Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > RV LIFE STYLES FORUMS > Military / Veteran RVing
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-19-2019, 05:30 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5
Eligibility to use Military Campgrounds

I am a surviving spouse of a combat disabled veteran and receive DIC benefits. Can I stay in military campgrounds? I just purchased my first RV and am excited to start planning my journey.
__________________
Joan
2016 Phoenix Cruiser 2552
Joanpea is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 06-19-2019, 05:36 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
ret60sp's Avatar
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Jefferson, GA
Posts: 147
Blog Entries: 4
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joanpea View Post
I am a surviving spouse of a combat disabled veteran and receive DIC benefits. Can I stay in military campgrounds? I just purchased my first RV and am excited to start planning my journey.

Do you have a military dependents ID card? Its DD Form 1173. If you do, look on the bottom right lower block of the card face for "Authorized Patronage" and if it shows "MWR" in that block you are good to go.
ret60sp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-21-2019, 10:42 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
skypilot_1's Avatar
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: The Ozarks
Posts: 1,566
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joanpea View Post
I am a surviving spouse of a combat disabled veteran and receive DIC benefits. Can I stay in military campgrounds? I just purchased my first RV and am excited to start planning my journey.
Are you currently authorized to use either or both Commissary and Exchange ?
__________________
Ret. Military/Corporate Pilot
Summers in the Ozarks-Winters in the Keys
Allegro Bus 36QSP
skypilot_1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-24-2019, 07:44 PM   #4
Junior Member
 
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5
Thanks to both skypilot_1 and ret60sp. I do not have a miltary ID card. My husband was rated 90% CRD but his case is under review for 100% CRD It is just taking a long time...years actually. I thought that with 100% I could acquire an ID card so was waiting for progress along that route.
Another thought...I myself worked many 16+ years as Civilian for USAEUR until the base closures hit and receive NAF reitrement benefits. Maybe i could go that route?
__________________
Joan
2016 Phoenix Cruiser 2552
Joanpea is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 07:40 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 364
Local commanders have on most bases have some say on who can use their Fam Camps. You might try sending a message to the MWR at the base you would like to stay at with your story and see what they say.
__________________
Melvo
08 Trail-Lite 8230
2011 Silverado 1500
Melvo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 09:22 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Ray,IN's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North America somewhere
Posts: 30,655
To view the various famcamp eligibility rules, visit U.S. Military Campgrounds and RV Parks - U.S. Military Campgrounds and RV Parks
Then click of Recreation facilities info, this leads you to all the military famcamps in the U.S.A. and their rules. For instance, here is Ft. Dix U.S. Military Campgrounds and RV Parks - Range 14 Camp

A few base commanders open them to the public, most have strict rules. Since the local base commander is in charge of their MWR program, they set the rules.
__________________
2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD, ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG 11B5MX,Infantry retired;Good Sam Life member,FMCA." My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
Ray,IN is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 09:29 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
powerboatr's Avatar
 
Damon Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: North East Texas
Posts: 4,946
is your husband passed or still alive? I ask because your answer above hinted he was alive, but you cannot receive DIC if he is alive. not trying to be insensitive. just clear


VA will not normally change ratings on a person that is deceased, but if he is awarded 100%DAV then you can take his award letter to any base and get an id card that will allow you to use the PX/exchange, commissary and all MWR services, including the camp grounds.

If he is still at any rating below 100 then the answer s NO. The law recently changed to allow 100% DAV to use the above amenities.
and yes you can call the mwr at the base you desire to visit and see if they will allow you to stay. NAS Corps Christi has a few civilians at its RV park that are not normally eligible.
__________________
USN Retired, Life time member of the DAV.
Enjoying the 2008 Damon Tuscany 4056, #3998 no your eyes are fine, there are really 6 slides
2022 F150 King Ranch or 2012 Edge toads

powerboatr is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2019, 08:41 PM   #8
Junior Member
 
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5
Powerboatr

My husband passed away in 2016 and is buried in Arlington. I receive DIC based on his rating of 90% and a death due to a combat related disability. I received a notification from VA a few months ago that there was a pending claim for unemployability in their system before his passing that was not considered in his rating. So we start again. Maybe he gets 100, maybe not. I am not holding my breath, but sometimes things go right. In the meantime, a call to the commander is a great idea. Thanks to all for suggesting that.
__________________
Joan
2016 Phoenix Cruiser 2552
Joanpea is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-27-2019, 05:27 PM   #9
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 2,582
Quote:
Originally Posted by powerboatr View Post
is your husband passed or still alive? I ask because your answer above hinted he was alive, but you cannot receive DIC if he is alive. not trying to be insensitive. just clear


VA will not normally change ratings on a person that is deceased, but if he is awarded 100%DAV then you can take his award letter to any base and get an id card that will allow you to use the PX/exchange, commissary and all MWR services, including the camp grounds.

