Posted on 11/17/2022 7:54:42 AM PST by Red Badger
New pass provides free lifetime access and waived recreation fees for Veterans
On Veterans Day 2022, the National Park Service will unveil a lifetime pass providing free entrance to national parks for Veterans and their families. The Interagency Military Lifetime Pass waives entrance fees for the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and standard amenity recreation fees for the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sites for current military service members and their dependents, Veterans and Gold Star Families.
Veterans and their families have free access to approximately 2,000 public locations spread out across more than 400 million acres of public lands, which host activities to fit any lifestyle—from serene to high octane, including hiking, fishing, paddling, biking, hunting, stargazing, camping, and much more.
The Military Pass has been expanded to include a pass that does not expire for Veterans and Gold Star Family members. The National Defense Authorization Act of 2022 authorized a free lifetime pass to national parks and other federal recreational lands for eligible Veterans and Gold Star Families. In recent years, they were able to receive annual passes.
Are you eligible?
For purposes of this program, a Veteran is identified as an individual who has served in the United States Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserve, and is able to present one of the following forms of valid (unexpired) identification:
Department of Defense Identification Card
Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
Veteran ID Card
Veterans designation on a state-issued U.S. driver’s license or identification card
Gold Star Families are next of kin of a member of the United States Armed Forces who lost his or her life in a “qualifying situation,” such as a war, an international terrorist attack, or a military operation outside of the United States while serving with the United States Armed Forces.
The America the Beautiful – the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass (Interagency Pass) Program
The Interagency Pass Program includes a free annual pass for active-duty members of the U.S. Military and their dependents. Current Military service members must show a valid (unexpired) Department of Defense ID. Dependents of current service members must show a valid (unexpired) DD Form 1173 AD or DEC.
Other free or discounted passes, including some lifetime passes, are available for persons with permanent disabilities, fourth grade students, volunteers and senior citizens age 62 years or older.
How to get your Interagency Pass
Interagency Passes can be obtained in person while visiting a participating site. Visit Places to Get Interagency Passes for a searchable list and be sure to contact the site before you go, to make sure they are open and have passes in stock. In addition, Military passes, as well as those for seniors and persons with permanent disabilities, are available online through the USGS Online Store with an additional processing fee. Existing passes remain valid. You do not need to obtain a new pass if you already have a Lifetime Senior or Access Pass.
For more information about eligibility and passes, visit Free Entrance to National Parks for Veterans and Gold Star Families (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).
The participating agencies also offer several fee-free days for everyone throughout the year to mark days of celebration and commemoration. Examples of fee-free days include the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., National Public Lands Day, Veterans Day and the signing of the Great American Outdoors Act.
Fee-free days and fee policies vary among the agencies, so it’s best to check the agency website or contact the site you plan to visit in advance of your trip.
EMBEDDED LINKS AT SITE!...........
APPLY FOR A VETERAN ID CARD
APPLY FOR A VETERAN HEALTH IDENTIFICATION CARD (VHIC)
I thought Trump already did this in 2020. I flashed an ID and entered a national park for free. Now it’s the same but different? You need to get a pass? I’ll read up on it.
Same thing... But say you leave your vehicle somewhere, you don’t have to leave your ID on the dash. You leave your pass. I use it a lot at the boat launch.
Amen!
BKMK
Ping
I have a Star on the upper right-hand corner on my Colo. DL which designates me as a Vet.
From what I’ve read, that star just designates us as being legal citizens. My Sons have stars on theirs, and they’ve never served.
Veterans should be treated like every other American.
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NOW HEAR THIS, BOTH VETERANS AND INGRATES:
We veterans "paid" for your freedom by risking our lives to serve this country. And that applies to EVERY veteran, we ALL signed our ability to control our lives over to the government, no matter what we did in service to our country. Yes, ALL VETERANS ARE SPECIAL.
This is a MERIT-based program, inherent in the "act of doing ones duty" as you said, by taking enormous risks for service, merely for signing your life over -- not based on wokeness, or skin color, or a college exemption, or our family's political connections.
