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Providing comprehensive resources for Veterans and their families.

For More Information Contact:
Santa Cruz Veterans Services Office

Address:
842 Front Street
Santa Cruz, CA

Open:
Monday-Thursday 8AM-12PM & 1PM-5PM
831-454-7276

Providing comprehensive resources for Veterans and their families.

CalVet

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ID Cards

"VETERAN" On Driver's License

Eligible veterans have the opportunity to add the word “VETERAN” to the front of their DL/ID card to indicate that they have served in the U.S. Military.

Veteran ID Card - Press Release

Veterans with honorable service will be able to apply for the new VA ID card, which can be utilized to provide proof of military service in lieu of the standard DD-214 form to obtain discounts and other services offered to Veterans.

Retiree ID Card

Veterans that are 100% service connected are eligible for a military retiree card that allows access to military installations, the commissary, post-exchange, and other privileges.

Moffett Field

685 Vernon Ave
Mountain View CA 94043
Open: M-F 0800-1530; Closed for Lunch 1200-1300.

From US-101, take the Moffett Blvd exit and go towards Nasa Pkwy. Turn right onto Moffett Blvd. Turn left to RT Jones Rd. Turn left onto Stevens Rd and proceed to Vernon Ave. Office is located second building on the right (Across from NAVY Lodge).

Appointments at Moffett Field

This facility is off-base and therefore does not require access to the base. However, it is by appointment only, use link below to schedule an appointment. Additionally, please check website for required identification materials.

Army Garrison Presidio of Monterey

Building 616, Taylor Hall, Room 111,
412 Rifle Range Road
Monterey, CA 93944-5006
Phone: (831) 242-5209/5949

Appointments at Presidio of Monterey

You will need to make an appointment using the Rapids appointment link below, and print out your appointment confirmation. Review the list of acceptable ID’s, and forms required, provided by the link below for the Army Garrison Presidio of Monterey. Arrive at the Bolio Visitor center approximately 40 minutes prior to your appointment, with your appointment confirmation letter in hand, to register for access to the base.

CalVET Homes

CalVet Homes Mission:

The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) offers long-term care to California veterans who are aged or disabled and, under certain circumstances, to spouses and domestic partners of veterans. These services are provided at eight Veterans Homes throughout the state, as far north as Redding and as far south as Chula Vista. CalVet’s oldest home, built in 1884, is in Yountville in the Napa Valley. Its newest homes opened in 2013 in Fresno and Redding.

The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) offers long-term care to California veterans who are aged or disabled and, under certain circumstances, to spouses and domestic partners of veterans. These services are provided at eight Veterans Homes throughout the state, as far north as Redding and as far south as Chula Vista. CalVet’s oldest home, built in 1884, is in Yountville in the Napa Valley. Its newest homes opened in 2013 in Fresno and Redding.

The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) works to serve California veterans and their families. With nearly 1.8 million veterans living in the State, CalVet strives to ensure that its veterans of every era and their families get the state and federal benefits and services they have earned and deserve as a result of selfless and honorable military service.

CalVet strives to serve veterans and their families with dignity and compassion and to help them achieve their highest quality of life.

Vehicle Registration

Medal of Honor recipients, American Ex-Prisoners of War, and 100% Disabled Veterans are eligible for a waiver for motor vehicle registration with a free license plate. This waiver counts for one passenger vehicle, one motorcycle, or one commercial vehicle of less than 8,001 pounds unloaded.

License Plate

Available to all California motorists, these "Honoring Veterans" specialized California license plates may be ordered with the armed force or veterans’ service organization logo/emblem of your choice.

Disabled Placard

A qualified disabled Veteran may obtain special Disabled Veteran license plates for no fee for one vehicle currently registered to, the disabled Veteran. The requirements for getting the plates are:

  • The current California Registration Card for the vehicle in the disabled Veteran's name

  • A completed Disabled Veteran Certification (REG 256A)

  • Proof of eligibility: This must be a letter or photocopy from the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs or the military service that discharged the veteran

  • The license plates currently on the vehicle

The California Military Family Relief Fund (CMFRF) was established to provide short term, financial assistance in the form of grants to California National Guard members and/or families impacted by mobilization and deployment who meet criteria listed below:

  • Current member of the California National Guard in good standing.

  • Current California resident.

  • Deployment to active duty for at least 60 consecutive days in Title 10 USC status.

  • Member's salary has decreased by 10 percent or household income of member's family has decreased by at least 10 percent from income prior to deployment.

