialized resources and services for military Veterans and their spouses in Ohio. It focuses on connecting Veterans with job opportunities, providing career counseling, and accessing training programs tailored to their needs. It has a database of Veteran-friendly job postings as well.
Many people join the military for its health insurance benefits, many of which are free or low-cost through the VA healthcare system and the TRICARE system. Ohio Veterans and Servicemembers can seek medical care through VA facilities located within the state, such as the Columbus VA medical center and through many Veterans assistance nonprofits that help navigate the often-confusing world of VA healthcare.
Ohio’s VA healthcare system includes medical centers, outpatient clinics, and other facilities to serve Servicemembers and Veterans. Key facilities include the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Chalmers P. Wylie Veterans Outpatient Clinic in Columbus/ Columbus VA medical center, and other outpatient clinics in various locations across the state, like Akron, Canton, and others.
The Ohio Cares program is a statewide initiative that helps connect military personnel, Veterans, and their families with behavioral health services. It’s a collaborative effort between state and local agencies to improve behavioral health support, offering consultation, referrals, and resources for individuals and families experiencing behavioral health concerns.
Veterans homes, also known as State Veterans Homes, are facilities that provide housing and care specifically for Veterans. They are owned and operated by individual states and offer a range of services, including nursing home care, domiciliary care, and adult day health care. These homes are designed to support Veterans with various needs, from those requiring skilled nursing care to those seeking a more independent living environment with support, particularly in the Ohio Veterans home Sandusky location.
In the state of Ohio are two such Veterans homes: the Georgetown Veterans Home and the Ohio Veterans Home Sandusky. They are owned and operated by the state, not the VA, although they work closely with VA benefits programs. These two homes provide skilled nursing care and domiciliary care, as mentioned above, along with in-house therapy and counseling. Eligibility is based on clinical needs and availability. In Ohio, any Veteran with an honorable discharge, as well as their spouse, Gold Star parents, and Veterans with a disability rating of 70% or higher, qualify for admittance into the Ohio Veterans Homes.
Ohio offers Veterans various recreation benefits, including free or discounted access to state parks and federal recreational lands. Specifically, Veterans can receive free hunting and fishing licenses, free camping in Ohio State Parks, and a Military Lifetime Pass for free access to national parks and other federal recreation sites. The Ohio fishing license for disabled Veterans and Ohio disabled Veteran hunting license all offer special perks to those who qualify.
The Ohio State Park Pass for Veterans refers to the Disabled Veteran and Former Prisoner of War Free Camping Pass program. This program provides free camping at Ohio State Parks to eligible Veterans, including those who are 100% permanently and totally disabled or who were former prisoners of war. Ohio residents who are Veterans with an honorable discharge, a 100% disability rating, a former POW, receive VA pension or compensation, and members of the National Guard called to active duty all qualify for this pass.
In Ohio, eligible Veterans can receive a free five-year hunting and fishing license, fur taker permit, deer permit, wild turkey permit, or wetlands habitat stamp, or any combination these. This benefit is available to permanently and totally disabled Veterans with a 100% service-connected disability and former prisoners of war who are Ohio residents.
In Ohio, active-duty and retired military members receive a 10% discount on camping and cabin reservations at Ohio State Parks and a 30% discount in November for Veterans Day. Additionally, Ohio residents who are former prisoners of war or have a permanent and total disability as determined by the VA are eligible for free camping at Ohio State Parks.
In Ohio, Veterans can be buried in either VA national cemeteries or VA grant-funded cemeteries. The two VA national cemeteries in Ohio are Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman and Dayton National Cemetery in Dayton. The VA also provides grants and funding to other cemeteries in the state that offer special services to Veterans, though they are not VA owned or operated. Any Veteran with an honorable discharge, their spouse, and their minor child are eligible for burial in these cemeteries. These cemeteries provide upright markers, perpetual grave care, flags on national holidays, and graveside services.
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