Is a divorced spouse of a veteran eligible for benefits?

I am a spouse of retired military husband. We married after he was retired. Then he had to put me in the DEERS system so I get an ID and could become eligible for benefits, such as health insurance and spousal pension benefit upon his death. You have to be married 10 years and can not remarry or you lose it. It is the fully retired veteran who is responsible for putting the spouse in DEERS so she/he can receive benefits. The veteran can not get TRICARE health benefits, if they didn't stay in 20 years, back then. So it does depend, as I stated earlier, how long her husband was in the service and did he take a pension or not.

No. I've checked with VA for the same reason.

Your best resource would be to contact your local veteran's affairs board. They could guide you. You do not say if her spouse was retired from the military as that would possibly be a benefit if proper paperwork was filed during the marriage. This is a complicated question that should be asked of the VA.

She should have received some type of divorce settlement for being married 20 yrs. The rule was (things might have changed), married 20 yrs., a veteran 20 yrs. and (I can't remember the other 20), and the divorced spouse cannot be remarried. She is entitled to commissary and Tricare (health benefits). Whoever was her divorce attorney did not do a good job of spelling out those financial arrangements. Children of veterans receive no benefits unless it is stated in the divorce agreement.

It is possible that she may be entitled to Social Security benefits if he was eligible for them. My mother was married to a vet, my father, Who divorced her and remarried. After he passed away I learned that my mother could apply for Social Security based on his earnings. She had to provide a copy of the marriage certificate, a copy of the divorce decree, and a copy of the death certificate. I believe they need to have been married for more than 10 years to be eligible. This is something worth looking into if he had eligibility for Social Security.

I am a divorced wife of a Navy Captain...I have benefits through the 20/20 Rules. (We were married for 31 years and he served 28 years. )I have a military ID for discounts, travel benefits as well as Tri-Care for life. My local reserve center was a wealth of knowledge AND relief. I am not a "senior" yet....but these benefits will continue.

Google TriCare Former Spouse or go here... http://www.tricare.mil/Plans/Eligibility/FormerSpouses.aspx

The benefit follows the veteran, in exceedingly rare cases only, could a divorced spouse have eligibility.

I was told when you divorce the "veteran" you divorce the benefits...:( My mother was married to this asshole for 50 years....

@taheger... no, check out this link...
paycheck-chronicles.military/2015/09/14/understanding-the-202020-rule/

I have insurance until I am 65. I hope this information will help you.