Jim Absher

Jim Absher is Military.com's former benefits editor and columnist. He joined the Navy to see the world and later realized the world is two-thirds water. He also worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs in field offices and Washington, D.C. before coming to Military.com in 2015.

Latest Articles

Shundra Johnson returns a wedding ring to her husband Coast Guard Lt. Sancho Johnson after his seated discus practice Navy’s wounded warrior training camp. Shundra is also her husband’s caregiver. (DoD News photo by EJ Hersom)

What Benefits Are You Eligible For as a Spouse of a Disabled Veteran?

Spouses of disabled veterans are eligible for many benefits, but getting them can be difficult. We make it easy with this...

U.S. military retirees listen to guest speaker Mark E. Overberg, the Army Retirement Services director, as part of the Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia, Retiree Appreciation Day, Sept. 30, 2023. (Chad Menegay/Army)

Hearing Aids for Military Retirees

DoD and VA offer programs to help military retirees get hearing aids.

Veteran in wheelchair looking at laptop with wife

Aid and Attendance and Housebound Benefits

Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits help with paying for in–home care, assisted living or a nursing home.

Two small figures of Army soldiers in a barren, rocky desert walk toward a mountain range in the distance.

Combat Veteran Health Care Eligibility

The VA offers special health care eligibility to combat veterans.

A soldier salutes during a graveside service for Anthony La Rossa in Farmingdale, N.Y., Monday, Dec. 15, 2014. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Will VA Pay for Your Funeral? The Answer May Surprise You

If you think living is expensive, try dying.

A pair of hands work at some math with a calculator, highlighters, and post-it notes scattered around.

Tutorial Assistance with the GI Bill

The VA's tutorial assistance program is available to help student veterans who struggle academically.

GI Bill Will Pay for Work-Study Jobs that Help Veterans

If you're enrolled 3/4 time or more in college or a training program, you can earn while you learn with the VA's work-study...

female computer programmer in front of monitor

GI Bill Benefits for Vocational and Technical Training

The Post-9/11 GI Bill and Montgomery GI Bill will pay for non-college degree programs such as technical and vocational...

A soldier uses a computer in college. (Courtesy photo)

Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)

If you elected to make contributions from your military pay to participate in VEAP, your contributions are matched on a $2...

Air Force Reserve plane awaits postflight inspection

Reserve and Guard Montgomery GI Bill

Read this guide to understand the GI Bill benefits available for Selected Reserve servicemembers.

Man writing at a desk wearing a collared shirt.

GI Bill Correspondence Training

The GI Bill will pay you to take correspondence classes.

Sign by the main gate at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Ft. Worth, formerly Carswell AFB, Texas. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Reserve Education Benefits User's Guide

The federal government offers several educational assistance programs that may be of benefit to military reservists and...

Active-Duty Montgomery GI Bill

The following is a summary of the Montgomery GI Bill Active Duty program.

GI Bill Q&A: How It Works

The following will offer answers to the most frequently asked questions about the GI Bill.

The U.S. Medicare Handbook is photographed in Washington, D.C.

Medicare Open Enrollment

During open enrollment you can change or add plans.

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Most Popular Military News

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Romello Christian, an infantry platoon leader assigned to B Company 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, kneels behind cover with his platoon during a simulated assault as part of the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center-Exportable (JPMRC-X) exercise at Fort Magsaysay, Philippines.

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Investigations and Features

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Unsupervised: Military Child Care Centers Slow to Report Abuse with Little Oversight

A Military.com investigation into military day care centers revealed that service branch rules generally prioritize...

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Army News

(Lance Cpl. Rebecca Elmy/U.S. Marine Corps photo)

Army Soldier Lies About Grandma’s Pie Sales to Steal $41,000 in COVID Loans, Feds Say

The soldier stationed at Fort Gregg-Adams in Virginia said he earned the income in 2020 by selling his grandmother's pies...

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Navy News

Sailors man the rails on the flight deck as the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) returns to Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan.

USS George Washington's Arrival in Japan Marred by 2 Sailor Deaths, Alcohol Ban

The USS George Washington aircraft carrier arrived in Japan as part of its home port shift less than two weeks ago, but its...

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Air Force News

Air Force's New Deployment Model Sparks Criticism, Staffing Concerns at Bases

Some Air Force officials are concerned by the service's innovative deployment model, a new government watchdog report...

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Space Force News

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Marine Corps News