There are a wide variety of resources available for Families and Caregivers of wounded, ill and injured Soldiers and Veterans. The services listed below provide access to broad lists of programs, resources and benefits available to assist Families and Caregivers supporting wounded, ill and injured Soldiers and Veterans.
DOD Compensation and Benefits Handbook
Disease and Medical Condition Information
Army Family Team Building
National Caregiver Support Line
National Resource Directory
Career Resources for Spouses
Education and Training Resources for Spouses
Office of Warrior Care and Policy Caregiver Resources
The DOD Compensation and Benefits Handbook for wounded, ill and injured Service Members was designed to answer your questions in the order in which they are most likely to arise. The handbook serves as a quick reference for Soldiers, Family and Caregivers during rehabilitation to reintegration.
The Soldier's Pay and Benefits page has more resources for your reference.
The American Academy of Family Physicians health information site, Familydoctor.org , offers free, plain-English information on a wide variety of diseases, injuries and other medical conditions, including symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments. The site also offers extensive health and wellness information applicable to patients of all ages.
Army Family Team Building (AFTB) can help Family members become familiar with U.S. Army customs to provide the knowledge and self-confidence to take responsibility for themselves and for their Family. AFTB is a series of training modules, taught through local Army Community Service centers or Family Program offices and covers general information about the Army, as well as specific topics such as personal growth and leadership.
Additional Family programs and services are available through Army OneSource .
The National Caregiver Support Line is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 11p.m. and Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (EST). Please call 855-260-3274 to speak with a licensed clinical social worker or visit Caregiver.VA.gov to learn more about the assistance the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers to Caregivers and Veterans.
The National Resource Directory (NRD) is a website for wounded, ill and injured Soldiers, Veterans, their Families and those who support them. The NRD provides access to services and resources at the national, state and local levels to support recovery, rehabilitation and community reintegration on topics such as benefits and compensation, education and training, employment, Family and Caregiver support, health, homeless assistance, housing, transportation and travel, and other services and resources.
The NRD includes a section on specific resources for Families and Caregivers .
When a Soldier becomes wounded, ill and injured while on active duty, spouses and Family members also experience significant changes. Many leave their jobs or take an extended leave of absence to support their wounded, ill and injured Soldiers through recovery. Below is a list of Army, Department of Defense (DOD) and VA provided resources to support spouses who are ready to resume employment.
Through federal law and executive orders, there are certain provisions for hiring military spouses. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulates these provisions closely, and not all spouses qualify. For more information about eligibility requirements for the following provisions, visit the FedsHireVets.gov website:
The Employment Readiness Program (ERP) offers up-to-date information on available opportunities, market and job trends, education and volunteer resources to help individuals make informed decisions when seeking employment. ERP also offers employment-related classes and seminars on career exploration, resume writing, interviewing techniques, entrepreneurship and other topics.
The VA offers financial benefits to spouses of active duty personnel and Veterans to fund higher education, provided that the service member allocates his/her benefits to the spouse or other Family member(s). There are many rules and regulations governing these programs and more information can be found online.
The Office of Warrior Care and Policy Caregiver Resources page provides helpful factsheets, tips, guides, and additional information on upcoming caregiver-related events and webinars.
The Caregiver Resource Directory also enables Caregivers to quickly identify many of the available resources that address their particular needs and requirements. The Caregiver Resource Directory has vetted them; though it makes no recommendations or endorsements about the quality of services offered.
