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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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Pennsylvania excludes qualifying military pay from state income taxation, helping reduce tax burdens for eligible service members.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Fee Waiver, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
MFRAP provides financial grants up to $5,000 to eligible Pennsylvania service members and their families to cover emergencies, including sudden loss of income, property, or childcare, natural disasters, and other urgent needs.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Childcare, Childcare Challenges, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Pennsylvania offers 46 distinctive military and veteran license plates to honor the service and sacrifice of eligible service members, veterans, retired service members, and qualifying family members statewide.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Belonging, Belonging & Community, Belonging/Community Support
Pennsylvania provides occupational licensing compacts and military spouse license recognition for military service members, veterans, and spouses, supporting workforce access, credential portability, and career continuity across state lines.
Pennsylvania 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
Pennsylvania allows service members, veterans, and their dependents to qualify for in-state tuition, reducing financial barriers to higher education during and after military-related relocations.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Pennsylvania allows National Guard and Reserve members to maintain or extend employment benefits during military duty, supporting career continuity, readiness, and family stability.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Pennsylvania provides education support through MFEP for National Guard members and their families, helping them access higher education, advance careers, and maintain family stability while enhancing readiness and reintegration.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
EAP provides educational assistance for eligible members of the PA National Guard. The amount of wach award will be based on enrollement status and on the tuition charged, capped at the PA State System of Higher Education Schools (PASSHE) flat full-time tuition rates plys the technology fee. Must enroll at one of 14 PASSHE schools.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennFOT) can waive the Commerical Driver's License (CDL) Knowledge and/or Skills Test for Pennsylvania residents who are active or reseve duty military or recently honorably dischared veterans. Provided those service members have at least two years experience operating a commerical motor vehicle as part of their military job requirements. The waiver applies to CDL applicants who wish to operate vehicles similar to those they operated in the military.
Allows resident service members stationed outside the state to purchase reduced-cost hunting licenses, supporting recreation and continuity during military service.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Fee Waiver, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
Allows resident service members to access antlerless deer licenses, supporting recreational opportunities and quality of life.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Health & Wellbeing, Health and Wellness, Physical Health Support
Allows nonresident active-duty service members stationed in the state to access resident fishing privileges, supporting recreation and quality of life.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Health & Wellbeing, Health and Wellness, Physical Health 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
Pennsylvania protects reemployment rights for employees returning from emergency or military activation, helping ensure job restoration, benefits continuity, and seniority after service.
Pennsylvania excludes qualifying differential pay received by Reserve and National Guard members from state income taxation, helping reduce tax obligations during periods of activation.
Populations: Guard and Reserve Topics: Fee Waiver, Financial Stability (Fee Waiver, Food Insecurity), Financial Support
The Pennsylvania Driver's License of a service person on active duty in the United States Armed Forces will continue to be valid as long as active service continues outside the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and for an additional 45 days after returning to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or following separation from the Armed Forces. This also applies to PA Driver's License of the service person's spouse and dependent child(ren), who reside in the same household. In addition, PA issues a valid without photo driver's license to individuals who at the time of renewal will be absent from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for 60 days due to Active Duty Military Status.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Removing Bureaucratic Barriers, Resource Systems Navigation
Pennsylvania allows state employees serving in the National Guard or Reserves to take paid military leave, supporting career continuity, readiness, and family stability during service.
A Military Status Endorsement Card ensures state driving record remains valid while out of state. For extended absences, a photoless license may be obtained. Vehicle registration renewals may be done online.
Populations: Active Duty Topics: Removing Bureaucratic Barriers, Resource Systems Navigation
Pennsylvania offers free fishing licenses to disabled veterans who has a service-connected disability who is 100 percent disabled as certified by the USVA and is a resident of the Commonwelath. Veterans who are between 60 and 99 percent disabled may initially obtain a reduced fee resident annual or a senior resident lifetime dishing license. Military personnel who are stationed in PA under Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders for a duration of 6 months or more are required to purchase a fishing livense. Certain active duty military personnel are exempt from a PA license requirement. To be eligible for a waiver, they must be a bona fide PA resident, be on active duty, be stationed outside PA and be here on authorized leave. National Guard and Armed Forces Reserve licenses are available.
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.
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