Frequently Asked Questions

Georgia offers many benefits to its veteran residents and their families, caretakers, and survivors. These benefits include tax exemptions, discounted hunting and fishing licenses, and special license plates as a few examples.

For more information on all Georgia veteran benefits, please see State Benefits for Georgia Veterans.

If your Home of Record is listed as Georgia, the GDVS may have a copy of your DD Form 214 on file. Contact your closest field office to request a records search.

If your Home of Record is listed as another state, file a request via the National Archives.

If you are requesting a DD Form 214 for a family member, the request must be filed via the National Archives.

You will need to complete a Standard Form 180 (SF 180). Sign and mail the form to the address in block #14 to the Military Records section of the National Personnel Records Center, St. Louis, MO.

To obtain an SF 180, contact any GDVS field office or call the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at 800-827-1000. Visit the SF 180 topic at http://www.archives.gov/veterans for more information.

Georgia's Vietnam War Certificate of Honor was introduced as part of the 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the Vietnam War. 

This certificate is available to every Georgia veteran with honorable service during the Vietnam War. This includes veterans with service in country and those who served in other capacities.

Find more information on how to apply on the Vietnam War Certificate of Honor topic.

You will need to complete a Standard Form 180 (SF 180). Sign and mail it to the Military Records section of the National Personnel Records Center, St. Louis, MO.

For help filing the form, you may contact any GDVS field office or call the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at 800-827-1000.

Visit http://www.archives.gov for more details.

The Veterans Identification Card Act 2015 (Public Law 114-31) was enacted on July 20, 2015. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs administers this program.

A Veteran ID Card (VIC) is a form of photo ID you can use to get discounts offered to veterans at many restaurants, hotels, stores, and other businesses.

It does not replace your Veteran Health Identification Card or your Department of Defense ID Card.

Apply for a VIC online or speak to a representative at a VA Medical Center or CBOC. 

Any honorably discharged veteran is entitled to a free veteran driver’s license. A member or former member of the National Guard who served on active duty and received a DD Form 214 also qualifies. 

Veterans must be a current resident of Georgia to apply for a veteran driver's license. 

In order to obtain a veteran’s driver’s license, the applying veteran must take their DD Form 214 and proof of residency to a Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) office.

A DDS representative will administer a vision exam, verify eligibility, and issue a veteran's driver's license.

All permanent licenses issued in Georgia after 2012 are REAL ID Compliant. If your current ID is not a Real ID, you will need additional identifying documents. For the full list of identifying documents, visit the DDS website. 

For more information, please see Driving Licenses.

The Georgia Veteran's Driver's License is a valid form of state-issued identification which is accepted for many official purposes.

Private businesses are not required to accept the license as proof of service.

Discounts vary based on a business's policies. Eligibility standards may differ at individual locations.

The GDVS has no control or input over discount policies.

Compensation is a federal veterans benefit program. VA evaluates a disability resulting from all types of diseases and injuries encountered because of military service.

Generally, the degree of disability specified is to compensate for considerable loss of working time from exacerbations or illnesses.

We are here to help you and your family through the application process. Contact a GDVS field office to schedule an appointment to work on your claim.

For additional information , see the VA Guide to Compensation. 

During medical or mental health emergency, veterans are encouraged to seek immediate medical attention without delay. They do not need to check with VA before calling an ambulance or going to an emergency department. 

Veterans are eligible to receive VA-authorized emergency care at an in-network facility if VA is notified within 72 hours of the start of care. 

• Providers should report your emergency treatment through VA's Emergency Care Reporting (ECR) portal, https://emergencycarereporting.communitycare.va.gov/, or by calling 844-724-7842. 
• They also need to contact the local VA medical center to coordinate follow-on care and transfer activities, if necessary. 

The entitlement is referred to as Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). This benefit pays a monthly payment to a surviving spouse, child, or parent of a veteran due to the veteran’s death being determined as service-connected.

We are happy to assist you with the application process; visit any GDVS Veterans Field Service Office for assistance. For additional information concerning this benefit, see the VA guide to DIC.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Georgia Department of Veterans Service are limited, by law, to the extent they can help locate a veteran. VA will try to forward a letter to a veteran, but it is up to the veteran to contact the sender of the letter.

The proper procedure is to write a letter to the veteran and place it in an unsealed envelope, bearing the veteran’s name, with sufficient postage to cover mailing costs. Forward that letter and envelope to VA. Include a cover letter detailing as much identifying information about the veteran as possible: full name, date of birth, last known address, service serial number, VA claim number, Social Security number, last military address, rank, and date of discharge.

Mail the request to: VA Regional Office-Atlanta, Attention: Privacy Act Office (211D), 1700 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA 30330.

VA will forward the letter to the veteran’s address if it is known. If the address is unknown or if the letter is returned undeliverable, VA will return the writer’s original letter.

As of October 30, 2022, the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics estimated 678,304 veterans living in Georgia.

For more in-depth figures, including county-by-county breakdowns, visit the NCVAS website: va.gov/vetdata.

The Georgia Department of Veterans Service does not maintain a list of all veterans living in Georgia.

While we do maintain lists of veterans receiving services or assistance from the department, that information is confidential and is not available to the public.

The Georgia Department of Labor offers assistance to job-seeking veterans and their families. Job search workshops, résumé and cover letter assistance, and resources for transitioning into the civilian workforce are a few of the services that veterans are eligible for.

The Veterans Employment Center is a federal program that assists veterans and their families seek employment and access valuable career resources. Résumé-building assistance, career advice, career fairs, and access to employers committed to hiring veterans are a few services available through the Veterans Employment Center.

WorkSource Georgia, developed by the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) and the Technical College System of Georgia, is the state's largest resource for employers. 

Employers can select criteria to help promote their postings specifically to connect job-seeking veterans. Employers are also encouraged to contact a GDOL Career Center near their job location. Most GDOL Career Centers have counselors for veterans seeking new careers. 

Please complete the online resume builder at Team Georgia's Careers website, the primary site for job announcements within Georgia state government, including GDVS. There is an option on the site to set up email notifications when new job openings become available.