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Old 10-21-2020, 10:29 AM   #1
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MWR facilities for service connected disability

My nephew, who is retired army, recently informed me that most military installations with famcamps or campgrounds are now open to any vet with 0%-100% service connected disability.
Previously, I had understood that these campgrounds were only open to active duty, retired, or 100% disabled.
Anyone here used this to camp on any base campgrounds?
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Old 10-23-2020, 05:18 PM   #2
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Nephew is correct, 0-100% qualifies one to use those facilities.My question is, how do I get an if card for my wife; I have VHIC card?
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Old 10-23-2020, 05:35 PM   #3
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Originally Posted by clanthon View Post
Nephew is correct, 0-100% qualifies one to use those facilities.My question is, how do I get an if card for my wife; I have VHIC card?
Thanks
If you already have an VHIC card your wife doesn't need one. She can pass almost any gate with her Driver's License.
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Old 10-23-2020, 05:38 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by clanthon View Post
Nephew is correct, 0-100% qualifies one to use those facilities.My question is, how do I get an if card for my wife; I have VHIC card?
Thanks
VHICs do not allow for family member benefits. Those members would have to qualify in their own rights.

On many bases and posts, you wife will be able to enter the installation and use some facilities as your guest. She won’t be able to shop in AAFES or commissary stores. She can accompany you, but you have to do the shopping. I won’t speak for other exchanges apart from AAFES.

Don’t forget to sign up for online shopping benefits and the Star card. Also, if your wife is a veteran (even without service connected disability), she qualifies to shop online.
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Old 10-23-2020, 06:03 PM   #5
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If you already have an VHIC card your wife doesn't need one. She can pass almost any gate with her Driver's License.
Actually, from everything I've seen, a spouse that is not a certified caregiver has to get a pass at the visitor center every time they come on base. And they need to have Real ID compliant ID.
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Old 10-23-2020, 06:31 PM   #6
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Actually, from everything I've seen, a spouse that is not a certified caregiver has to get a pass at the visitor center every time they come on base. And they need to have Real ID compliant ID.
True that a Real ID compliant ID is required for guest access to military installations, but not all installations require visitor passes for those who do not have a military ID, a VHIC, or some other ID that grants access to military installations.

At Wright-Patt, for example, if one person in the car has a military ID, the remaining occupants can produce a Real ID to allow them to accompany the military ID holder.
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Old 10-24-2020, 12:27 PM   #7
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MWR Facilities

You don’t have to be disabled to use MWR facilities just retired military. I’ve used them all over the USA and never had to prove disability. Just used my Retired ID.
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Old 10-24-2020, 12:55 PM   #8
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You don’t have to be disabled to use MWR facilities just retired military. I’ve used them all over the USA and never had to prove disability. Just used my Retired ID.
Me thinks you have missed what this thread is about.
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Old 10-24-2020, 02:08 PM   #9
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I’m 100% disabled combat vet and have used the installation CGs at times. Easy access as both wife and I have DOD IDs. Some are great, some ok, and others not so much. Some are gorgeous 1st come and maybe you get a spot. Some have permanent campers although not supposed to. Youngstown ang has a rather new CG with 5 pull through sites. 3 are taken with 100# propane tanks. If going to Biloxi area Gulfport Navy CG works better than the bigger AFBase but us the AF commissary and exchange. Some are not on the base itself. Better selection west of the MS. Other favorites are ——-.
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Old 10-24-2020, 04:38 PM   #10
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You don’t have to be disabled to use MWR facilities just retired military. I’ve used them all over the USA and never had to prove disability. Just used my Retired ID.
The “service connected” VHIC gives veterans who have not retired access to exchange, commissary, and retail MWR facilities. There are a large number of veterans in this category who would not otherwise have access. This change occurred within the last year.

I serve numerous customers with a VHIC and no military ID.
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Old 10-24-2020, 05:43 PM   #11
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Veteran?

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Originally Posted by eye95 View Post
VHICs do not allow for family member benefits. Those members would have to qualify in their own rights.

On many bases and posts, you wife will be able to enter the installation and use some facilities as your guest. She won’t be able to shop in AAFES or commissary stores. She can accompany you, but you have to do the shopping. I won’t speak for other exchanges apart from AAFES.

