Pierce County
Veteran Services
Veterans Assistance Programs
3602 Pacific Ave. Suite 200
Tacoma, WA 98418
Phone
253-798-7449
800-992-2456
Fax
253-798-2929
Email
veterans@piercecountywa.gov
Office Hours
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
This office is closed on weekends and holidays.
VARIOUS LOCATIONS:
American Legion
Various locations throughout WA State. Benefits asssistance, job search assistance, education assistance, healthcare benefits assistance, long-term care, treatment courts, and state homes. Membership of $25-30 a year offers discounts on insurance, car rentals, and more.
Website: https://mylegion.org/PersonifyEbusiness/Home
Army Emergency Relief
P: (888)878-6378
Locations at Joint Base Lewis McChord and US Coast Guard Base Seattle
Education scholarships, childcare assistance (up to $1500), and other financial assistance such as: Emergency travel, mortgage, rent, initial deposit, temporary lodging, food, healthcare (not covered by Tricare), vehicle costs, utilities, funeral expenses, basic essential furniture, appliance costs, cranial helmets, child car seats, dental care (for dependents), home repair, non-medical attendant travel, clothing, special needs medical equipment, and spouse relicensing/recertification.
Website: https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org/
Army Family and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR)
Emergency childcare fee assistance and parent services, referrals, ID cards and records, education plans, financial counseling and assistance, legal and pastoral services, and substance abuse information.
Website: https://www.armymwr.com/
Best Military Friendly Colleges
74 of the best military friendly colleges
Website: https://www.intelligent.com/best-online-colleges/military/
Blue Star Families
Offers a free stress and worry management online course:
https://bluestarfam.org/2021/08/manage-your-stress-and-worry-with-a-free-course/
Code of Support
P: (571)418-6339
Must provide ID, proof of income, proof of disability, and service records.
Case management for education, employment, budget counseling, mental health, housing, legal help, disability claims, and more.
Website: https://www.codeofsupport.org/
Disabled Veteran Lifetime State Parks Pass – (360)902-8500
Must submit application, proof of disability status, and proof of residency; limit to 10 days of Summer camping and 20 days of off-season camping per year with free boat moorage and trailer dump
https://parks.state.wa.us/1208/Disabled-Veteran-Lifetime-Pass
Ebenefits
P: 1(800)827-1000
Military One Source Employment Assistance Program
(800)342-9647 24/7
Mon-Fri 5am-6pm
Apply for disability compensation, add or remove dependents, VA healthcare, education benefits, pension benefits, and employment benefits. Housing grants such as: Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) for disability related home updates and Certificate of Eligibility (COE) for VA home loans; Veterans Group Life Insurance (VGLI).
Website: https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/homepage
Free Driver’s License Veteran Designation
Must have VA ID or DD Form 214
https://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/military.html
Homes for Our Troops
P: (866)787-6677
For retired veterans injured in Iraq/Afghanistan war post-9/11. Must pass background check. Must have eligibility letter from the VA Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) program or Special Housing Adaptation (SHA) for legal blindness or loss of the use of one or both hands.
Website: https://www.hfotusa.org/
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)
P: (212)982-9699
Free mental health counseling, financial assistance (rent, utilities, car payments, insurance, groceries, basic supplies, medical bills, vehicle and home repairs, and more), housing assistance, education assistance, employment assistance, legal assistance, and help navigating the VA.
Website: https://iava.org/
Medicare Plans Resource
https://www.medicareplans.com/va-military-and-medicare-benefits-resource/
Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA)
P: 1(800)424-8200
Free employment support, VA benefits claims assistance, legal services, medical services assistance, grants available for accessibility design needs.
Website: https://www.pva.org/
TriWest Healthcare Alliance
P: (877)226-8749
Mon-Fri 8am-6pm
Benefit Information
Website: http://www.triwest.com/en/
USAA
P: (877)699-2654
Checking accounts, insurance, credit cards, and other benefits.
Website: https://www.usaa.com/
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – VA Supported Housing (HUD-VASH) Program
P: (800)698-2411
Rental assistance vouchers available for homeless veterans. VA case management can connect services such as: healthcare, mental health treatment, and substance use counseling.
Website: https://www.va.gov/homeless/hud-vash.asp
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
P: (800)698-2411 24/7
Benefit Assistance: Healthcare, mental health, disability, education and training, employment, pension, housing, life insurance, burials, and records. Free confidential 24/7 Veterans Crisis Line (800)273-8255 ext. 1
Website: https://www.va.gov/
Valley Cities Behavioral Health Care
P: General Health Care Clinic and Support Services (206)408-5246
325 W Gowe St, Kent
Military Clinic (253)215-7070 Mon-Thur 8:30am-7pm; Fri 8:30am-3pm
6103 Mt Tacoma Dr, Lakewood
Free mental health and substance use services to veterans; housing case management; employment services; transitional housing for ages 18-25; supportvie housing; financial assistance; school-based counseling for youth; WISe program for up to age 21 who are eligible for medicaid; 28-day residential intensive program with medication-assisted therapy options. Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic: All post-9/11 veterans eligible for free mental health services.
Website: https://www.valleycities.org/
Washington State Department of Veteran Affairs (WDVA)
P: 1(800)562-2308
1102 Quince St SE, Olympia
Locations in both Thurston and Pierce Counties.
Claims assistance and case management, transitional housing (fees vary; standard 30% of income), financial assistance, and counseling. Homeless Veterans Reintigration Program (HVRP) provides food, clothing, transportation, access to shelter, skills assessments, employment assistance, and job retention follow-up. Also offers a WA Soldiers Home in Orting: Must have honorable discharge; veterans rated 70-100% service-connected disabled may have nursing home covered by Federal VA.
Website: https://www.dva.wa.gov/
Wounded Warrior Project
P: (888)997-2586
Mon-Fri 9am-9pm
Serves wounded veterans post-9/11 (physically or mentally). Offers free: Adaptive sports, VA claims assistance (such as appeals, medical, caregiver benefits, education benefits, disability benefits, and pre-discharge claims), emotional support phone calls, family support programs, financial education and emergency financial assistance, case management, home healthcare services, alternative therapies, stress management, mental health support and intensive programs (mental health diagnosis doesn't need to be service-related), employment programs, and referrals to legal services, requiring a service dog, and more.
Website: https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/