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

Dishonorable Discharge: Everything You Need to Know

A "dishonorable discharge" is a type of military separation given as a punishment for a serious offense during military...

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.

Mario Blount, pharmacy technician, verifies prescription labels at the David Grant USAF Medical center pharmacy. (Photo: U.S. Air Force/ Staff Sgt. Liliana Moreno)

Tricare Pharmacy Program

Tricare provides a world-class pharmacy benefit to all eligible military members, retirees, and their families.

Ball and chain around ankle symbolizing PTSD holding someone back

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Learn more about the Department of Veterans Affairs Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment and outreach programs.

Transfer Your Post-911 GI Bill

You can transfer your unused GI Bill benefits to your dependents while you are on active duty.

Florida State Veteran Benefits

The state of Florida provides several veteran benefits. This page explains them.

Special Survivor Indemnity Allowance (SSIA)

Surviving spouses whose SBP have been offset as a result of receiving DIC are eligible for a Special Allowance.

Military Tuition Assistance

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

The Pat Tillman Military Scholarship Program Now Open

Scholarship applications for 2022 are now open for active duty and veterans

Survivors' & Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA)

The Survivors' & Dependents' Educational Assistance program has education benefits for eligible dependents of certain...

Mother and daughter Sandra and Nathenia Wells completed and associate of arts in general studies degrees and walked the stage at the Fort Bragg Colleges and Universities Graduation and Recognition Ceremony. (U.S. Army/Amber Avalona)

MyCAA Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts

The Military Spouse Career Advancement Account program can provide up to $4,000 Financial Assistance for military spouses.

State Tax Information for Military Members and Retirees

What tax benefits does your state offer to Military members and retirees? Find out which benefits are available to you.

North Dakota State Veteran Benefits

The state of North Dakota provides several veteran benefits. This page explains those benefits.

Airman Dalton Shank, 5th Bomb Wing public affairs specialist, reads pamphlets on the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post-9/11 GI Bill at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., on March 10, 2017. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Alyssa M. Akers)

GI Bill For Professional Licenses and Certifications

Did you know the VA will pay for professional licensing and certification programs required for work in several fields?

GI Bill Pays For Tests

The GI Bill will reimburse you for many national testing programs

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Most Popular Military News

United States Ambassador to Germany Amy Gutmann, left, and U.S. Air National Guard Director Lieutenant General Michael A. Loh

US Sends 2,000 Guard Troops, 100 Aircraft to Unprecedented NATO Exercise Aimed to Deter Russia

Germany is preparing to host the biggest air deployment exercise in NATO's history, a show of force intended to impress...

A man passes old memorial crosses on the side of a church building.

Researchers Say Military Service Is the 'Single Strongest' Predictor of Violent Extremism

The new analysis comes as the Pentagon and the services try to grapple with the idea of extremism within the ranks.

Fire and maneuver range at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

Cutting Weight: Marine Infantry Battalions to Shrink 10% by End of the Summer

The service's "Force Design 2030" initiative will shave the current infantry battalion size from 900 down to 811 by September...

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Feds Sue for Millions in Damages After Osprey Incident at San Diego Airport

More than three years after a civilian skydiving aircraft collided with an MV-22 Osprey sitting on a San Diego runway, the U...

Operators from the 20th Special Forces Group during a training exercise.

Green Berets Have Struggled for Years with Recruiting, Internal Data Shows

As Green Beret recruiting has faltered for years, the Army has also been chipping away at the size of its elite units.

The seal is affixed to the front of the Department of Veterans Affairs building in Washington.

Conservative Group Launches Website to Help Vets Find Health Care Outside of VA

Officials with Concerned Veterans for America say the nongovernmental site is needed to fill a void in the Department of...

Latest Military Videos

Video Shows Russia Blew up a Tractor Instead of Tank

A grainy black-and-white video Russia released this week to bolster a claim its military blew up some of Ukraine's...

Kherson Residents Defiant as City Flooded by Dam

Residents of Kherson who faced months of Russian occupation flowed by months of Russian shelling are sticking it out...

Vucic and Murmu Hold Joint Briefing in Belgrade

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic thanked Indian President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday for respecting Serbia’s territorial integrity. (June 8) AP

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Drone footage of the collapsed Ukrainian dam and surrounding villages under Russian occupation show the ruined structure falling into...

Investigations and Features

The Threat from Extremist Groups Is Growing. Service Members and Vets Are Getting Sucked into the Violence.

The U.S. intelligence community deemed racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism -- with adherents such as white...

They Said the Rise in Military Suicide Is a Mystery. Traumatic Brain Injury May Be an Answer.

Veterans who have had a head injury are at higher risk for suicide, but these deaths can be prevented, experts say.

Army News

Army Says Its Long-Troubled Tuition Payment System Might Finally Be Getting Fixed

The University of New Mexico stopped accepting provisional Army tuition payments for its students last month after the...

Marine Corps honor color guard rehearse in Washington amid layer of smoke.

Bad Air: Military Across East Coast Deals with Smoke Pollution from Canada

Springtime winds carried the massive trail of smoke across parts of the continental U.S. -- and directly over several large...

Navy News

Sailors aboard amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) man the rails as the ship returns to Naval Base San Diego

4,500 Sailors and Marines Return to San Diego After Seven-Month Deployment to Indo-Pacific

The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group conducted joint exercises with partners and allies, including large-scale training in...

Guam National Guard soldier helps remove debris after Typhoon Mawar.

Air Force and Navy Pause PCS Moves to Guam as Island Recovers from Typhoon

Military families and other island residents were still without power this week after Typhoon Mawar, a massive Category 4...

Air Force News

Air Force and Navy Pause PCS Moves to Guam as Island Recovers from Typhoon

Military families and other island residents were still without power this week after Typhoon Mawar, a massive Category 4...

Sign for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Home to Glenn, Armstrong and Wrights Perfect Spot for Space Command HQ, Ohio Lawmakers Tell Biden

Congressional delegates from Ohio are promoting Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton as the location for the new Space...

Space Force News

Alabama Senator Says Space Command Prefers Huntsville for HQ, But Command Has No Comment

Tuberville's tweet, which his office also issued in a press release, is the latest twist in the ongoing brawl over where U.S...