Tennessee Veterans Benefits – The Insider’s Guide

Hey, Veterans, this is Brian Reese from VA Claims Insider and I’m taking a deep-dive today into the Tennessee Veterans Benefits that you have earned and been awarded if you live in the Volunteer State! 

The Tennessee Department of Veterans Services (TDVS) administers a wide range of disabled veteran benefits programs in Tennessee, such as free benefits and disability claims counseling, state veteran homes, health care, education, pension, home loans and property taxes, insurance, recreational discounts, employment, and legal advice, among others.

You can visit the TDVS website to learn more about the activities, services, and benefits they can assist with if you are an in-state Veteran or family member of an Tennessee disabled veteran. You can also click below to download the State of Tennessee benefits guide for more information and links to many of the services you’ll find mentioned in this article.

>> Click here to download the FREE Tennessee Veterans Benefits Guide <<

But first, let’s jump into all the Tennessee Veterans benefits and Tennessee VA benefits that the Volunteer State has in store for you!

Overview of Tennessee Military Life

Tennessee’s veteran population ranks 14th in the states according to the most recent available data from the U.S. Census Bureau (released in July 2019):

• Adult Population: 5.2 million (16th)
• Veteran Population: 429,173 (14th)

Tennessee ranks in the top 15 of states for highest unemployment and the top 10 for veterans for veterans below poverty level.

• Veteran Unemployment: 4.9% (23rd overall)
• Veteran Poverty Rate: 7.8% (10th)

Tennessee also is in the 10 states with disabled veterans. 

• Veterans with a Disability: 32.7% (9th)

Tennessee does happen to be one of the cheapest states to live in, with a low cost of living (ranking 7th) and average housing affordability compared to other states (housing affordability ranking: 27th). 

The cost of living helps Tennessee rank in the top 10 (6th) when it comes to an economic environment for veterans. This despite the median income of veterans being $36,183, which is one of the lower medians in the states.

Unfortunately, Tennessee ranks low for overall veteran quality of life (47th overall). Along with the lack of good jobs for veterans, the quality of life in Tennessee ranks low because of one of the lower veteran health care rankings in the nation (40th). The state has an average number of VA locations with 23 as well as 5 military bases. 

With all that said, let’s take a closer look at the Tennessee Veterans Administration benefits programs available to Tennessee veterans.

Battle cannon overlooking the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, TN

Tennessee State VA Benefits Overview

Veterans Benefits Administration – Southeast District

Great Smoky Mountains Natl Park

Tennessee Veterans Benefits: Financial 

Property Tax Relief for Disabled Veterans

To receive tax relief as a disabled veteran, one of the following categories must be met:

1. A service-connected disability that resulted in:
   1. Paraplegia OR
   2. Permanent paralysis of both legs and lower part of the body resulting from traumatic injury or disease to the spinal cord or brain; OR
   3. Loss, or loss of use of, two (2) or more limbs; OR
   4. Legal blindness
2. A service-connected permanent and total disability or disabilities, as determined by the United States Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
3. A 100% total and permanent disability rating from being a prisoner of war.
4. Must own and use property as primary residence.  The maximum market value on which tax relief is calculated is $175,000.

Nashville, Tennessee, Country Music Capital of the World

Property Tax Relief for Surviving Spouses

Authorizes property tax relief to surviving spouses of disabled veterans who would have been eligible for relief had the veteran qualified under later amendments to the law. The tax relief is in an amount necessary to pay or reimburse such taxpayers for all or part of the local property taxes paid for a given tax year on that property that the disabled veteran owned and used as the disabled veteran’s residence. The property tax relief is extended to the surviving spouse of a disabled veteran who, at the time of the disabled veteran’s death, was eligible for disabled veterans’ property tax relief, as long as the surviving spouse:

1. Does not remarry;
2. Solely or jointly owns the property for which tax relief is claimed;
3. Uses the property for which tax relief is claimed exclusively as a home.

Must own and use property as primary residence. The maximum market value on which tax relief is calculated is $100,000.

Tennessee National Guard providing flood assistance.

Tennessee Veterans Benefits: Housing & Healthcare

Tennessee State Veterans Homes

Tennessee offers four state veteran homes in Clarksville, Humboldt, Knoxville, and Murfreesboro. Tennessee residents or natives are eligible for admission. Spouses, surviving spouses, and Gold Star Parents may also be eligible for admission.

Humboldt Veterans Home

W.D. “Bill” Manning
Tennessee State Veterans Home
2865 Main Street
Humboldt, TN 38343
(731) 784-8405

Murfreesboro Veterans Home

Tennessee State Veterans Home – Murfreesboro
345 Compton Road
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
(615) 895-8850

Clarksville Veterans Home

Brigadier General Wendell H. Gilbert
Tennessee State Veterans Home
250 Arrowood Drive
Clarksville, TN 37042
(931) 245-4700

Knoxville Veterans Home

Ben Atchley
Tennessee State Veterans Home
1 Veterans Way
Knoxville, TN 27931
(865) 862-8100

Tennessee Veterans Benefits: Employment

Tennessee State Employment

The following employment benefits are available in Tennessee:

• Veterans preference in State employment
• Credit for military service in State employment
• Reemployment rights of public employees

Tennessee Disabled Veteran Benefits: Education Benefits

Tennessee Veteran Dependent Education Benefits

This program covers the full cost of college at Tennessee state colleges for survivors of veterans killed in action or died as a result of injuries suffered in war. Children must be under the age of 23.

