Veterans are entitled to a plethora of services, benefits, and resources. However, not every city or state is well equipped to cater to veteran needs. As a result, veterans often gravitate to areas with substantial military foundations, networks and support systems. Texas, for example,  is home to several military bases: Fort Hood, Camp Mabry, Lackland Airforce Base, Randolph Airforce Base, Fort Sam Houston and many others. The dense population of military personnel has prompted many to look to Texas as their post-duty home.  In fact,  nearly 1.7 million veterans live in the state.  Naturally, with such a large group of ex-military, many cities within the state provide top-notch resources. Today, we’ll highlight San Antonio and give an overview of what central Texas vets can expect to find in the city and in Texas.

General Help:  Texas Veterans Commission:
For any veteran in the state of Texas, the Texas Veterans Commission is a must-know resource. Through their organization, they have built four incredible programs that span a wide range of support needs:

• Claims Representation and Counseling serves veterans, their dependents and survivors, in understanding and leveraging their disability benefits and rights. It is the designated agency of the state of Texas to represent the State and its veterans before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
• Veterans Employment Services offers employment services to Texas veterans and helps employers find qualified veteran job applicants.
• Veterans Education Program ensures that institutions and employers are in compliance with federal guidelines and are qualified for usage of veteran education benefits.
• Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance is a program that makes grants available to eligible charitable organizations, local government agencies, and Veterans Service Organizations that provide direct services to Texas veterans and their families.

Texas Veterans Portal is another great resource run by the state. It is a sister organization to the Texas Veterans Commission. This online site provides easy access to government information and resources for veterans living in Texas. The site splits the information into common areas of interest including: health, education, employment and community.

TexVet: Similar to the Veterans Portal, TexVet is an online website that offers much of the same information. TexVet does a better job of providing information about local events, veteran discounts, crisis help, jobs and other support. This is a great central-Texas specific resource.

Medical Services:

Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital: The Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital (ALMMVH is a  comprehensive health care facility that provides medical, surgical, mental health, physical medicine and rehabilitation, geriatric, and primary care services. ALMMVH is also an excellent research center with robust programs focusing on aging, heart surgery, cancer and diabetes. Its advanced research function has prompted the hospital to be recognized as one of only three Nation Institutes of Health sponsored centers of the VA.

Frank M. Tejeda VA Outpatient Clinic: For veterans needing standard medical checkups, or outpatient procedures, this facility provides high quality medical care as well as access to veterans’ services.

Financing/Housing Help:                                                                                                            For veterans needing help finding homes or home loans, the Veterans Land Board (VLB): Serving Texas Veterans administers land loans, home loans, and home improvement loans; and co-sponsors benefit fairs exclusively for Texas veterans.

Education Assistance:  The Hazelwood Act:
Specific to Texas veterans only, the Hazelwood Act grants Texas veterans with education benefits. There are some stipulations. Veterans must have lived in Texas when they enlisted, and benefits are not to exceed 150 education hours at a Texas institute of higher education.

For more information about other resources in San Antonio or the central Texas area, check out these some of our other posts on veteran support groups and veteran benefits.

Written by Brook Appelbaum