Grow up.
I believe the fee is only if you order the card online.
You can also get the card at any National Park entrance for no charge.
I got an annual Veteran pass at Zion National Park this past September and it cost me absolutely nothing (except for four years of my life given to Uncle Sam.)
Wow. I was speechless when I read that comment.
Thank you for your clean, succinct reply.
Yeah, my dad and both brothers got one but had to pay a one time $20 fee.
The quote you use isn’t mine.
Also, the issue at question is not a veteran benefit. The benefit in question is to survivors, not service members and not veterans.
I’m a veteran, however, but I’m not a professional veteran as some are by trying to avail themselves of every freebie and discount they can root out. I’ll be damned if I am going to pay the state to add a veteran designation to my driver’s license especially for such a purpose. There is no real reason for anyone to know I have served unless it is to relate a particular experience or knowledge.
During my time in uniform, I was ridiculed, called names, derided, and had things thrown at me. The idea that a free Denny’s meal, up to a certain value, once a year, or free entry to a park in any way atones for the overall maltreatment of people in uniform is ludicrous at best and simply insulting in general.
Anyone who enters into the service solely for education benefits, bonuses, or any potential freebies post service is a mercenary individual. Those are not reasons to serve and I caution anyone considering entering the service for those reasons to reconsider. They will not be happy. The government is a crap employer and crap work environment.
I made my deal entering the Corps. I got nothing from them for education, or bonuses, or anything, other than a paycheck, and if you read your contract, you aren’t guaranteed that either and you certainly are not entitled to freebies upon exit.
I relish every moment I served and I am glad to have had the opportunity to have done so.
The reason they give the occasional freebie is guilt.
gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
They hold themselves cheap and try to repurchase their souls with a meaningless freebie or a rote “Thank you for your service.” I refuse to cheapen myself and my manhood by eagerly grasping for their false tokens of gratitude.
You are free to do as you please.
Well said, Zip!
Thank you for your service. Sincerely. Without cynicism.
I am “free to do as I please” as an American, because of... well, you know.
“We veterans “paid” for your freedom”
No. You did your duty. And I appreciate that. I need no thanks for my service, and neither do you.
That we have a whole subculture of Americans who did their duty but as you do, expect entitlements the rest of your life is not healthy.
Grow up. You did your duty. Unless you were wounded, you should have no expectation of entitlement.
Oh, and by the way, the notion of National Parks or Federal lands even existing is a violation of our Constitution.
Weird man. I did 24 years. UH-60 pilot. Multiple combat tours. Shot at plenty of times but I was never wounded. I’m very happy to accept all the benefits I can get. I’m very happy to take my 10% off every Lowes purchase, get on planes before other people, get into venues for free. It’s the least they can do. Strange that you would begrudge this. Throw shade at the MILLIONS of able-bodied people that turned their noses up at military service yet reap all the benefits of our strong and secure country.
“It’s the least they can do”
This is the problem. You think in terms of “they”. To each his own. I choose not to place myself ahead of “them” because I’m one of “them”.
It is indeed weird.
They are assets that we will probably have sell because we are in such tremendous debt.
No. You did your duty
Thank you, for responding in English. ;)
That we have a whole subculture of Americans who did their duty but as you do, expect entitlements the rest of your life is not healthy.
Retirement pay is in the contract. As is Tricare For Life. Should these entitlements be forfeited?
Should we do away with military disability payments for amputees injured in other-than-combat? PTSD (controversial to some)? Agent Orange (controversial to some)? Training accidents (often their fault!)? Surely you have strong views on these entitlement-seekers. Which ones are your legitimate "wounded" and which are not? Who decides... you? Incidentally, I expect you to forfeit your Social Security. ;)
Grow up. You did your duty.
I'm doing it now, on this thread.
Sincerely, without cynicism, or malice, or guilt: THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, FELLOW VETERAN.
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