Veterans may have problems with use of alcohol, tobacco or drugs. Substance use can harm health, cause mood and behavior problems, hurt social relationships, and cause financial problems.

  • 1) Addiction Consultation and Treatment (ACT)

  • 2) Domiciliary Program

  • 3) Foundations of Recovery Program

  • First Step

The VA work-study allowance is available to any person training at ¾ time (9 units) or higher and using any form of the GI Bill including:

  • Ch. 33 Post 9/11

  • Ch. 30 MGIB

  • Ch. 31 Voc-Rehab

  • Ch. 35 DEA

Non-Service-Connected Pension is a needs-based program that serves veterans with the following criteria:

  • Net worth under allowable threshold

  • Wartime service - at least one day during a period of war. Does not require in Country service.

  • Over age 65 or Permanently and Totally Disabled.

  • World War II:

Property Tax Exemption

The Disabled Veteran's Exemption is outlined in Section 205.5 of the California Revenue & Taxation Code. For qualifying claimants it exempts a portion of the assessed value of their personal residence from property tax.

Hunting/Fishing License

For 50% or greater, reduced-fee licenses are available for any honorably discharged veteran of the US Armed Forces with a service–connected disability rating of 50% or greater.

  • $7.30
  • To prequalify to purchase a disabled veteran license, submit a letter from the Veterans Administration documenting that you were honorably discharged from the US military and have a service–connected disability rating of 50% or greater. After your eligibility has been verified, your customer record will be updated.

    Once you receive notification from the Department that your customer record has been updated, you will be able to purchase a low cost disabled veteran sport fishing license and/or hunting license anywhere licenses are sold.

Recovering service member - reduced-fee hunting licenses are available for recovering service members.

The Fish and Game Code defines a recovering service member as a member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or a Reserve, who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy and is in an outpatient status while recovering from a serious injury or illness related to the member’s military service.

  • $7.30
  • Submit a letter from your commanding officer or from a military medical doctor verifying your eligibility as a recovering service member.

    Please have your commanding officer or military medical doctor include the expected recovery date in your verification letter. The Department will enter this date into your customer profile and allow you to renew your license until this date without submitting another letter from your commanding officer or doctor.

How to qualify:

Send a photocopy of your identification and documentation of eligibility by:

Email at LRB@wildlife.ca.gov
Fax at (916) 419-7585
Mail or apply in person at any CDFW license sales office.

Include: Identification Your driver’s license; and Your GO ID number (from your previously issued ALDS fishing or hunting license).  

If you do not have a GO ID number, create a customer record online to obtain a GO ID number. A letter documenting your eligibility Disabled Veterans must submit a letter from the Veterans Administration.

Recovering Service Members must submit a letter from their Commanding Officer or a military doctor.

Telephone number Email address (optional, but may expedite issuance)

For hunting licenses only - proof of hunter education (Proof is not needed if you purchased a California hunting license after 2011. CDFW will have your hunter education on file.)

State Park Pass

A free, lifetime pass - available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States that have been medically determined to have a permanent disability (does not have to be a 100% disability) - that provides admittance to more than 2,000 recreation sites managed by five Federal agencies.

CalVet Resource Book

The CalVet Resource Book assists you in learning about and accessing the wide variety of services and benefits available to California veterans and family members.

CalVet

The California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) works to serve California veterans and their families.

With nearly 1.8 million veterans living in the State, CalVet strives to ensure that its veterans of every era and their families get the state and federal benefits and services they have earned and deserve as a result of selfless and honorable military service. CalVet strives to serve veterans and their families with dignity and compassion and to help them achieve their highest quality of life.

California Women Veterans division provides information, advocate, outreach, and support Women Veterans and their families. California has nearly 145,000 women who served in the U.S military and the number are still rising.

They have served in every major U.S conflict and peacetime since the Revolutionary War and for this they are owed a great debt of gratitude. Women Veterans are family members, friends, business owners, professionals, community leaders and advocates.

Military.com State Website

Military.com provides headline news and technology updates since our community answers the call and makes news.

Military.com covers the rest of the military experience — from great content like our user-generated videos in our popular "Shock and Awe" feature to our military equipment guide we present what makes the military unique (and fun).

Cemeteries

National Cemeteries:

The VA National Cemetery Administration maintains 136 cemeteries in 40 states. In California there are 9 National Cemeteries.

