Local, State and Federal Resources

​The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs is dedicated to providing direct and indirect support to Wisconsin veterans and their families. Beyond the benefits and services that the WDVA operates, we provide access to information and other available resources within the State of Wisconsin and nationally.  

The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) can help Wisconsin veterans and their families obtain federal benefits and services from the U.S. Departme​nt of Veterans Affairs (VA)​

The WDVA Claims Assistance Office staff represents veterans and their family members by serving as their accredited representative for matters pertaining to VA benefits and entitlements. For more information on accredited representation by the WDVA Claims Assistance Office, veterans should contact their County Veterans Service Officer (CVSO), or the WDVA Claims Assistance Office​.

​The Veterans Benefits Resource Center (VBRC) provides veterans improved access to information about the Department’s programs, benefits and services. Through the VBRC, the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) will provide improved customer service to Wisconsin’s veterans.

The goal of the VBRC is to ensure that veterans who call during business hours will be able to immediately speak to Center Support Staff who are trained to provide the most frequently requested information about the Department’s programs, benefits and services. That is, all calls will be automatically routed to an available Center Support Staff member on their first call, rather than potentially being routed to a voice mail box.

While on the phone with a veteran, if Center Support Staff cannot answer a technical question immediately, they will each have the ability to find a subject matter expert and get answers for the veteran quickly.

Customers will also have access to VBRC staff through the WDVA website Internet Chat feature. VBRC staff have the ability to initiate contact and engage with veterans visiting the WDVA website through the Internet Chat feature.

In addition to improved and immediate customer service, this effort will ensure that veterans’ requests are tracked and managed from initial request through resolution. If a veteran calls multiple times, his or her past contact history and contact details can be easily referenced.

Contact VBRC

Hours: Monday – Friday
  7:45 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. Central Time
   
Phone: Local: (608) 266-1311
  Toll-free: 1-800-WIS-VETS (947-8387)
   
Fax: (608) 267-0403
   
   
Internet Chat: See Internet Chat Feature
   
Location: 2135 Rimrock Road Walk-ins are Welcome!
Madison, WI  53713

Internet Chat Feature

"Chat now" appears when operators are available for live chatting.

"Leave a message" appears when all operators are busy. Your message will be put into a queue and answered as soon as the next operator is available.
For more than 60 years, the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) has been providing services and programs to Wisconsin veterans and their families. The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs is committed to helping veterans and their families experiencing homelessness access needed services such as housing, training, education, counseling and rehabilitative services they need to ​obtain permanent housing and employment.​ For more information, please visit the WDVA Home​lessness Program webpage. 

The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) provides services to veterans who are currently incarcerated within the State of Wisconsin, or who are under community supervision by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.

There are approximately 1500 veterans incarcerated in the State of Wisconsin Correctional System at any given time. All inmates entering the correctional system are processed into the correctional system through three sites that serve as central reception centers in order to facilitate assessment and evaluation (A&E): Dodge Correctional (males), Taycheeda Correctional (females), Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility (MSDF) (males and females).

From these three institutions inmates are transferred to one of 18 other adult correctional facilities or may stay at one of the reception centers. In addition, there are 16 correctional centers, three of which house female inmates. These correctional centers are used to begin the transition process of an inmate back to society.
              

WDVA is responsible for conducting monthly visits in order to provide intake briefings to incarcerated veterans. These briefings are conducted at the Dodge facility for males and the Taycheeda facility for females.

WDVA’s program to aid incarcerated veterans provides services in the following categories:

Information. Upon request from an incarcerated veteran or family members, WDVA will provide information pertaining to eligibility, qualifications and entitlements pertaining to both federal and state veteran’s benefits.

Access. Upon request, WDVA may provide applications, or other appropriate forms or documentation, such as a certified report of separation with the veteran’s written authorization, to any veteran’s relative in order to file a claim on behalf of the veteran for state or federal benefits.

Assistance.  WDVA or your local County Veteran Service Office can provide assistance in appealing a less than honorable discharge in order to upgrade the discharge before a military corrections board, or to apply for a service connected disability or compensation with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

Advocacy. The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Claim’s Bureau may assist any incarcerated veteran in advocacy on any claim, or in appealing an unfavorable decision on a claim.

Tools & Resources. WDVA, in conjunction with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, and the Wisconsin Department of Corrections developed “A Guidebook for Incarcerated Veterans in Wisconsin.” This guidebook is given to incarcerated veterans once they enter the correctional system, approximately six months before he/she is released, or upon request. This guidebook provides detailed information regarding benefits and contacts for assistance that will be very helpful to a veteran or his/her family upon leaving the correctional system.


