FirstGov: For Active Military Personnel and Veterans

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U.S. Military Personnel and Veterans

On This Page

For Active Military Personnel and Reservists

Current Military Operations

Military Family Support – Services to help families and children prepare for, and cope with, the deployment of military personnel.

General Resources

American Forces Information Service – News, Armed Services Radio and TV, education opportunities, multi media products and more.
Lifelines Services Network – Web portal for Navy and Marine Corps personnel.

Benefits, Pay, Health and Retirement

GovBenefits – Check your eligibility for a range of government benefits.
MyPay – Manage pay, leave and earnings information.
Social Security Benefits and Military Service – Social Security benefits and work credits for active and reserve military personnel.
Thrift Savings Plan for Uniformed Services – Government-sponsored retirement saving and investment plan.

Family Support, Housing, Voting and Travel

Commissaries – Grocery shopping facilities for the military and their families.
Schools for Dependents – Schools for children of service members and Defense civilian employees in the United States and overseas.

Training, Education and Career Transitions

Federal Jobs – Use the USAJobs website to find and apply for a job with the federal government.
Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences – Educates health professionals for careers in DOD and the U.S. Public Health Service with emphasis on military medicine, disaster medicine, and military medical readiness.
Veterans' Preference for Federal Jobs – Special rights and privileges for veterans applying for Federal civil service employment.

Buying Products and Other Consumer Services

Consumer Action Handbook – The government's most direct source for assistance with consumer issues.

Resources from Other Federal Agencies

Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Military Affairs – Provides CIA intelligence and operations support to deployed Armed Forces.

General Military - Military Organizations

General Resources

A-Z Topics List for Military Personnel – Links to important Department of Defense websites.
American Forces Information Service – News, Armed Services Radio and TV, education opportunities, multi media products and more.
Lifelines Services Network – Web portal for Navy and Marine Corps personnel.
Military Installations – Locate installations by state, service or country.

Organizations of the Department of Defense

Air Force – News and recruitment information from the branch of the U.S. military responsible for aircraft operations.
Army – Web portal for Army operations, recruitment, news and information.
Joint Chiefs of Staff – Provides information about activities that unify and employ the armed forces.
Marine Corps – Latest news and information on Marine Corps operations and recruitment activities.

Agencies and Organizations that Support the U.S. Military

Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Military Affairs – Provides CIA intelligence and operations support to deployed Armed Forces.
Coast Guard – Provides marine safety, mobility, security and national defense services.
Department of Veterans Affairs – Information about benefits and other resources for active duty personnel and veterans.
Maritime Administration (MARAD) – Programs and services from the Department of Transportation to support national security on the seas.

Prospective Military and ROTC

Recruitment

Military Academies

Air Force Academy – Admissions standards and academic information for prospective Air Force Cadets.
Merchant Marine Academy – Training and education in the maritime and transportation industries.
Naval Academy (including Marines) – Provides academic and professional training necessary to become a naval or marine officer.

ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps)

Air Force Junior ROTC – Education and training in citizenship, community service and air and space fundamentals for high school students.
Naval Junior ROTC – Citizenship and leadership development with a focus on naval topics for high school students.

Veterans

Resources from the Department of Veterans Affairs

Department of Veterans Affairs Home Page – Online services, resources and programs for the nation's veterans and their families.
Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom – Benefits and assistance for returning Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve service members.

Other Resources for Veterans

Armed Forces Retirement Home – The premiere retirement community for America's veterans.
Gravesites of Veterans in VA Cemeteries in U.S. –
Nationwide gravesite locator from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Korean War Veterans Memorial – Located in Washington, DC, this memorial honors those who served in the Korean War between 1950 and 1953.
Social Security Benefits and Military Service – Social Security benefits and work credits for active and reserve military personnel.
Veterans' Preference for Federal Jobs – Special rights and privileges for veterans applying for Federal civil service employment.
World War II Memorial – The World War II Memorial, completed in 2004 in Washington, DC, honors the 16 million who served and the more than 400,000 who died.
World War II Memorial – Remember an American who contibuted to the war by adding a name to the WWII Registry of Remembrances.

Resource Center and Library

Military Installations – Locate installations by state, service or country.
Military Regulations – Tips for researching military regulations from the Library of Congress.
Veterans Data and Statistics – Information about U.S. veterans from the Census Bureau and other sources.
Veterans History Project – Project of the Library of Congress to honor our nation's war veterans and collect their stories and experiences.