Your New Jersey Veterans
Benefits
Compiled by Veterans Benefits Bureau
Education Benefits/ POW/MIA/War Orphans
The Veterans
Tuition Credit Program provides an educational
support entitlement to full-time and
part-time students who are resident
veterans and served on active duty
in the Armed Forces of the United
States from December 31, 1960 to
May 7, 1975.
POW/MIAs program is available
to any dependent of a prisoner
of war or missing in action that
was a resident upon being accepted
to pursue a course of undergraduate
study in any private
institution of higher education. The
dependent shall be allowed to obtain
a bachelor’s degree free of tuition.
For further information contact
your school official in charge of
veteran’s affairs or by calling New
Jersey Department of Military and
Veterans Affairs at 609-530-6854.
Veterans Preference for Civil
Service and Pension Purposes
Effective March 1, 2001, NJ
Department of Military and Veterans
Affairs is the agency to determine
veterans preference for hiring in
New Jersey civil service and veterans
status for New Jersey civil
service pension plans.
War period veterans who pass
state civil service examinations are
given absolute preference over
non-veterans when applying for
state, county and municipal employment.
Absolute preference is
not extended to promotions, but if
a veteran ranks highest on a promotional
certification, a non-veteran
cannot be offered the appointment
before the veteran. Veterans with
service-connected disabilities (at
least 10 percent) who pass civil service examinations are given
preference over other veterans and
non-veterans.
To claim veteran’s preference,
file the claim form with a copy of
your separation papers (DD Form
214.) Mail the form to the NJ Department
of Military and Veterans
Affairs, Veterans Benefits Bureau,
PO Box 340, Trenton, NJ 08625-0340. You must obtain a veteran
preference from the NJ Department
of Military and Veterans Affairs
BEFORE CLOSE DATE for a job
or a test.
For information call Veterans
Benefits Bureau at 609-530-6958,
609-530-6954, or 1-800-624-0508
or visit any state Veterans Service
office.
Veterans Property Tax
Deduction/Exemption
The New Jersey Property Tax
Deduction is an annual property tax
deduction of $250 for veterans honorably
discharged from active wartime period. Filing must be done
prior to Dec. 31 of the pre-tax year.
Documentation will include
the
property deed and discharge (DD-214) for the veteran. Widows will
need to re-submit the property
deed, marriage certificate, death
certificate and discharge (DD-214).
Eligibility criteria requires service
during a specified wartime
period, honorable discharge and
rated 100 percent permanent service-connected by Veterans Affairs.
Catastrophic Entitlements
Residents of the state who
served in any capacity with the
Armed Forces of the United States
during a wartime period and who
have a 100 percent permanent service-connected disability rating
from the United States Department
of Veterans Affairs for one of seven
disabilities declared to be catastrophic
in nature by the New Jersey
Department of Military and
Veterans Affairs. A monthly entitlement
of $62.50 is available. To apply
see a State VSO for a New
Jersey Catastrophic Entitlement
Application or contact the Division
of Veterans Programs at 609-530-
6854.
Transportation Program
Free transportation is offered to
VA medical centers and clinics,
other hospitals, private physicians,
VA Regional Office and local Veterans
Service Offices.
For more information, contact
your county State Veterans Service
Officer.
PTSD Counseling
The New Jersey Department of
Military and Veterans Affairs
(DMAVA) in conjunction with the
University of Medicine and Dentistry
of New Jersey developed a free 24
hour confidential helpline staffed by
veterans, volunteers, counselors,
and clinical professionals who understand
what our service members
are going through.
Veterans participating in this
program will receive peer support,
clinical assessments and case
management. Veterans are referred
to a Comprehensive Mental
Health Vet work of providers within
their home of record. The hotline
number is 1-866-VETS-NJ 4 U (1-866-838-7654)
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