Medals and Records 



Do you have all of your military service medals or would you like a copy of your military service records, discharge document, or DD Form 214? Did you have a father/mother or brother/sister who served in the military and now the family would like to obtain his/her past military medals?

WDVA Veterans Benefits Resource Center (VBRC) – Among VBRC’s services is direct assistance in obtaining DD Form 214s, provide limited assistance in requesting a Review of Military Discharges that were given Under Less Than Honorable Conditions and assistance to help obtain military awards and decorations (medals) which:

Have been lost
Need replacing (broken, damaged, etc.)
Were authorized but never received (are shown on the discharge papers but were never actually given to the veteran)
Were authorized for specific military service, i.e., Korean War Service Medal, etc., after the end of the veteran’s military service and were therefore never received.

VBRC may also, in certain very limited circumstances, be able to provide assistance in receiving medal(s) that were never authorized or awarded, i.e., Purple Heart, etc. 

Click Here for the Standard Form 180 (Request Pertaining to Military Records)

​Call toll-free at 1-800-WIS-VETS (947-8387) and ask for the VBRC Medals and Records section.

Discharge and Board Reviews


WDVA provides assistance in requesting a Review of Military Discharges that were given Under Less Than Honorable Conditions.

The types of discharges include, but are not limited to General Discharges; Under Other Than Honorable; Undesirable; Bad Conduct and Dishonorable Discharges; given under Administrative Review, Summary or General Court-Martial.

Click Here for the Department of Defense Form 149​ (Application for Correction of Miliatry Records) 

​Call the VBRC toll-free at 1-800-WIS-VETS (947-8387) for more information.​
County Veterans Service Offices (CVSO) - To locate your CVSO, visit the Wisconsin CVSO ​Association website​.​
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Tribal Veterans Service Offices (TVSO) - visit the WDVA Tribal Veterans Service Offices​ webpage to locate TVSO's within the State of Wisconsin.
Veteran Service Organizations provide information and assistance in obtaining state and federal veteran benefits, programs, and services. ​

Veterans Service Organizations (VSO) - visit the ​ WDVA Veterans Service Organizations​ webpage to locate VSO's can assist veterans who desire to submit applications for claims and benefits from the Federal VA.
The following are benefits and programs open to spouses and children of Veterans. 

​The Wisconsin GI Bill (WI GI Bill)—Tuition Remission Program



This program provides a waiver of eligible tuition and fees at all of the 13 two-year and 13 four-year campuses of the University of Wisconsin System (UWS) and all of the 16 Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) district campuses. It may be used by eligible veterans, spouses, unremarried surviving spouses and children for a total of eight semesters or 128 credits, whichever is greater, for each eligible person. The waiver can be used for all levels of study such as associate, baccalaureate, masters degrees or even doctrinal study.

Eligibility of Spouse, Unremarried Surviving Spouse and Dependent Children

A qualifying (who entered active duty as a Wisconsin resident and served honorably) veteran’s spouse, unremarried surviving spouse or children are eligible when the veteran either:

Is awarded a Federal VA Service Connected Disability (SCD) rating of at least 30%;
Is killed in action (KIA);
Dies in the line of duty while on active, reserve, or National Guard service; or
The death after military service is determined by the VA to be the direct result of an SCD.

To establish dependent eligibility, a veteran must have at least one day of active duty in the armed forces, any forces incorporated into the armed forces, the National Guard or any Reserve component and have been a resident of Wisconsin at the time of death.

This information is only a program summary. For more information on program eligibility, applications or instructions, read brochure WDVA B0105​,Wisconsin Tuition Programs for Veterans, Qualifying Spouses and Children.

Wisconsin Veterans & Surviving Spouses Property Tax Credit



This program provides eligible veterans and unremarried, surviving spouses a refundable property tax credit for their primary, in-state residence (primary dwelling and one acre of land). The WDVA verifies the veteran’s eligibility and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR)​ pays it in the form of a credit as a state income tax refund claimed on a State of Wisconsin, Department of Revenue Form 1 or Form 1A.

This benefit is available to an unremarried, surviving spouse of an eligible, deceased veteran (as defined below) or a service member who died in the line of duty and was a Wisconsin resident at the time of death.

Applicants who believe they may qualify should contact their local CVSO​ for assistance in applying for this benefit or call 1-800-WIS-VETS (947-8387).

Wisconsin Veterans Homes



​To Arrange For A Pre-Admission Tour Call:

Veterans Home at King, (715) 258-5586 ext. 2270
Veterans Home at Union Grove, (262) 878-6700 ext. 6749 or (866) NOW-VETS (669-8387)
Veterans Home at Chippewa Falls (scheduled to open in late 2012)

Eligibility and Residency Requirements

To be admitted to the Home, veterans must meet criteria for military service and state residency.

