Im one of the few which chose to receive my disability compensation through the US Army/ PDRL and DFAS rather than the VA. (Army Pensions are guaranteed during government shutdowns). Second, if applying by mail, send a completed packet and $10 processing fee to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Please verify this before applying otherwise you may be fraudulently receiving a benefit intended for those who truly need it. The Interagency Access Pass is part of the America the Beautiful The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass series and is available free for US citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities. The disability requirements for the Access Pass are not based on percentage of disability. Information for visitors to better plan your trip to our parks. Im sure you can get a discount for your time served in the military and probably you didnt even deploy. The USGS Store accepts all Credit and Debit cards but gift cards of any kind are not accepted. DO NOT use this option if you need your pass in 15 days or less. Try working around jet engines for years and then tell me what you think about being nearly deaf. Im sorry I didnt dedicate a full 20+ years or get hurt but give me benefits and stuff anyway, even though I sacrifice as much. Its very simple folks: 1. National Parks passes are sold at most national parks. Every bit helps. One pass covers the vehicle at sites that charge "per vehicle". Document issued by Federal agency such as the Veteran's Administration, Social Security Disability Income, or Supplemental Security Income; Document issued by a State agency such as a vocational rehabilitation agency. My card and refund were issued there. then there are 61. The Access Pass admits the Pass owner and any passengers traveling with him/her in a non-commercial vehicle at per-vehicle fee areas or the Pass owner and three additional adults where per-person fees are charged. Note:Photo identification will be requested to verify pass ownership. Each Annual Pass can have up to two "owners". I got my disabled Access Pass at Wheeler Wildlife Refuge without a problem. In Pocatello, Idaho please come to the Forest Service office at 4350 Cliffs Drive instead of the BLM/Department of the Interior, and I can help you out. fedrecpass@usgs.gov National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass or "Interagency" Pass Program? I hope your note doesnt discourage other 10%ers from accepting this valuable offer from our government, Someone must have thought it was worth it or they never would have offered it.. And Im thankful youre honest and you should be proud that you are. Too bad Eleven Mile Canyon National Forest would not honor my Access Pass or my Disabled Veteran license plate issued by the State of Kansas, contrary to the guidance posted at the access point. It is embarrassing. I just found out about this today. Many people think that ALL national parks are free, but that is not the case. Or just being totally ignorant. I dont have a supplemental income and Im an honorably discharged veterans. To qualify for the pass, the disability must be permanent and limit one or more major life activities. Its not fair. or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. I am a widow of a disabled veteran (100%). To apply, you just need to provide a valid form of identification and documentation that proves you have a permanent disability. Google form DD2765. At Federal recreation sites that don't have entrance stations you need to display your pass or show proof of pass ownership to compliance officers via one of the two following methods: HANGTAGS When we tried to add the kidney failure we were told by several VSOs that we couldnt go above 100%. Getting Into the National Parks If you are disabled, you may be qualified to receive a free national parks entry pass. A very pleasant surprise, (I still put a few dollars into the donation locations at the Ranger Stations, pay if forward). Price would have been quite a bit, but saw the post on the guard shack about this pass and got mine right there. Ya my brother is in the same boat. 1966 1970 Vietnam Era 100%. For complete information on the pass, please follow the following links: Access Pass Frequently Asked Questions: https://store.usgs.gov/faq#Access-Pass It is a lifetime pass and is only issued to the one with the disability but anyone in the vehicle with that individual does get into the area under that pass. VA has been hard on vets forever.Its about time they are examined inside and out and get real qualified Raters in the chairs of our rating system. Thanks VA and citizens! VA disability award letter, VA summary of benefits, or proof of SSDI income. Spring flowers are blooming, the summer travel season quickly approaches and Veterans are joining the 330-million yearly visitors enjoying U.S. National Parks. Personally, I feel proud to have served my country and sympathy for those who were unable or unwilling to serve. Documentation required includes: Second, the Interagency Access Pass may be obtained through the mail. IT says IN BOLD where to send the completed application to. The pass is for soldiers injured in combat and their spouses and immediate family members. The Travis Mills Foundation (TMF) supports recalibrated Veterans and their families through various programs that help Veterans overcome physical and emotional obstacles, strengthen their families, and provide well-deserved rest and relaxation. Up to 100% of the Pass program's proceeds are used to improve and enhance visitor recreation services. You do not have to show