State Veterans Cemeteries:

Many states have established state veterans cemeteries. Eligibility is similar to VA national cemeteries, but may include residency requirements. State veterans cemeteries are run solely by the state.

In California there are 3 cemeteries:

-Northern California Veterans Cemetery
-California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery
-Yountville Veterans Home Cemetery

Central Coast Veterans Cemetery

2900 Parker Flats Road
Seaside, CA 93955
831-393-9371

The CCVC is the second California Veterans Cemetery developed and constructed in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Cemetery Grants Program.

The opening ceremony was held on Tuesday, October 11, 2016. The facility is located in Monterey County in the City of Seaside. The first phase of the cemetery accommodates cremated remains only.

Business License/Small Businesses

Doing business in the city limits of Santa Cruz requires a City of Santa Cruz Business License Tax Certificate. Application must be submitted on or before the day you start business.

Federal & State Employment Preference

Veterans who are disabled, who served active duty during a wartime period, or in a military campaign are entitled to preference in nearly all federal jobs.

State Funding For NG/Reservists

The California Military Department (CMD) is responsible for the command, leadership, and management of the California National Guard, as well as other activities. To support the operations for a force of over 22,000 personnel, the department maintains a headquarters in Sacramento, 95 armories, and various other facilities throughout the state.

California Family Relief Fund

A qualified disabled Veteran may obtain special Disabled Veteran license plates for no fee for one vehicle currently registered to, the disabled Veteran. The requirements for getting the plates are:

  • The current California Registration Card for the vehicle in the disabled Veteran's name
  • A completed Disabled Veteran Certification (REG 256A)

  • Proof of eligibility: This must be a letter or photocopy from the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs or the military service that discharged the veteran

  • The license plates currently on the vehicle

A qualified disabled Veteran may obtain special Disabled Veteran license plates for no fee for one vehicle currently registered to, the disabled Veteran. The requirements for getting the plates are:

The California Military Family Relief Fund (CMFRF) was established to provide short term, financial assistance in the form of grants to California National Guard members and/or families impacted by mobilization and deployment who meet criteria listed below:

  • Current member of the California National Guard in good standing.
  • Current California resident.

  • Deployment to active duty for at least 60 consecutive days in Title 10 USC status.

  • Member's salary has decreased by 10 percent or household income of member's family has decreased by at least 10 percent from income prior to deployment.

  • The member, within six months of returning from active duty, has experienced a 10 percent loss, or greater, in income, compared to pre-deployment income, as a direct result of deployment.

  • The member was injured while serving on active duty and has been discharged from federal active duty and is actively seeking assistance through the United States Department of Veterans' Affairs with regard to disability compensation benefits or treatment, or both.

The California Military Family Relief Fund (CMFRF) was established to provide short term, financial assistance in the form of grants to California National Guard members and/or families impacted by mobilization and deployment who meet criteria listed below:

Veterans may have problems with use of alcohol, tobacco or drugs. Substance use can harm health, cause mood and behavior problems, hurt social relationships, and cause financial problems.

  • 1) Addiction Consultation and Treatment (ACT)
  • 2) Domiciliary Program

  • 3) Foundations of Recovery Program

  • First Step

  • Foundations of Recovery

  • HVRP

Veterans may have problems with use of alcohol, tobacco or drugs. Substance use can harm health, cause mood and behavior problems, hurt social relationships, and cause financial problems.

The VA work-study allowance is available to any person training at ¾ time (9 units) or higher and using any form of the GI Bill including:

  • Ch. 33 Post 9/11
  • Ch. 30 MGIB

  • Ch. 31 Voc-Rehab

  • Ch. 35 DEA

The VA work-study allowance is available to any person training at ¾ time (9 units) or higher and using any form of the GI Bill including:

Non-Service-Connected Pension is a needs-based program that serves veterans with the following criteria:

  • Net worth under allowable threshold
  • Wartime service - at least one day during a period of war. Does not require in Country service.

  • Over age 65 or Permanently and Totally Disabled.

  • World War II:

  • December 7, 1941 through December 31, 1946

  • Korean War:

Non-Service-Connected Pension is a needs-based program that serves veterans with the following criteria:

CalVET Tuition Fee Waiver

The College Tuition Fee Waiver for Dependents of Service Connected Veterans waives mandatory systemwide tuition and fees at any State of California Community College, California State University, or University of California campus.

This program does not cover the expense of books, parking or room and board. There are four plans under which dependents of veterans may be eligible. Veteran must be service connected (0-100%) for their dependents to be eligible.

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