Swinging bridge in one of Tennessee’s great national parks.

Tennessee Veterans Benefits: Recreational Discounts, Licenses & Passes

FREE DAY

In order to honor the veterans of this state and encourage the use of natural parks across Tennessee, the Department of Environment and Conservation shall designate one (1) day per year during which access to and use of all state parks, including, but not limited to, campgrounds and golf courses, shall be free of charge for all veterans. Each veteran shall be required to show proof of veteran status, prior to being granted free admission to any state park.

GOLF GREENS FEES

On Veteran’s Day of each year, greens fees for 18 holes of golf will be waived for Tennessee resident veterans. All other golf related fees such as carts, driving range, etc. will still apply.

CAMPING

On Veterans Day of each year, Tennessee resident veterans will be granted one night camping free of charge.

TENNESSEE STATE PARKS

Veterans Day has been designated as Free State Park Day for Tennessee veterans, including complimentary greens fees and one night of camping. Tennessee State Parks offers this special discount to veterans annually.

A 50% discount off of camping fees will be extended to all Tennessee resident veterans with a 100% total service-connected disability. Premium campsites are excluded.

TENNESSEE DISABLED VETERAN BENEFITS: HUNTING & FISHING LICENSE

Tennessee veterans benefits authorizes issuance of a sport fishing and hunting license with a one-time $10 fee to residents of Tennessee who are 100% permanent and totally disabled from service connected cause, or by reason of service in any war are 30% or more disabled.

River boat on the Tennessee river

Tennessee Veterans Benefits: Vehicle Licenses, Plates & Privileges

Veteran Driver License

Authorizing honorably discharged veterans to have language or a symbol indicating their military service placed on their driver license.

County Motor Vehicle Privilege Tax

Any disabled veteran who has a VA 100 percent permanent and total disability benefits rating, or any former prisoner-of-war as determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, shall be exempt from the motor vehicle privilege tax upon submission of evidence of such disability to the officer in the county charged with the responsibility for collecting such tax. 

Free Disabled Decal for Disabled Veteran Drivers

Veteran motorists previously defined as disabled drivers according to TCA Section 55-21-102, may apply and receive a free disabled driver decal which may be added to the existing specialty plate.

Commercial Driver License Program for Service Members & Veterans

Road skills test may be waived for qualified military personnel applying for a Tennessee Commercial Driver License (CDL).  Applicants, however, are required to pass the applicable CDL knowledge test.

Tennessee Military License Plates

There are more than 20 Veteran related specialty plates offered in the State of Tennessee.

To find out more about all specialty plates and how to obtain them, please visit the Tennessee Department of Revenue website.

Tennessee VA Healthcare Facilities

Tennessee Veterans Benefits: Conclusion

Tennessee is a beautiful state with lots of culture and history in cities like Memphis and Nashville. Unfortunately suffers from the problem that many states in the South and Midwest have encountered over the past decade, which is the loss of many middle class jobs. 

They take the care of their vets seriously, and by the population numbers it’s clear that many veterans enjoy living there, as Tennessee’s population of veterans ranks higher than its general population among the 50 states. However Tennessee has not been able to provide the kind of health coverage most veterans hope for. 

Compared to other states, Tennessee has a moderate amount of benefits for its veterans. It also does not have the strongest quality of life, despite being one of the cheapest states to live in.

Thankfully, Tennessee partly makes up for that by being one of the best states for stretching the value of your dollar. 

If you are already in Tennessee and are looking to make the most of your Tennessee veteran benefits, you will want to visit the state portal for veterans at https://www.tn.gov/veteran/. 

There you will find access to many of Tennessee’s benefit programs, as well as more information regarding each benefit available. 

For a complete list of VA hospitals, treatment centers, and other resources in Tennessee, you can also review Tennessee VA facilities here: VA Facilities Directory by State.

About the Author

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Brian Reese

Brian Reese is one of the top VA disability benefits experts in the world and bestselling author of You Deserve It: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Veteran Benefits You’ve Earned (Second Edition).

Brian’s frustration with the VA claim process led him to create VA Claims Insider, which provides disabled veterans with tips, strategies, and lessons learned to win their VA disability compensation claim, faster, even if they’ve already filed, been denied, gave up, or don’t know where to start. 

As the founder of VA Claims Insider and CEO of Military Disability Made Easy, he has helped serve more than 10 million military members and veterans since 2013 through free online educational resources.

He is a former active duty Air Force officer with extensive experience leading hundreds of individuals and multi-functional teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour to Afghanistan in 2011 supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

Brian is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO, and he holds an MBA from Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business, Stillwater, OK, where he was a National Honor Scholar (Top 1% of Graduate School class).