According to the Department of Defense, starting Jan. 1, 2020, all service-connected Veterans, Purple Heart recipients, former prisoners of war (POW), and individuals approved and designated as the primary family caregivers of eligible Veterans under the Department of Veterans Affairs Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) can use commissaries, exchanges, and morale, welfare and recreation (MWR) retail facilities, in-person and online. For more information regarding these privileges and access to military installations, visit http://www.militaryonesource.mil/expanding-access. For information on the PCAFC go to https://www.caregiver.va.gov/. Veterans eligible solely under this act who are eligible to obtain a Veteran Health Identification Card must use this credential for in-person installation and privilege access. The card must display the Veteran’s eligibility status (i.e., PURPLE HEART, FORMER POW or SERVICE CONNECTED). Veterans who are not enrolled in or are not eligible to enroll in VA health care, or who are enrolled in VA health care, but do not possess a Veteran Health Identification Card will not have access to DoD and Coast Guard installations for in-person commissary, exchange, and MWR retail privileges, but will have full access to online exchanges and American Forces Travel. Eligible caregivers will receive an eligibility letter from VA’s Office of Community Care. If you are a primary family caregiver under the PCAFC and lose your eligibility letter, please call 1-877-733-7927 to request a replacement. Please allow two weeks for processing. To find out more about military resale privileges you can visit these sites:
- Army and Air Force Exchange Service (https://www.shopmyexchange.com/vets)
- Coast Guard Exchange (https://shopCGX.com)
- Defense Commissary Agency (https://www.commissaries.com/)
- Navy Exchange (https://www.mynavyexchange.com/)
- Marine Corps Exchange (http://www.mymcx.com/)
- MILITARY STAR Card (https://www.myecp.com/)
- American Forces Travel (https://www.americanforcestravel.com)
For more information, contact Sandra at the Veterans Service Office at 602 Strong Ave on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 3pm, or call 365-3612.
Sandra G. Van Zant,
Veterans County Service Officer
