West Virginia Veteran Benefits
West Virginia Veteran Benefits Programs
In addition to federal programs such as the GI Bill, there are West Virginia veteran benefits programs provided by the state of West Virginia.
West Virginia Veteran Education Benefits
The following are the West Virginia veterans’ benefits programs for education.
Veterans Re-Education Act Fund
The West Virginia legislature has traditionally included help for veterans attending college in the state. The state offers up to $500 per semester as a stipend to veterans enrolled in an approved course of study. This program is also offered to qualifying veterans to help them pay for vocational and non-traditional education.
To qualify:
- Must have an Honorable discharge
- Must have exhausted GI Bill benefits
- Must be a resident of West Virginia
West Virginia War Orphan Education Program
The WV Department of Veterans Assistance official site states, “Students who qualify for the War Orphan Education Program will not be charged tuition and fees by a West Virginia post-secondary education or training institution.”
This program covers education-related room, board, books, and other living expenses. The award amount depends on a number of variables, including how many applicants there are; students are capped at a $1,000 benefit per semester and $2,000 in any year.
Medal of Honor & Purple Heart Tuition Waivers
All state-supported schools must waive tuition and fees for West Virginia residents awarded the Medal of Honor or Purple Heart.
West Virginia National Guard Education Benefits
The West Virginia Educational Encouragement Program (WVEEP) offers qualifying applicants up to 100% tuition assistance for certificate, associate, bachelor, and master’s programs.
Find VA-approved colleges and universities in West Virginia with our School Finder.
West Virginia Veterans Home
The State of West Virginia operates a veterans home in Barboursville. This home does not provide the types of skilled care other nursing home facilities might; Army.mil advises this is not a treatment facility “and cannot care for Veterans in need of daily care or skilled assistance.” To qualify for admission, the applicant must:
- Be ambulatory
- Be capable of independent daily living
- Have served on active duty for at least 12 consecutive months unless medically discharged or if they enlisted since September 7, 1980
- have served a minimum of 24 months on active duty or “the full period they were called for active duty”
- Be eligible for VA care
- Pass pre-admission medical tests
This operation features a nursing department, but any required treatment must be provided by the VA Medical Center located in Huntington, not the Veterans Home.
West Virginia Veterans Nursing Facility
Another option in the state is the West Virginia Veterans Nursing Facility in Clarksburg, West Virginia. The facility includes an Alzheimer’s unit and the availability of skilled nursing home care.
To qualify for admission at the West Virginia Veterans Nursing Facility, the applicant must be a veteran who lived as a West Virginia resident for twelve consecutive months. Applicant help is available through the West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance Service Office.
West Virginia State Veteran Cemetery
The State of West Virginia operates the Kinnard Memorial State Veterans Cemetery, located in Institute, West Virginia. This facility provides a grave site or niche, opening and closing of the grave, crypt, headstone or niche cover plus perpetual care at no cost to the veteran.
To qualify for burial here, eligibility requirements are the same as for VA National Cemeteries. Exact eligibility requirements are provided by the VA National Cemetery Administration Eligibility official site. In general, to qualify you must be:
- Discharged from active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces under conditions other than dishonorable, or
- Died while on active duty, or
- Served at least 20 years in the National Guard or Reserve and qualified for military retirement pay
- Reserve component Service members if activated for federal service
- Qualifying spouses and dependents
West Virginia Veteran Employment Benefits
West Virginia Civil Service Veterans Hiring Preference
The State of West Virginia offers Civil Service hiring preference to qualifying military members who “ served under honorable conditions” during a time of “hostile conflict.”
These veterans may qualify for five points added to a final passing competitive examination score. Five extra points are added to a veteran’s score if they have a service-connected disability or were awarded the Purple Heart.
West Virginia Military Incentive Program
The State of West Virginia offers a military incentive program to encourage private sector employers to offer hiring preference to veterans and members of the Guard/Reserve. Tax credits are offered to qualified businesses that employ economically disadvantaged veterans and unemployed military members.
West Virginia Tax Benefits for Veterans
West Virginia Income Tax Exemption for Active Duty Military Pay
The State of West Virginia does not tax active duty military pay, as long as the service member is on active duty for 30 continuous days or more and the pay must be listed as income on federal taxes.
Military Retirement Pay State Income Tax Exemption
Military retirement income is exempt from West Virginia state income tax. This also includes survivorship payments when included in federal adjusted gross income.
West Virginia Property Tax Exemption for Qualifying Disabled Veterans
A veteran with a 100% permanent and total service-connected disability may qualify for an exemption from “certain property taxes” on the first $20 thousand of the assessed value of a primary residence.
For more information regarding West Virginia veterans’ benefits, please visit the West Virginia Department of Veteran Assistance.
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- State Veterans’ Benefits – By State
- West Virginia BAH Rates
- Yellow Ribbon Schools
- Choice Act: In-State Tuition Benefits For Veterans
- States Offering Free College To Veterans And Dependents
About the author
Lori Waddell serves as Co-director of an emergency response COAD in Montana, a freelance writer, and an Air Force Key Spouse. She is passionate about empowering communities and individuals through knowledge and resources. She currently lives in Montana with her husband and two children.