No, KOVS is not part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. We are a State of Kansas office that assists former members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their dependents in numerous capacities.

We provide services that complement those of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This includes the preparing of claims for and securing compensation, hospitalization, education, vocational training, and other benefits or privileges which Veterans may be qualified for under Federal or State Law, or regulation, by reason of their military service. Among our many facilities, we operate two state veterans homes, four state veterans cemeteries, and numerous Veterans Service Offices (VSO) around the state.

The separate U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was established as an independent agency by Executive Order 5398 on July 21, 1930. The VA is the second largest federal department and has over 312,000 employees.  As advocates for Veterans and their families, the VA community is committed to providing the very best services with an attitude of caring and courtesy. VA comprises a Central Office (VACO), which is located in Washington, DC, and field facilities throughout the nation administered by its three major line organizations: the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), and the National Cemetery Administration (NCA).

The federal agency’s mission is to serve America’s Veterans and their families with dignity and compassion, and to be their principal advocate in ensuring that they receive medical care, benefits, social support, and lasting memorials promoting the health, welfare, and dignity of all Veterans in recognition of their service to this nation.  Services and benefits are provided through a nationwide network of 151 medical centers, 820 community-based outpatient clinics, 300 Vet Centers, 56 regional offices, and 131 national cemeteries.

MILITARY RECORDS

Most federal, state and local Veterans’ benefits require proof of military service through an official discharge document, often called a DD-214 or one of its predecessors. You may request a free copy of your military service record through a the Kansas Office of Veterans Services or the National Archives at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/

Requesting Military Records

Contact the Kansas National Guard Military Archives for:

For discharges after 1991, contact Kansas Office of Veterans Services at 785-296-3976.

A Veteran ID Card (VIC) is a form of photo ID you can use to get discounts offered to Veterans at many restaurants, hotels, stores, and other businesses. It does not replace your Veteran health identification card or your Department of Defense ID card. Veterans interested in receiving a VIC may apply online or speak to a representative at a VA medical center or community-based outpatient clinic (CBOC).

For assistance, you may contact any Kansas Office of Veteran Services Veterans Service Representative, call the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at 800-827-1000 or visit http://www.archives.gov.

You will need to complete a Standard Form 180 (SF 180), sign and mail it to the Military Records section of the National Personnel Records Center, 1 Archives Dr., St. Louis, MO 63138.

The National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics estimates 195,343 Veterans living in Kansas as of FY20

Wartime Veterans - 152,034

Gulf War - 79,974

Vietnam Era - 60,488

Korean Conflict - 13,211

World War II - 3,186

Peacetime - 43,400

Female - 18,988

Male - 176,446

For more in-depth figures, including county-by-county breakdowns, visit the NCVAS website: National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics (va.gov)

For information regarding employment,please visit KOVS Careers

Kansas offers several benefits to its Veterans, above and beyond those offered by the federal government. For more information, please go to the tab State Benefits under the Veterans Services page.

The eligibility criteria to be admitted into the State Veterans Home Program include the following:
 Must be honorably discharged from military service with a minimum of 90 days of active service with at least one day during a wartime period. (Does not include training period).
 Must meet the qualifications as set forth by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs criteria for skilled nursing care.
 Applicants may not have medical or nursing care needs that the home is not equipped to provide. This may include diagnosis/behavioral traits that may prove dangerous to the well-being of self or others.
 Veterans listed on the Sex Offender Registry or in a felony fugitive status shall not be admitted to a State Veterans Home.

Visit our Kansas Veteran Home page for additional information.

Pre-registration is available and allows a Veteran and their spouse to establish their eligibility for burial at one of the four State Veterans Memorial Cemetery. There is no cost for pre-registration and it does not obligate the Veteran to be interred at the cemetery. Pre-registration is intended to simplify and assist the Veteran’s next-of-kin at the time of death. The key items needed for pre-registration are a copy of the veteran’s discharge certificate (DD Form 214) and, for married Veterans, a copy of the marriage certificate.  

Visit our Kansas Veterans Cemetery page for additional information.

We cannot release personal information about a Veteran, and we lack the resources and current information to forward letters or correspondence to Veterans. However, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the military branches may be able to forward some messages to Veterans or active service personnel (using the personnel locator service).  Some Veterans service organizations such as the VFW, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Military Officers Association of America, and other groups also maintain reunion listings, member directories and locator services.

- Looking for information on resources that support recovery, rehabilitation, and reintegration for service members, Veterans, family members, and caregivers.  Visit the National Resource Directory

- Visit the Department of Veteran Affairs for information regarding benefits and services, and step by step instructions for using VA .gov tools.