The veteran must have entered service from the state of Wisconsin, or must have resided in the state of Wisconsin for 12 consecutive months since his/her discharge from military service. The application form must reflect a Wisconsin address for the home address. A spouse of a veteran can also reside at the Wisconsin Veterans Home, provided they are admitted while the veteran is at some type of facility (i.e., assisted living, nursing home, hospital) or if the spouse is a widow/widower.

Wisconsin Veterans Cemeteries


Spouses, surviving spouse, and dependent children are eligible for interment even if the veteran is not buried or memorialized in a state veterans’ cemetery and the veteran would have met both military service and Wisconsin residency requirements. This includes, lost or buried at sea, missing or missing in action, or whose remains have been donated to science or cremated and the ashes scattered.

Eligibility Includes:

Surviving spouse of an eligible veteran that has been interred who remarries retains his or her eligibility for burial.
Any natural or adoptive child of an eligible veteran who is under 18 years of age or who is under 26 years of age and pursuing a course of instruction at an approved educational institution.
An adult child of an eligible veteran of any age if the child is physically or mentally disabled and incapable of self-support by reason of mental or physical disability.

Professional/Occupational Licensure Reciprocity 


(for Spouses of Active Duty Service Members)

2011 Wisconsin Act 210, Section 10, allows for reciprocal credentials for the spouses of service members whose duty stations (while on active duty) are assigned to Wisconsin.

The licensing agency or credentialing board within the agency shall grant a reciprocal credential to an individual who the agency or the credentialing board determines meets all of the following requirements:

The individual applies for a reciprocal credential on a form prescribed by the licensing agency or credentialing board
The individual is the spouse of a service member, and the spouse and service member temporarily reside in Wisconsin as a result of the service member's service in the U.S. armed forces, a Reserve unit of the U.S. armed forces, or the National Guard of any state.
The individual holds a license, certification, registration, or permit that was granted by a governmental authority in a jurisdiction outside this state that qualifies the individual to perform the acts authorized under the appropriate credential granted by the licensing agency or credentialing board.
The individual pays any required fees.
The individual meets any requirements established by the licensing agency or credentialing board by rule.
A reciprocal credential granted under this law expires 180 days after the date the licensing agency or credentialing board issues the reciprocal credential unless, upon application by the holder of the reciprocal credential, the licensing agency or credentialing board extends the reciprocal credential.

​Contact WDVA's Veterans Benefits Resource Center by email, phone 1-800-WIS-VETS (947-8387), or via our live web chat.​

Federal VA Benefits


For more information about specific Federal VA (VA/USDVA) benefits and services for family members, call 1 (800) 827–1000 or access information on the VA website.

Federal VA Benefits Guide      https://www.va.gov/opa/publications/benefits_book.asp
CHAMPVA (800) 733-8387
Education & Training (888) 442-4551
Home Loan Eligibility Center (888) 244-6711
VA Life Insurance (800) 669-8477​
Office of Service Members’ Group Life Insurance (800) 419-1473
Direct Deposit (877) 838-2778
Headstones/Markers (status of claims only) (800) 697-6947
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) (800) 829-4833​
​Wisconsin veterans may use one of two programs that assist veterans who need help getting to VA medical appointments. The Wisconsin Department of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) operates several vans around the state that normally stop at predetermined locations and then transport to the various medical centers. For a list of the current scheduled stops, please see the Wisconsin DAV website. Veterans can schedule a stop by contacting the DAV Transportation Coordinator listed with the schedule. These rides are free of charge and available to all veterans based on financial need—you do not have to be disabled or belong to the DAV to get a ride on this network. Veterans should contact the DAV for additional information. The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs provides an annual grant to the DAV to assist with this program.

For veterans who live in locations not served by the DAV, most counties provide some type of assistance. Some counties provide this service free of charge and others require a small fee or donation. Veterans can request to have this fee waived in most cases if they are experiencing financial hardship.​ County transportation systems are run by the County Veterans Service Office (CVSO) or another County agency. Veterans should contact their CVSO for information. The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs provides a grant to assist counties that transport veterans to VA medical appointments. To be eligible for this grant,  form WDVA 2110​ must be completed and returned to WDVA by the November 1st deadline. 

Veterans in need of assistance with transportation to a VA medical appointment should contact the appropriate agency as soon as notification of a scheduled VA appointment has been received. Requests for same day or next day travel may not be able to be accommodated.
Veteran Suicide Prevention​ resources and services for verterans. 

For links to additional resources available to veterans and their families, please visit the WDVA Veteran Links page​.

A comprehensive list of Federal VA Resources and links can be found here.​​
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