No, KOVS is not part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. We are a State of Kansas agency dedicated to assisting former members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their dependents in a variety of ways.

Our services complement those provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, including helping with the preparation of claims and securing benefits such as compensation, healthcare, education, vocational training, and other entitlements under federal or state law due to military service. Additionally, we operate two state Veterans homes, four state Veterans cemeteries, and numerous Veterans Service Offices across Kansas.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a separate federal agency, established by Executive Order 5398 on July 21, 1930. As the second-largest federal department, it employs over 312,000 people. The VA is dedicated to advocating for Veterans and their Families, providing services with care and respect. Its structure includes the Central Office (VACO) in Washington, DC, and regional facilities managed by three major divisions: the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), and the National Cemetery Administration (NCA).

The VA's mission is to serve America's Veterans and their Families with dignity, compassion, and advocacy, ensuring they receive medical care, benefits, social support, and lasting memorials. This is done through a nationwide network of 151 medical centers, 820 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 Veterans Services Veterans Service Representative or 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 Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138.

The National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics estimates 181,272 Veterans living in Kansas (as of FY24):

Wartime Veterans - 144,797
Gulf War - 90,921
Vietnam Era - 53,287
Korean Conflict - 4,574
World War II - 503
Peacetime - 36,475

Female - 20,300
Male - 160,972

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

For information regarding employment, please visit KOVS Careers

Kansas provides a variety of benefits to its veterans, in addition to those offered by the federal government. For more details, please visit the "State Benefits" tab under 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.