State Benefits

Nebraska Veterans' Aid Fund (NVA)

This is a temporary emergency aid fund that assists veterans, their spouses, and dependents when unforeseen emergencies occur and other resources are not immediately available. For NVA purposes, a veteran is any person who served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States who received an Honorable Discharge, or its equivalent. Application for the fund must be made through the County Service Officer or Post Service Officer of any recognized veterans' organization in the county nearest the applicant's place of residence and submitted to the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Tuition Waiver

Tuition may be waived by the University of Nebraska, state colleges, and technical community colleges on behalf of any child, spouse, widower, or widow, resident of the State of Nebraska, whose parent fulfills at least one of the following parameters:

  • Was a member of the Armed Forces of the United States and who died of a service-connected disability in World War One, as defined in State Statute 80-40101
  • Died of a service-connected disability on December 7, 1941, or subsequently until such future date as the Legislature shall determine
  • Died subsequent to his discharge as a result of injury or illness sustained while a member of the Armed Forces, which may of may not have resulted in total disability

Such tuition shall be similarly waived on behalf of any child whose father or mother is totally disabled or classified Missing in Action (MIA) or Prisoner of War (POW) after August 4, 1964. To qualify, the applicant must be enrolled at the college and be paying resident tuition rates.

Discharges

The Department has approximately 700,000 discharges on microfilm. If a veteran entered from and returned to Nebraska upon separation from the military, a copy of the discharge may be on file. Certified copies are available at no charge to the veteran.

Grave Registration

The Department of Veterans' Affairs shall preserve, by counties, a permanent registry of the graves of all persons who served in the Armed Forces in time of war or whose mortal remains rest in Nebraska. Information concerning the registry can be obtained from the Department of Veterans' Affairs or a County Service Officer.

Nebraska Veterans' Homes

Nebraska has four veterans homes located at:

  • Bellevue
  • Grand Island
  • Norfolk
  • Scottsbluff

Eligibility

Any Honorable or General (Under Honorable Conditions) discharged Veteran who served on active duty in the armed forces of the United States other than active duty for training and having been a resident of the State of Nebraska for at least two years at anytime in their life is eligible to apply for admission.

Also the applicant must have become disabled due to service, old age, or otherwise to an extent that it would prevent such applicant from earning a livelihood and is dependent wholly or partially upon public charities or the type of care needed is available only at a state institution.

Spouses & Family Members

This eligibility is extended to the spouse of the Veteran who is already a member or may be admitted simultaneously with the veteran. The spouse must have attained the age of 50 years and has been married to such Veteran for at least two years immediately prior to his/her entrance into the home.

If the Veteran has passed away, the non-remarried Widow/Widower may apply for admission.

Parents of eligible service member who died while in the service of the United States or who have since died of a service-connected disability as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs may apply for admission (Reference: State Statute 80-316).

Application Process

Applications are made through the County Veterans Service Officer in the county in which the applicant resides. Completed applications are then submitted to the Nebraska Department of Veterans' Affairs Director's Office, Secretary for the Veterans- Homes Board, for approval of legal eligibility and assessment of any maintenance fees. The application is then sent to the appropriate Veterans Home for medical eligibility and further processing. All applications are forwarded to the Veterans- Homes Board for final action regarding admission.

For more information, visit the Nebraska State Veterans Homes website.