Military Retiree & Veteran Benefits

Official links, forms, claim addresses, and phone numbers that go with Chapter 34. Checked October 2026.

In the book: Chapter 34

• Why Guard and Reserve retirees aren't covered by TRICARE until 60, and what to do in the meantime
• How to get paid back for care you pay for in El Salvador, and the deadlines that trip people up
• Why Spanish medical records slow your claims, and what to ask your doctor for
• Space-A flights near El Salvador, and who can use them
• What military families miss most in El Salvador, and what partly makes up for it

VA Foreign Medical Program (FMP) (as of October 2026)

• Foreign Medical Program overview
• File a Foreign Medical Program claim (online, email, mail, or fax)
• Getting care through the Foreign Medical Program
• VA Form 10-7959f-2, FMP Claim Cover Sheet
• Download your VA benefit letters, including your FMP benefits letter
• Claims by mail: VHA Office of Integrated Veteran Care, Foreign Medical Program (FMP), PO Box 200, Spring City, PA 19475, USA
• Claims by fax: 303-331-7803
• Claim questions by email: [email protected]
• Phone: 833-930-0816 (toll-free from the US and Canada; select 3), Monday to Friday, 8:05 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Eastern Time
• Appeals by mail: VHA Office of Integrated Veteran Care, Appeals, PO Box 600, Spring City, PA 19475, USA

CHAMPVA (for family members) (as of October 2026)

• CHAMPVA overview
• How to file a CHAMPVA claim
• File a CHAMPVA claim online
• VA Form 10-7959a, CHAMPVA Claim Form
• VA Form 10-10d, CHAMPVA application
• CHAMPVA Guidebook (PDF)
• Claims by mail: VHA Office of Integrated Veteran Care, CHAMPVA Claims, PO Box 500, Spring City, PA 19475, USA
• Phone: 800-733-8387, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time
• Appeals by mail: VHA Office of Integrated Veteran Care, Appeals, PO Box 600, Spring City, PA 19475, USA

TRICARE Overseas (as of October 2026)

• Moving overseas as a retiree: will I have TRICARE?
• TRICARE Select Overseas
• Using TRICARE For Life overseas (Medicare Part B required)
• Filing claims overseas
• DD Form 2642, Patient's Request for Medical Payment (PDF)
• TRICARE Overseas secure claims portal (International SOS)
• TRICARE Overseas claims mailing addresses
• Claims by mail, care in El Salvador (Latin America and Canada region): TRICARE Overseas Program, P.O. Box 7985, Madison, WI 53707-7985, USA
• Latin America and Canada call center: +1-215-942-8393, or 877-451-8659 (toll-free from the US)
• Claim questions by email: [email protected]
• Retiring from the National Guard or Reserve
• TRICARE Retired Reserve
• Gray area retirees (DFAS)

DEERS and ID Cards (as of October 2026)

• DEERS: check or update your record
• milConnect
• Find an ID card office
• DEERS Support Office: 800-538-9552 (TTY 866-363-2883)
• Fax: 800-336-4416, or 502-335-9980
• Mail: DMDC/DEERS Support Office, Attn: COA, 400 Gigling Road, Seaside, CA 93955-6771, USA

VA Claims and Payments From Abroad (as of October 2026)

• Veterans living overseas
• VA Form 21-4138, Statement in Support of Claim
• Eligibility for VA disability benefits
• Types of disability claims and when to file
• Evidence needed for your disability claim
• Ask VA (online questions)
• General benefit questions from abroad: (412) 395-6272, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time
• International direct deposit and currency conversion: (918) 781-7550, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time
• VA benefits hotline: 800-827-1000

Space-A Travel (as of October 2026)

• AMC Travel Site (terminal schedules)
• Joint Base Charleston (Joint Base Lindsey Graham) passenger terminal
• Space-A eligibility (Army Benefits Fact Sheet)

Shopping and Exchange Benefits (as of October 2026)

• Veterans Online Shopping Benefit
• Commissary and exchange privileges for veterans