Veterans Day is November 11. In the days around it, a lot of businesses and agencies offer something to those who served — and a lot of people who have nothing to do with veterans try to cash in on the goodwill.
This guide covers both sides: how to make sure you get what you have earned, and how to make sure your money, or your neighbors' donations, actually reaches veterans.
Proving your status without oversharing
Most Veterans Day offers ask for some proof of service. The VA lists several forms of veteran ID:
- A Department of Defense ID card, for retirees and others who have one
- A Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC), if you are enrolled in VA health care
- A Veteran ID Card (VIC), a digital photo ID the VA describes as a way to get veteran discounts at many stores, businesses, and restaurants. Veterans who served on active duty, in the Reserves, or in the National Guard with an honorable or general discharge can apply online at VA.gov.
- A state driver's license or ID with a veteran designation. In Arizona, the MVD offers a "VETERAN" designation on licenses and ID cards.
Any of these is better than carrying your DD-214. Your DD-214 includes personal details — in many cases your Social Security number — and it does not belong in a wallet or on a restaurant counter.
Real benefits worth knowing about
National parks. According to the National Park Service, veterans and Gold Star Family members can get a free Military Lifetime Pass. Veterans Day, November 11, is also an entrance fee-free day at National Park Service sites that charge admission. Starting in 2026, the NPS notes fee-free days apply to U.S. citizens and residents.
Business discounts and free meals. Many restaurants and retailers offer Veterans Day deals. These are set by each business, change every year, and often apply only to dine-in or in-store purchases. Check directly with the business — not a forwarded list or social post — before you go.
Benefits you may not have claimed. Veterans Day is also a good reminder to check the bigger benefits: VA health care eligibility, which expanded under the PACT Act; disability compensation; and state benefits. In Arizona, the Department of Veterans' Services offers free help with VA claims.
The other side: fake veteran charities
Fraudulent charities have used military and veteran language for years. In 2018, the Federal Trade Commission and state law enforcement announced more than 100 actions in a crackdown called Operation Donate with Honor against fundraisers that falsely claimed donations would help veterans and service members.
The schemes described in those cases included names designed to sound like real organizations, false promises about medical care and mental health services, robocalls asking for car donations, and money spent on fundraising and the operators themselves rather than veterans.
Red flags the FTC points to
- Names that imitate well-known charities, or lean on words like "veteran," "hero," "wounded," or "foundation"
- Pressure to give right now. The FTC notes that a legitimate charity will welcome your donation at any time.
- Requests for gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency
- Vague answers about what programs the money supports and how much reaches them
- Trusting caller ID. Scammers can make any name or number show up on caller ID.
How to check a charity in a few minutes
The FTC recommends:
- Search the name along with words like "complaint," "fraud," or "scam."
- Check a watchdog, like BBB Wise Giving Alliance or CharityWatch, to see how much of each donation goes to programs.
- Confirm tax-exempt status with the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. If you plan to deduct the gift, it needs to go to a qualified organization.
- Pay by credit card or check, after you have done your research — never gift cards or wire transfers.
You can always hang up and give through the charity's own website, which you look up yourself.
Scams aimed at veterans themselves
Veterans Day also brings schemes aimed at veterans directly:
- "Special Veterans Day benefits" that require your Social Security number or VA login
- Calls claiming to be from the VA asking you to confirm bank details
- Offers to increase your disability rating for a fee or a share of your back pay
VSO representatives accredited by the VA help with claims for free. Check anyone else against the VA's list of accredited representatives before paying them anything.
If something seems off
Report charity fraud and impostor scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Report suspected benefits fraud to the VA. And tell someone — these schemes rely on people staying quiet.
A word about giving
Plenty of excellent organizations serve veterans, and Veterans Day is a meaningful time to support them. The point is not to stop giving. It is to make sure the gift gets where you meant it to go.
Credit4Vets is a veteran-founded 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Tempe, and our help is always free. If you want a second opinion on an offer, a charity, or a call you received, ask us first.
Sources: VA — Veteran ID cards · National Park Service — Passes · FTC — Donating to help veterans and military families · FTC — Operation Donate with Honor · IRS — Topic 506, Charitable contributions · ADOT MVD — Veteran designation