Veteran Benefits
Veteran ID Card & Commissary, Exchange & MWR Access
Your service earned you more than health care. Since 2020, veterans with any service-connected rating - plus Purple Heart recipients, former POWs, and Medal of Honor recipients - can shop tax-free at military commissaries and exchanges and use base recreation. The key that unlocks the door in person is the free Veteran Health Identification Card, and online shopping is open even more widely.
Who this is for
You may have earned a benefit you have never used: the right to shop tax-free at military commissaries and exchanges and enjoy base recreation. Since 2020 it is open to every veteran with a service-connected rating - and the card that unlocks it is free.
In plain language
What Veteran ID Card & Commissary, Exchange & MWR Access covers
- In-person commissary, exchange, and MWR access on base
- The Veteran Health ID Card (VHIC) that proves eligibility
- Online exchange shopping and American Forces Travel
- How caregivers and different groups qualify
Any 0-100%
Every service-connected rating now earns commissary and exchange access
Free VHIC
The Veteran Health ID Card is the credential for in-person base access
Since 2020
In-person privileges opened under the 2018 Equal Access Act
The full picture
Everything you need to know
Nothing hidden behind a click. Here is the whole story in plain language, so you can decide what fits your situation.
Key facts & current figures
- Since January 1, 2020, veterans with any service-connected rating (0-100%), Purple Heart recipients, former POWs, and Medal of Honor recipients can shop in person at military commissaries and exchanges and use base MWR recreation. (Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018)
- The credential for in-person base access is the Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC), which must display your status - "SERVICE CONNECTED," "PURPLE HEART," or "FORMER POW."
- Primary family caregivers enrolled in the VA's PCAFC program also qualify, using their VA eligibility letter plus a REAL ID or other government photo ID.
- Online exchange shopping (ShopMyExchange, NEX, MCX, CGX) and American Forces Travel are open to all honorably discharged veterans and do not require a VHIC - you verify once at VetVerify.org.
- A small transaction fee applies to credit and signature-debit purchases at commissaries for patrons eligible only under the 2018 Act; confirm current rules on va.gov.
General figures, current as of December 2025 and reviewed each year. Your exact amount depends on your situation - always confirm on va.gov.
What you get - commissary, exchange, and MWR
- Commissaries sell groceries at cost with no sales tax; exchanges sell everything from clothing to electronics tax-free, often below retail.
- MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) facilities can include golf, bowling, gyms, outdoor-recreation gear rental, and lodging.
- A small user fee is added to credit and signature-debit purchases at commissaries for patrons eligible only under the 2018 Act; cash, EBT, and PIN-debit generally avoid it.
Who is eligible for in-person access
- Veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 0% to 100%, Purple Heart recipients, former prisoners of war, and Medal of Honor recipients.
- Primary family caregivers enrolled in the VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC).
- Retirees and 100%/MOH veterans who hold a DoD ID card already have access and do not rely on the VHIC.
The Veteran Health ID Card (VHIC)
- The VHIC is free. You must be enrolled in VA health care; then apply at va.gov/records/get-veteran-id-cards or in person at a VA medical center with a government photo ID.
- Your card must display your eligibility status line - for example "SERVICE CONNECTED" - or the base will not honor it for shopping access.
- If a 0% veteran cannot get a VHIC because of income-based enrollment rules, DoD may temporarily accept VA Form H623A with a REAL ID or passport.
Shopping online - open to more veterans
- Online military exchange stores (ShopMyExchange/AAFES, NEX, MCX, CGX) and American Forces Travel are open to all honorably discharged veterans, not just service-connected ones.
- You verify your status once at VetVerify.org - no VHIC or base visit required.
- This is often the easiest way for a homebound or rural veteran to enjoy the discount without traveling to an installation.
Your complete benefit picture
Tax-free shopping
Groceries at cost with no sales tax at the commissary, and clothing and electronics tax-free at the exchange - plus base golf, bowling, and recreation. Any veteran with a service-connected rating can use it in person, and online exchange shopping is open to every honorably discharged veteran. Confirm current rules on va.gov.
In person vs. online
Two doors open - and one needs no card at all
In person on a base you need the free Veteran Health ID Card showing your status line, plus a one-time stop at the Visitor Control Center for a background check.
Online, the exchange websites and American Forces Travel are open to every honorably discharged veteran - you verify once at VetVerify.org, with no card and no base visit.
Get the card first
The VHIC is a health-care card, so enroll in VA health care, then request it at va.gov/records/get-veteran-id-cards or your VA medical center.
Caregivers count too
A primary family caregiver enrolled in PCAFC qualifies using their VA eligibility letter and a REAL ID.
A clear path forward
Your step-by-step action plan
No rush and no pressure - but a little order helps. Applying is always free.
First
Enroll and get your VHIC
Make sure you are enrolled in VA health care, then request the Veteran Health ID Card and check that it shows your eligibility line.
On base
Register at the gate
The first time you visit an installation, stop at the Visitor Control Center for a background check and to set up recurring access.
Online
Verify once
Set up an account and verify your veteran status at VetVerify.org to shop the exchange sites and American Forces Travel from home.
If 100%/MOH
Ask about a DoD ID
Veterans rated 100% or Medal of Honor recipients may qualify for a full military ID with broader privileges - ask at a DoD RAPIDS office.
Who to call & where to go
These are free, official VA lines. Have your Social Security number handy when you call.
MyVA411 - Main VA Line
Not sure who to call? Start here. One number for anything VA - they route you to the right office.
Rather have us handle it?
No phone tag, no hold music. Call our office and a real, VA-accredited person walks you through it - start to finish.
702-992-4883Not sure where to start?
First, get your Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) - you must be enrolled in VA health care, then request the card at va.gov/records/get-veteran-id-cards or at your VA medical center (bring a government photo ID). When it arrives, check that it shows your eligibility line. The first time you visit a base, stop at the Visitor Control Center for a background check and to register for recurring access. For online shopping, no VHIC is needed - verify once at VetVerify.org and then shop the exchange websites and American Forces Travel.
More benefits for veterans
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