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

The GI Bill Yellow Ribbon Program Explained

The Yellow Ribbon program is designed to help students avoid up to 100% of their out-of-pocket tuition costs

Soldiers return from a 11 month long deployment in Kosovo.

Military Permanent Change of Station PCS Overview

The government will reimburse many costs associated with a PCS move. Here is an overview of what you can expect.

VA Outpatient Clinic Coeur d'Alene ID - VA.gov

VA Health Care Eligibility

If you are a veteran and didn't get a dishonorable discharge, you may be eligible for VA medical benefits.

Sgt. Richard Ganske, 84th Combat Engineer Battalion uses a bulldozer to manuever refuse into the burn pit; sorting and burning it to manage LSA Anacondas sanitation requirements.

PACT Act Expands Veterans' Medical and Disability Benefits

Millions of veterans are now eligible for free health care and more through the PACT Act.

A view of Fort Jackson's on-post housing in South Carolina.

Retirees, Civilians, Want to Live in Base Housing? Yes, You Can!

Living in base housing isn't just for active-duty military personnel. Retirees, civilians, and other eligible individuals can...

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Honor Guard members Len Werner, left, and Jared Lacovara stand during a burial service at the West Point Cemetery on Friday, March 22, 2013, in West Point, N.Y.

Most States Have Veterans Cemeteries That Offer Free Burial

Many states have state veterans cemeteries. Find out about the locations and eligibility requirements for your state.

Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington Cemetery

Burial and Memorial Benefits Overview

There are several ways our nation honors its deceased veterans. See our detailed pages on what benefits are available.

Burial at Sea: A Time-Honored Tradition

For many sailors and Marines, there is no more honored choice for their mortal remains than burial at sea.

National Cemeteries Offer Free Burial for Veterans

Just what does burial in a National Cemetery involve?

Making direct contact with managers looking to hire, rather than going through the usual human resources contacts, pays off for job-hunting veterans.

Veterans' Preference in Federal Hiring

Certain veterans get hiring preference for federal jobs. Gold star parents and parents of some disabled veterans also get the...

Arlington National Cemetery 3d US Infantry Regiment

Here’s How Memorial Day Will Be Observed at National and State Veterans Cemeteries

Every year, many national, state and local cemeteries hold ceremonies to honor those who gave their lives in service to the...

Student Loan Repayment Programs

Did you know the military can help you pay off your student loans?

Why You Should Get a Veterans Designation on Your Driver's License

Most states offer a free veteran's designation on their driver's licenses, and if you want to get your full benefits as a...

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.

Military Tuition Assistance (TA) Overview

You could qualify for up to 100% Tuition Assistance for college courses taken during off-duty hours.

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Most Popular Military News

Active-duty US military personnel sieving woodland soil for human remains

Airmen's Search for Remains Recalls Top Secret WWII Mission to Turn Planes into Flying Bombs

U.S. airmen in England assisted with an archaeological dig aimed at finding the remains of an Army pilot lost there during...

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The US Navy Is About to Launch a Submarine Built for a Mixed-Gender Crew, the First of Its Kind

The USS New Jersey "is the first Virginia-class submarine designed and built for a full gender integrated crew," according to...

Latest Military Videos

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Investigations and Features

Army Capt. Jeremy Kuykendall and his wife Kate, cradle their daughter

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...

A patch in the home of retired missileer Paul Hunke

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For years, it was an open secret among missileers that the Cold War-era missile alert facilities and launch control centers...

Army News

Gavel and American flag with scales of justice.

Two Colombians Get 35 and 30 Years After Pleading Guilty to Plot to Murder US Soldiers

Two Colombians were sentenced in Miami federal court to 35 and 30 years in prison for conspiring to murder U.S. soldiers in a...

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Navy News

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The contract, which has options that allow it to pay out as much as $980 million, went to a company called BlueForge Alliance...

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The Pentagon's rare move to keep two Navy aircraft carriers in the Middle East over the past several weeks has now finished...

Air Force News

National Guard Moves Closer to Filling Leadership Vacuum with Key Senate Hearing

Lt. Gen. Steven Nordhaus, right now a top Air Force officer with the North American Aerospace Defense Command, breezed...

Haleakala Silversword, a highly-endangered plant on the island of Maui, Hawaii

Air Force Looks to Add Telescopes on Sacred Hawaii Volcano as Outrage Continues over Fuel Spill

A year and seven months after 700 gallons of fuel spilled at a Space Force observatory located atop a sacred Hawaiian volcano...

Space Force News

Air Force Looks to Add Telescopes on Sacred Hawaii Volcano as Outrage Continues over Fuel Spill

A year and seven months after 700 gallons of fuel spilled at a Space Force observatory located atop a sacred Hawaiian volcano...

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Space Force Tuition Assistance

Space Force members take off-duty college courses under the Department of the Air Force's Military Tuition Assistance program...

Marine Corps News

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Hawaii Marine Detained in Case of Dependent Death Amid Separate Search for Soldier's Missing Wife

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US Coast Guard Academy

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy prepares cadets for commissioning in the U.S. Coast Guard.

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Former employees of the company that owned an experimental submersible that imploded on its way to the wreck of the Titanic...