Don’t forget to sign up for online shopping benefits and the Star card. Also, if your wife is a veteran (even without service connected disability), she qualifies to shop online.
In this context does "veteran" mean "retired" or does it include anyone with a few years' service and an honorable discharge. This term is confusingly used both ways.

I served for two years and three days, 1971-1973, active duty, two years actve reserve, and two years inactive reserve.

Lowe's gives me a Veterans' discount. They accepted my DD-214.

Advance Auto offers a Veterans' discount, but in the fine print, it's restricted to Active and Retired military.

I have always assumed I did not have access to base exchanges, commissaries, VA hospitals, or campgrounds. Have I been missing out on something?
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Old 10-24-2020, 08:19 PM   #12
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In this context does "veteran" mean "retired" or does it include anyone with a few years' service and an honorable discharge. This term is confusingly used both ways.

I served for two years and three days, 1971-1973, active duty, two years actve reserve, and two years inactive reserve.

Lowe's gives me a Veterans' discount. They accepted my DD-214.

Advance Auto offers a Veterans' discount, but in the fine print, it's restricted to Active and Retired military.

I have always assumed I did not have access to base exchanges, commissaries, VA hospitals, or campgrounds. Have I been missing out on something?
Veteran means you have a DD-214. The shopping at the Exchange and Commissary are new in the last few years. The use of the RV parks by Veterans with service connected disability is also recent.

If you have health problems that started while you were on active duty you may be eligible for service connected disability rating. You would need to apply to the VA for that certification. There should be a Veteran’s advocate office in your county, check with them for assistance.
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Old 10-24-2020, 11:02 PM   #13
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The expanded eligibility for certain Veterans to access military commissaries, exchanges and MWR facilities was effective Jan. 1, 2020:

https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/684...nd-mwr-access/

Quick guide to eligibility for VA healthcare here:

https://www.va.gov/health-care/eligibility/

My S.O. has used her Veterans Health Insurance Card to access facilities at several bases including MCB Quantico, Va., and Fort Benning, Ga. Gate security personnel were all aware of the rule change.
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Old 10-25-2020, 07:16 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by Larry-NC View Post
In this context does "veteran" mean "retired" or does it include anyone with a few years' service and an honorable discharge. This term is confusingly used both ways.

I served for two years and three days, 1971-1973, active duty, two years actve reserve, and two years inactive reserve.

Lowe's gives me a Veterans' discount. They accepted my DD-214.

Advance Auto offers a Veterans' discount, but in the fine print, it's restricted to Active and Retired military.

I have always assumed I did not have access to base exchanges, commissaries, VA hospitals, or campgrounds. Have I been missing out on something?
You are a veteran for the purposes discussed in this thread.

Check to see if you have a service-connected disability (even as low as 0%). If you do, you qualify for a VHIC card with the “service connected” endorsement. That will give you access to all of the privileges we are discussing in this thread.

Even if you do not qualify for the VHIC with the endorsement, you can still shop online at exchange websites, including www.shopmyexchange.com (the AAFES site) and you can still qualify for a Star card.

My understanding is that the goal is to eventually extend all of these privileges to all veterans with general or honorable discharges.
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Old 10-25-2020, 09:33 AM   #15
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Thanks

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Veteran means you have a DD-214. The shopping at the Exchange and Commissary are new in the last few years. The use of the RV parks by Veterans with service connected disability is also recent.

If you have health problems that started while you were on active duty you may be eligible for service connected disability rating. You would need to apply to the VA for that certification. There should be a Veteran’s advocate office in your county, check with them for assistance.
Doug, thanks for the clarification.

It's good news that I have no service-connected disability. In fact, I am in excellent health. I hike, snorkel, and cycle, use ladders, and just finished rebuilding a 50-foot deck including wrestling with 80-lb 16' treated 2x8s. Not bad for a 75-year-old.

I won't fret about the other benefits--the nearest Exchange and Commissary are at Ft. Bragg, about 90 minutes away, and the DIL tells me that Walmart is usually cheaper.
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