If he is still at any rating below 100 then the answer s NO. The law recently changed to allow 100% DAV to use the above amenities.
and yes you can call the mwr at the base you desire to visit and see if they will allow you to stay. NAS Corps Christi has a few civilians at its RV park that are not normally eligible.
100% DAV has been able to use above amenities for years. Law changed recently to allow them to fly space A.
Rollin101 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2019, 11:56 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Burgy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 385
Jan 1 2020 many new veterans are allowed, not just 100%


https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/h...5hr5515enr.pdf
__________________
Lynn, Guy & Rocky

2016 Newmar London Aire
Burgy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-16-2019, 11:50 PM   #11
Junior Member
 
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5
Thank you!

Plowing through this document was a job.
SEC. 621. EXTENSION OF CERTAIN MORALE, WELFARE, AND RECREATION PRIVILEGES TO CERTAIN VETERANS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the ‘‘Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018’’.
__________________
Joan
2016 Phoenix Cruiser 2552
Joanpea is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 07:05 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
American Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 344
There was a good writeup on Military.com about a month ago about this.

https://www.militarytimes.com/pay-be...ping-benefits/
mhudson is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 07:12 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
ret60sp's Avatar
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Jefferson, GA
Posts: 147
Blog Entries: 4
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burgy View Post
Jan 1 2020 many new veterans are allowed, not just 100%


https://www.congress.gov/115/bills/h...5hr5515enr.pdf



Before anyone gets overly excited and starts making travel plans, just make sure that you understand that "Space A" means there is a list of more important categories of personnel that are ahead of a veteran's category and the chances of being able to actually get a seat on a flight to your destination is hit and miss at best. Do not expect to walk into a MAC/AMC terminal with your bags and leave on the same day, or the next day, or the next day, or even that same week.


I'm retired US Army, and we have traveled and used MAC/AMC and the MWR system when it randomly worked into our travel plans, but we ALWAYS had the cash on hand to be able to purchase commercial tickets to our destination.


If someone wants to use the MWR system for Rv'ing that stands a much better chance of being an option because the Campground MWR facilities (so far) doesn't have a "category" where a card holder is discriminated and can get "bumped" by someone else. The IHG and Navy Gateway hotels on the other hand do indeed have and use "categories" and they will bump leisure travel (retirees and veteran card holders) from a stay at one of their facilities if an active duty or active Reserve person shows up and needs a place to stay.



So my point here is those who might want to use MWR facilities need to understand the rules before they attempt to make a reservation, and expect that a Category 5+ person might have to call them on the day they want to stay and not be able to call before that for a reservation.


For those who like to plan their trips and have actual "reservations" before hitting the road, the retiree and veteran benefits are hit and miss and very frustrating for anyone with a planning personality.


Just so you know. Otherwise its a great deal and we love staying on military campgrounds and traveling "space available" when possible.
ret60sp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-17-2019, 06:59 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
skypilot_1's Avatar
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: The Ozarks
Posts: 1,566
"If someone wants to use the MWR system for Rv'ing that stands a much better chance of being an option because the Campground MWR facilities (so far) doesn't have a "category" where a card holder is discriminated and can get "bumped" by someone else. "

You need to check out Patrick AFB. They have posted in famcamp office the list of the commands priority user categories. If I recall correctly it has 25 categories.

As you pointed out this bill goes into effect 1/1/2020.

MANY VETERANS GAIN ACCESS TO MWR FACILITIES
��Active duty, retired military, and 100% DAV were the primary users that were authorized to utilize MWR facilities (includes campgrounds). However, this all changes soon. The Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018 became law in August 2018 and will take effect on January 1st, 2020. This bill will now allow the following veterans use of commissary and exchange stores, and MWR facilities:
+Veterans Awarded the Purple Heart
+Veterans Who Are Former Prisoners of War
+Veterans With Service-Connected Disabilities (no min rating)...ALL
+Caregivers of Veterans
Should have an impact on famcamp availability in future. This would include every vet with a VA 10% rated hearing loss. How many thousands are out there ?
__________________
Ret. Military/Corporate Pilot
Summers in the Ozarks-Winters in the Keys
Allegro Bus 36QSP
skypilot_1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
campground, military



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
can Vets use some of these military campgrounds? Georgia Military / Veteran RVing 74 08-17-2013 10:49 AM
Why Can't All Veterans Use Military Campgrounds? Djwhitesr Camping Locations, Plans & Trip Reports 5 07-16-2013 01:08 PM
Texas Military Veterans Eligibility For State Benefits - New Law SideRoads Military / Veteran RVing 3 01-10-2011 04:18 PM
VA Lowers eligibility requirements John Harrelson Military / Veteran RVing 1 01-07-2009 10:25 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:43 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.