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Explore How States are Supporting Military Families
Across the country, states are advancing thoughtful policies, programs, and partnerships that strengthen support for military and veteran-connected families. This toolkit brings together those efforts in one shared, accessible place.
Select a state on the map to explore local initiatives, or browse the full database below to discover ideas and opportunities being activated nationwide.
Darker shaded states are a Do Your Part state.
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Kansas provides professional licensing benefits to service members, veterans, and military spouses, supporting workforce access, career advancement, and family well-being.
Kansas offers 20 distinctive military license plate designs to honor the service and sacrifice of eligible service members, veterans, retired service members, and their family members.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Belonging, Belonging & Community, Belonging/Community Support
Kansas participates in occupational licensing compacts, allowing military spouses to transfer credentials and maintain employment across state lines, supporting workforce continuity and family stability.
Kansas recognizes military-friendly schools that demonstrate strong supports, resources, and points of contact for military-connected students and their families.
Populations: Military Children Topics: Belonging, Belonging & Community, Community Integration Support
Kansas exempts military base childcare from state licensing, allowing on-base centers and family daycare homes to operate under military standards. Providers must document compliance and establish a DCF Memorandum of Agreement to offer subsidy-supported care for military families.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Kansas provides a comprehensive set of state benefits for service members, veterans, and their families, helping support education, employment, housing, health care, and overall quality of life.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Fee Waiver, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
The Kansas Governor’s Military Council works to grow and optimize the military presence in Kansas, supporting recruitment, retention, and defense-related jobs while enhancing quality of life for service members, veterans, and their families.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Belonging, Belonging & Community, Community Integration Support
Expands the legal definition of “Armed Forces” to include the U.S. Space Force, ensuring Space Force service members are recognized in state law and eligible for the same benefits, protections, and programs as other military branches.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Removing Bureaucratic Barriers, Resource Systems Navigation
Kansas provides refunds for hunting permits when active-duty service members are relocated before the start of the season, helping prevent financial loss due to changes in duty station.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Fee Waiver, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Kansas reimburses health insurance premiums for National Guard members serving on state active duty, supporting financial stability, readiness, and family well-being during service.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Kansas provides activation pay to National Guard and Reserve members, supporting financial stability, readiness, and family well-being during periods of active duty.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Kansas allows eligible active-duty service members and their immediate family members to purchase hunting and fishing licenses at resident rates, helping reduce recreational costs during military service.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Fee Waiver, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Kansas provides differential pay to state employees called to active duty, ensuring financial stability and supporting readiness and family well-being for National Guard and Reserve members.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support, Housing, Housing Concerns/Insecurity
Kansas allows deployed service members to defer property taxes on their primary residence without interest or penalties, helping ease financial strain during extended overseas deployments.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support, Housing, Housing Concerns/Insecurity
Kansas allows military spouses, veterans, and service members to waive portions of the CDL skills test, helping them access employment opportunities and training more quickly in the commercial driving sector.
Kansas provides tax guidance for service members, veterans, and military spouses, helping clarify residency rules, exemptions, filing extensions, and how military and retirement income are taxed.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Fee Waiver, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Kansas excludes qualifying earned income of nonresident military spouses from state taxation, helping prevent unintended tax burdens when spouses relocate under military orders.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Fee Waiver, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Participates in the Military Interstate Children’s Compact (MIC3), which supports military-connected students and families by standardizing school enrollment, placement, eligibility, and graduation requirements during interstate transitions.
Populations: Military Children Topics: Belonging, Belonging & Community, Dependent Child Education, Education
Kansas allows military-connected students to access open enrollment options, helping families choose schools that meet their needs and supporting smoother school transitions during military relocations.
Populations: Military Children Topics: Belonging, Belonging & Community, Dependent Child Education, Education
Kansas allows active-duty service members who were state residents at enlistment and their immediate family members to purchase resident hunting licenses, permits, and stamps (excluding lifetime licenses).
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Removing Bureaucratic Barriers, Resource Systems Navigation
Your Feedback is Welcome!
This toolkit is launching in 'beta' to demonstrate the incredible potential of state level work. We'll keep refining it and would love your help in making it the most comprehensive, easy to use tool out there. Help us improve the States toolkit by sharing anything that needs attention with Blue Star Families by filling out this form.
A comprehensive overview of the methodology and supporting data can be found in the full technical memo.
Let's work together to support our military families.
The Do Your Part coalition is led by Blue Star Families with support from Craig Newmark and craig newmark philanthropies.
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