Posted on Thursday, November 14, 2019 9:06 am 657k views

Editor’s Note: This blog has been updated to reflect informational changes. Please go here for the most recent post on this topic, which was updated Feb. 2, 2020.

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

Who is eligible on Jan. 1, 2020?

Veterans Purple Heart recipients former prisoners of war Veterans with 0-90% service-connected disability ratings



( For former service members who have not yet sought disability compensation from VA, visit https://www.va.gov/disability/eligibility/)

Medal of Honor recipients and Veterans with 100% service-connected disability ratings are already eligible under existing DOD policy.

Caregivers On Jan. 1, individuals approved and designated as the primary family caregiver of an eligible veteran under the PCAFC will be eligible for these privileges. Only Veterans who were seriously injured in the line of duty on or after 9/11/2001 are eligible for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. VA will begin expanding eligibility for the PCAFC in Summer of 2020. For information about primary family caregivers in the PCAFC, visit https://www.caregiver.va.gov/.



Required credentials

Veterans Veterans must possess a Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) that displays “PURPLE HEART,” “FORMER POW,” or “SERVICE CONNECTED” below the photo on the front of the card. If an eligible Veteran is not eligible to obtain a VHIC, the VA Health Eligibility Center Form H623A indicating placement in VA health care priority group 8E, paired with an acceptable credential, like a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or U.S. passport, will be accepted. For information on enrolling in VA health care, visit www.va.gov/healthbenefits/enroll. Medal of Honor recipients and Veterans with 100% service-connected disability ratings are eligible for DoD credentials under DoD policy.



Caregivers 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.



Find out more about military resale privileges.