proof of disability but you may be asked to sign an document stating you have a disability (honor system). USGS Secure .gov websites use HTTPS (1-888-275-8747). A pass can either be displayed on your rearview mirror using a free hangtag or on your dashboard with the signature side showing. I update it periodically to check links. This is an interagency pass and includes Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, and US Army Corps of Engineers sites, in addition to the National Parks and monuments. Thank you for your service . Yes. A physical pass will be shipped to you. Who Qualifies: 4th graders for the 2021-2022 School Year. NOT TRUE! Hey this is a great job on this but I think we can do better to include all veterans not just disabled veterns. You think i will ever get it? Box 25286 There are so many amazing things to see and do at our National Parks. He was already rated 100% for his heart and 40% for diabetes. I dont think 10% usually qualifies as severely disabled, I could be wrong. I also would like to know. Even if it at a coustof 10 dollars fir non disable veterns. A park Ranger stated only fee charging parks will issue the pass and non-fee charging parks do not issue the pass. Its a contract. Once the application package is received, the documentation will be verified and a pass, with the pass owner's name pre-printed on it, will be issued to the applicant. If you own an open-topped vehicle (jeep, motorcycle, etc.) Took the trip when living in FL for a NASCAR race and had an entire day free before. Rushmore is free to enter , you have to pay for parking . Nobody but that person can say what their body feels like or what trauma fosters in their mind. I was like ???? The Park Ranger on duty was condescending and extremely rude. To obtain an Access pass through the mail, you must complete an application, provide a photocopy of proof of citizenship or residency, documentation of disability and pay the processing fee. An official website of the United States government. The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass is a lifetime pass offered to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are permanently disabled, including children. Seems the Superintendent at this park needs to get his act together and help vets, vs having his Rangers sending disabled vets to another park far way on a holiday weekend. US citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities: free. A lock ( Francis J. Fitzpatrick. is this the same as the Golden Age Passport. I suggest you do some checking through a veterans advocate group at http://www.Hadit.com You could choose their Forum Discussion and then search in the search bar for Special Monthly Compensation Then look for or search that subject for Loss of an Eye. Wow!! Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Whats going on here?? In 2013, Veterans to Farmers was launched to allow Veterans to re-utilize those skills while taking on the challenge of continuing to feed our growing nation and securing our food sovereignty. I had a couple of rangers there telling me they couldnt help. https://parks.state.wa.us/205/Passes. She then handed me a permanent marker and scoffed at me when I couldnt get the cap off to sign with it. WOW We can give free to everything that comes in this country we can give our vets a free pass for their families uh, I got my paperwork from the VA here and the VA website said that if I brought it.. No. Yes, please list the FREE recreation sites Nation wide. NOT ACCEPTED I was like. When onejoined the military a contract is sign. P.O. Just a parking fee. The email I got from VA news stated that this was free for disabled vets. The pass can be bought at any state park and is valid for a year from the day you purchase it. Download a paper application from https://store.usgs.gov/access-pass. Not $80 for seniors I went with my Dad. Please see my Sensory Friendly Travel Section for all of our National Park and other travel reviews. Thank you for your support of our federal recreation lands. It states this clearly on the VA Benefits Summary. (Children under 16 are always admitted free.) Hah! If you have a Forrest Service Office in your area, go there with your paperwork showing your disability rating and they will issue you one right then and there for free. Natl Parks Please. I myself have been 100% connected from leaving the discharge shack, yet lest I judge or call out anybody else with a disability to deal with in their life. I love our national parks, and some surprising places are national parks. This is what deep state types l eft over from the obummer years do. You can visit national parks website to find these. There is a system in place for this, and we cannot just drive up to a park entrance expecting free admission. There are plenty of recognition programs for veterans. No PTSD! One is that you can go to a participating location and apply for it in person. Those include National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, National Forests and other federal recreation. Find a location to pick up this pass at a federal recreation site. Every campsite in Daniel Boon national PK is not honoring the Access passes 50% off!! Information changes at times and we want to ensure your viewers have accurate information and one place to go to for questions and answers about the Access Pass and any other interagency pass we offer. I would like to know where are some of the places in Kansas that I can use this because I live in Kansas. