NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Joint Base Langley-Eustis hosted a "Veteran Homecoming" event that welcomed newly eligible customers to the commissaries and other services on military bases.
The event took place at Fort Eustis and included giveaways, food trucks, and commissary and exchange sales.
“We are honored to welcome our Veterans back to JBLE, and the many installations across the nation,” said Col. Jennifer Walkawicz, 733d Mission Support Group commander at Fort Eustis.
“We are hosting this event to make registration for installation access easier for our eligible Veterans or Primary Caregivers, and to let them know what services they can expect to receive when they visit JBLE.”
All eligible veterans must pass a basic on-the-spot background check during their enrollment. Veterans will be allowed to proceed to installation gates for entry without having to stop again at the visitor’s center on subsequent visits following registration.
Newly eligible veterans include Purple Heart recipients, former prisoners of war or military-service connected caregivers.
Veterans and primary family caregivers who are eligible, and want to take advantage of in-person benefits, must have a Veterans Health Identification Card, or VHIC.
Primary family caregivers must have an eligibility letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Community Care.
Veterans currently use VHICs for identification and check-in at VA appointments, but will also use them for base access under the new program.
For more information, visit this website.