About VetNav
Built by a Navy veteran who went through the system. Used the GI Bill, the VA disability process, the Foreign Medical Program, and federal hiring preference, mostly from Japan. VetNav exists because that whole journey was harder than it should have been.
My Story
I served six years in the U.S. Navy, stationed in Yokosuka, Japan. When my contract ended I decided to stay in Japan with my Japanese spouse, which made figuring out my benefits a lot more complicated than it would have been from a base in the U.S.
I used the Post-9/11 GI Bill to fund a Cybersecurity Technology degree at the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC). The GI Bill paid tuition and a housing stipend, which kept me financially afloat while I was studying and figuring out what was next.
While I was at UMGC I went through the VA disability rating process. Doing that from overseas was its own challenge. No U.S. address, no U.S. phone number, no in-person VSO around the corner. I worked through it, and the rating opened the door to the next benefit: the Foreign Medical Program. The FMP covers service-connected conditions for veterans living outside the U.S. It is one of the least-known VA benefits I have come across, and it has been valuable.
For employment, I used bestmilitaryresume.com to translate my military experience into civilian resume language. Then I applied on USAjobs.gov using the disabled veteran hiring preference. That combination, the UMGC degree, a translated resume, and the federal hiring preference, is what got me into the cybersecurity contracting role I work in today.
None of those steps were obvious from the start. Most of them I learned about by stumbling into them. That is the core problem I wanted to solve with VetNav.
Why VetNav Exists
Generic AI tools are not trained on veteran benefits documentation. Veteran benefits live across VA.gov, USAjobs, state portals, employer programs, and a long tail of niche resources. There is no single person, and no single tool, that combines them clearly.
VetNav is an AI trained on the actual VA documentation, paired with a guide that covers VA programs and the non-VA programs most veterans do not hear about. The whole thing is built by one person who went through enough of the system to know which parts trip people up.
It is still being built. I add to it as I find things worth adding.
What VetNav Is Not
- Not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. VetNav helps you navigate VA benefits more effectively. It is not the VA.
- Not a law firm or accredited claims agent. Nothing on this site is legal advice. For complex claims, working with a VSO or accredited claims agent is a good idea.
- Not a generic chatbot. The AI is specifically trained on veteran benefits documentation. It still has limits, and it always points you to the official source.
- Not selling your data. Your profile is used only to personalize the experience on VetNav. See the Privacy Policy for details.
Find what you've earned
The complete benefits guide is free for every veteran. The AI is free to try with one briefing, then $9.99/month or a 7-day free trial.