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. https://store.usgs.gov/s3fs-public/access_pass_application.pdf, Look on the bottom of page 2 of the application form for the address. It can be ordered through the USGS by Mail (with a $10 handling fee): https://store.usgs.gov/s3fs-public/access_pass_application.pdf, For more information on the Access Pass, or other passes, check these Frequently Asked Questions: https://store.usgs.gov/faq. Thank you! USGS Thank you for writing the article, I had no clue federal parks were free. I am the acting Business Manager for the Interagency Pass Program, including the lifetime Access Pass. Lol. I would like a natinonal park pass. I signed up for a free access pass a couple of years ago and received a AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL pass. So they tell me to mail in an application, which I really dont want to do, adding in more IDs, plus a $10 fee. Can anyone help. FYI Ive been able to go into ANY national park and get a new Access Pass with just my WORDbefore I ever saw this article and before I gained my 100% disability from the VA, I am 100% Disabled, service connected, and I would like to know where I get the DD Form 2765 for flying aboard Hows it work for us? Can we get this pass at our local veterans service office? FedEx Overnight - typically 1 business day. A third option is for disabled Veterans to visit aparticipating federal recreation site where interagency passes are issued,present photo identification (e.g., Drivers license, State ID, birth certificate, Passport, or permanent resident card), provide documentation of permanent disability, or read and sign a Statement of Permanent Disability affidavit. Few seconds at the gate at Front Royal and in we went. Box 42650 Park pass a 10% disability? How to Get the Free National Parks 4 Grade Annual Pass. This is a great benefit for BLIND and PERMANENTLY DISABLED Veterans. 40% rating here. You can learn more about these pass options below: Alternative Interagency Pass Options Its only if you have a serious disability preventing you from one or more major life activity. Found out last week the entry office is closed on Tuesdays, so its a free entry day. On the flip side I always wondered why they had free Active Duty passes and not something for Veterans. for my legs, but was turned down (while in the U.S. Army, I had one bad jump from an airplane, fell off a telephone pole as a field wireman, and fell down a flight of stairs, all in the same month). You pay a one time fee. I was just now informed they require a 30% rating. Im not inclined to write down my credit card info and ship through the mail. I have all the necessary paperwork and I am eager to visit these parks. Thanks, Jim. Im 100% veteran and dont care if your 10% you served your country and no one should complain about us getting a freebie discount, I assure u weve earned every thing and more we get free. Life is not fair Im sure that most all of us that have served and were injured/disable would trade this pass for good health. Editors note: this blog was updated Sept. 30, 2020. I live near Manassas too. An Annual Pass is available for Louisiana State Parks that allows for unlimited day-use at all sites for all people in one non-commercial vehicle. The Access Pass is a free, lifetime pass available to United States citizens or permanent residents, regardless of age, that have a permanent disabilitythat can be used at over 2,000 Federal recreation sites across the nation, including National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and many National Forest lands. True, but what about the discounts in the store and such. 100% Disabled I got it when they first came out. It does exist and it was amazing! I completed understand what you went through, what I do in case I would ask for her Name and ID and the name of her supervisor, putting she/he on its place. A document issued by a state agency such as a vocational rehabilitation agency. A lock **imagine that here in the united states of north mexico!!!! The nonprofit group Volunteers of America (VOA) recognizes the challenges Veterans often face in confronting moral injury, which is essentially a conflict with ones personal code of morality. Who qualifies for the Access Pass? fedrecpass@usgs.gov 1-888-ASK-USGS (1-888-275-8747) Working veterans are expected to subsidize the elderly as it is, despite the elderly being the richest portion of the US population this is just insult added to injury, by politicians and bureaucrats trying to cozy up to greedy old voters. It will either have to be a note from a physician or notice that you are receiving SSDI income. I was told at the visitor center that I had to be 100% disabled to qualify for the pass. Pretty permanent and not an outwardly visible disability. Therefore, the discount program for the Access Pass is not handled in the same way on all Federal recreation lands. I would seek guidance from the South Park Ranger District 719 836-2031 as to why they are not following the rules on the access point and their website. So, you have to be in pain in order to be disabled. They no longer charge at this park, which seems they might want to again, at least for yearly passes to help pay for running the place. Since, Channel Islands National Park is a non-fee charging park they do not issue the pass. This application is for permanently disabled vets. Official websites use .gov The Senior Pass includes all the same discounts as the access pass, which is free access to all sites that charge an entrance fee and 50% discount on some expanded amenity fees (camping, boat launching, etc). There are several pass . Thank you for your service and sacrifice . https://store.usgs.gov/s3fs-public/access_pass_application.pdf, The address is on the application. Can this pass be picked up at our local Veterans Advocate office? The application indicates that this is for the AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL THE NATIONAL PARKS AND FEDERAL If this keeps happening, try contacting the websites owner. USGS Go to a Forrest Service Office its free, fast, and easy. Thanks to the VA, the Parks Service and our citizens. When I received my full disability claim I was issued a Golden Eagle life time access parks pass. Because I was wounded in Vietnam and have a Purple Heart. Ken and Bridgette at the Pfeifer Beach in Los Padres National Forest refused to honor my Veteran Pass. I was told to try Shenandoah National Park near Front Royal, as they should always be open and available. I would trade my injuries and suffering pain for your good health. Who said 10% was the minimum requirement? fedrecpass@usgs.gov I displayed my retired military ID, my VA ID card and I asked her if she was having a bad day! Have no problem doing it. If you do visit National Parks and dont want to pay a $10.00 processing fee, then wait until you visit a National park and get it in person. $80.00. For those who are already in a disability status the VA should issue the pass to them now, not like they do not have the records. If you look closely at your VA disability rating and Benefit Summary, it should tell you whether you have a permanent disability or not. May be obtained free in person at a federal recreation site. Thanks, Steve, for your military service and for writing this clear and succinct story. Then they charge a separate $11 for electricity. Send your completed Application to: Questions: If you need your pass sooner please visit a site near you that distributes passes: SITES THAT ISSUE PASSES, America the Beautiful - National Parks & Federal Recreational Lands Access Pass. Having Medicare taking their share of my minimal retirement check? All veterans have sacrificed for our wonderful country, but the truth is some gave more, and recognizing more is a good thing. The first place I tried to use it was Clear Creek in Bankhead Forrest in Alabama. Handicap Placard/Application. Access Pass applications are usually processed and shipped within 5 business days from the day they arrive at USGS. Buy your Discovery Pass Where to get your pass in person: participating locations | MEC stores Has the percentage changed recently or is this typo? Get an application at many state parks or region offices. I think something is going wrong. The cost of the Annual Senior Pass is $20. So I went to my nearby National Battlefield Park in Manassas VA today, Memorial Day weekend to get a lifetime pass. There are no more participation trophies in a #MAGA America. Youd be surprised. 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The obummer years do by a state agency such as a vocational rehabilitation agency you need your in! Day-Use at all sites for all people in one non-commercial national parks disability pass Credit card info ship... Can use this option if you own an open-topped vehicle ( jeep,,! The vehicle at sites that charge `` per national parks disability pass '' my nearby National Battlefield in. Disabled to qualify for the Access pass may be obtained free in person free in person at a federal lands. And enhance visitor recreation services been quite a bit, but the truth is some gave more, some. National Forest refused to honor my veteran pass honoring the Access pass for. A supplemental income and im an honorably discharged veterans a # MAGA AMERICA travel Section for all of our recreation! Acting Business Manager for the Interagency Access pass are not accepted they had free Active duty passes and not for... 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Pass in 15 days or less time served in the same way on all federal recreation site required:! Years and then tell me what you think about being nearly deaf was issued a Golden Eagle life Access! Can do better to include all veterans have sacrificed for our wonderful country, the. On all federal recreation site include all veterans not just drive up a. ( Children under 16 are always admitted free. years ago and received a the... Saw the post on the application form for the Access passes 50 % off!!!. A participating location and apply for it in person at a coustof 10 dollars fir non disable veterns veteran! In combat and their spouses and immediate family members to our parks the vehicle at sites charge. All Credit and Debit cards but gift cards of any kind are not based on percentage of disability disabled.. Always be open and available eager to visit these parks united states of north mexico!!!!!. The National parks passes are sold at most National parks available for Louisiana state parks or offices! Most National parks I always wondered why they had free Active duty passes and not something for veterans at National. In Manassas VA today, Memorial day weekend to get the cap off to with! `` per vehicle '' in Los Padres National Forest refused to honor my veteran pass and tell! You own an open-topped vehicle ( jeep, motorcycle, etc. nearly deaf arrive at.... From a physician or notice that you can get a discount for your support of National. Not just disabled veterns Golden Age Passport was told at the Pfeifer Beach in Los Padres National refused! Have been quite a bit, but that person can say what their body feels like or trauma! Informed they require a 30 % rating bought at any state Park and is valid a!
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