Military family perks

• National Park Service: current US Armed Forces members and dependents can get a free Military Annual Pass; veterans (including National Guard and Reserves) and Gold Star Families can get a free Military Lifetime Pass.
• In person it is free; the NPS page lists accepted IDs, including DoD ID, VHIC, Veteran ID Card, or a veteran designation on a state ID. Recreation.gov offers a free digital pass; mailed passes from the USGS Store have a $10 processing fee.
• The passes cover entrance and standard day-use fees on lands run by NPS, BLM, Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife, Forest Service and Army Corps. They do not cover camping, tours, permits or concession fees.
• The NPS page was last updated February 26, 2026.

Verification: Show ID in person, or online via Recreation.gov · Ends: Lifetime / annual

• Lowe's page: anyone currently serving in or a veteran of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Space Force, NOAA, US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps or National Guard; dishonorably discharged veterans are not eligible.
• Verification is through ID.me with a MyLowe's Rewards account; spouses must verify on their own account. In store, show your phone number and valid photo ID.
• Lowe's says there is no annual maximum on savings, and the discount cannot be used on sale items, major appliances, certain commodities (such as dimensional lumber and electrical wire), gift cards or services.

Verification: ID.me · Ends: Lowe's may change or end it at any time

• Home Depot's military page and corporate how-to describe a 10% military discount that requires enrolling and verifying (an excerpt says the current verification flow is ID.me; older materials mention SheerID).
• An excerpt also notes a $400 per calendar year cap and exclusions such as lumber, building materials, appliances, services and gift cards. Confirm the cap and exclusions on the page before relying on them.

Verification: Account enrollment and ID.me · Ends: Not stated

• VA says you can request a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) online, through a lender, or by mail; a COE confirms service requirements but does not guarantee lender approval.
• VA's purchase loan page says a VA-backed purchase loan can have no down payment if the price is no more than the home's appraised value. You still must meet VA and lender credit, income and occupancy requirements.
• This is general information, not financial advice. Compare lenders and read VA's pages.

Verification: VA Certificate of Eligibility · Ends: n/a

• The Veterans Crisis Line page says support is free, confidential and available 24/7, and that it can help even if you are not enrolled in VA benefits or health care.
• Dial 988 then press 1. Text 838255 or use online chat. TTY: use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988.
• The page lists separate overseas numbers by Department of Defense region.

Verification: None required · Ends: n/a

• Military OneSource's pages (summarized from search excerpts) describe free, confidential support for eligible service members and their immediate families, with counseling sessions available by phone, video, chat or in person.
• Eligibility depends on service status, so check the eligibility page.

Verification: Eligibility check on their site · Ends: n/a

• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's page says the MLA covers active-duty members of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Space Force, Reserves serving on active duty, National Guard members mobilized under federal orders for more than 30 consecutive days, their spouses, and sometimes their dependents.
• Lenders can't charge more than a 36% Military Annual Percentage Rate (MAPR), which counts finance charges, credit insurance premiums, add-on products and fees such as application or participation fees. They also can't charge prepayment penalties, require arbitration or require a military pay allotment.
• Covered: credit cards, payday loans, deposit advances, tax refund anticipation loans, vehicle title loans, overdraft lines of credit, installment loans (except auto loans) and some student loans. Not covered: home mortgages and other home loans, and auto or personal-property loans secured by what you are buying.
• Loans taken out before active duty fall under a different law, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. You can complain to the CFPB online or at (855) 411-2372, and a military legal assistance office can help with your situation. The page was last modified Sept. 8, 2025. General information, not legal or financial advice.

Verification: Lenders check covered-borrower status; no application needed · Ends: n/a (federal law)

• The Labor Department's Employment and Training Administration page says it has put priority of service for veterans and eligible spouses in place in all qualified job training programs, and that services reach veterans through more than 2,400 American Job Centers.
• The page says the Jobs for Veterans Act (2002) set this priority for covered persons, meaning veterans and eligible spouses, including widows and widowers. The law defines which spouses are eligible.
• To find an American Job Center, the page points to careeronestop.org or the toll-free line 1-877-US-2JOBS (1-877-872-5627).
• DOL's military spouse employment page tells military spouses to let the American Job Center representative know they are a military spouse, and says spouses who lost a job because of a military move may be eligible for dislocated worker funding.

Verification: Tell the American Job Center you are a veteran or eligible spouse · Ends: n/a (federal law)