Montana Veteran Affairs Division

11/02/2026

🇺🇸 November is Military Family Appreciation Month!

This month, we recognize the spouses, children, parents, grandparents, siblings, and caregivers who support our service members through every challenge and milestone. Thank you for your strength, sacrifice, and dedication. 💙

Tag a military family you're grateful for and help us celebrate them this month! 👇

MVAD connects Montana veterans and their families with the resources, programs, and support they've earned through service and sacrifice. Visit our website to learn more: https://veterans.mt.gov

10/30/2026

🎃👻 Halloween 2026 at the HAFRC was spooktacular!

This year, MVAD joined the fun as Disney Villains, and we had to keep a close eye on Cruella de Vil and all those adorable puppies. 🐾

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hello and pick up some candy! From all of us at MVAD, we wish you a safe, fun, and happy Halloween tomorrow.

10/27/2026

Montana Veterans, we see you, we honor you, and we are here for you.

As our community grows, more people ask how we support veterans across our state. Here’s what matters most: you are never alone, and our no‑cost accredited Veteran Service Officers are ready to help.

🌟 Understanding your benefits
🌟 Filing VA claims (compensation and pension)
🌟 Support with appeals and VA hearings
🌟 Burial and survivor benefit claims
🌟 Referrals to local resources
🌟 Help obtaining military records

Montana is also home to our three State Veteran Cemeteries where veterans and their eligible family members are cared for with dignity, respect, and gratitude every single day.

If you have questions or want to learn more, we are only a phone call away.
406‑324‑3743 OR visit us online: https://veterans.mt.gov

The Montana Veteran Affairs Division (MVAD) was established in 1919 and was originally named the "Montana Welfare Veterans Commission." This name then changed to the Montana Board of Veteran Affairs, which oversees the Montana Veteran Affairs Division. MVAD is administratively attached to the Depart...

10/22/2026

Today we celebrate one of our extraordinary Administrative Assistants, Megan VanGrimbergen, whose dedication truly shines! 🌟

Last week, Megan received our Certificate of Appreciation for her tireless support of the Belgrade office and every Veteran who calls or walks through our doors.

Our Eastern Regional Program Manager, Lindsay Berge, shared, “Megan is an incredible team player, while being a consistently reliable presence in a very demanding office. She has been able to quickly learn the nuances of the position and is extremely efficient. She greets MVAD veterans with a smile and treats them with respect, kindness and empathy even in stressful situations. Megan goes above and beyond to help us achieve our goals, her hard work and dedication is an example to everyone.”

Congratulations, Megan, and thank you for being such an outstanding example of dedication here at MVAD! 💕

10/21/2026

Last week, MVAD was honored to attend one of the Western Montana Military Officers Association (WMMOA) Fall luncheons. Our administrator, Matt Young, shared an overview of who we are and how we serve our state’s veterans, and he was especially thrilled to draw the winning raffle ticket for the event! 🎉

Thank you to WMMOA for inviting us to share our mission and answer some of the questions we hear most often. We’re grateful for the partnership and the continued support of our Montana veterans. 🤝

10/19/2026

Day 4 marked the close of our MVAD 2026 Annual Training Conference! 🎉💙

We were honored to welcome The Adjutant General for the Montana National Guard, Brigadier General Trent Gibson, who recognized former team member Bridger Ellis and shared meaningful reflections on how MVAD supports Montana Veterans and their families. 🇺🇸

We also want to congratulate several staff members who reached incredible milestones this year:
🌟 Eric Mcelhaney — 5 Years
🌟 Karyn Milledge — 10 Years
🌟 Steve Mulonet — 15 Years
🌟 Kurt Holmund — 20 Years

Your dedication continues to shape the way we serve Montana’s Veterans.

Thank you to everyone for your patience while our team dedicated this week to strengthening our skills and celebrating the mission that drives us.

10/15/2026

🎃✨ Spooky fun is headed your way, Helena! ✨🕸️

Join us for an afternoon of Halloween excitement at the Helena Armed Forces Reserve Center—where the halls will be filled with treats, activities, and plenty of festive surprises!

📅 Friday, October 30, 2026
🕒 2:00 PM–5:00 PM
📍 Fort Harrison – Helena, MT

Swing through the building in your best costumes, load up on candy, explore our decorated MVAD space, and enjoy a whole lineup of kid‑friendly Halloween fun! 👻

Volunteers Needed!
If you’d like to help out with games, stations, or spooky setup, reach out to the Child & Youth Program at 406‑324‑5120 or 406‑324‑3925.

10/14/2026

Day 3 of our MVAD 2026 Annual Training Conference left our team truly inspired. 💙🇺🇸

We were honored to have Jay Bowen, The American Legion National Commander, join us and remind us why our mission matters. Hearing how our work impacts Veterans and families across Montana reaffirmed the importance of every conversation, every service, and every story we help carry forward.

Our teams also continued with breakout sessions to strengthen skills, share experiences, and build on the purpose that drives us — ensuring future Veterans receive the support they deserve.

Another powerful day of learning, connection, and commitment.

10/09/2026

In observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Columbus Day on Monday, October 12th, all MVAD offices and cemeteries will be closed.

We appreciate your understanding and patience during this holiday closure.

We will reopen on Tuesday, October 13th.

10/08/2026

Day 2 of our MVAD 2026 Annual Training Conference was another success! 💪💙

Our team split into groups to dive deeper into the unique roles of our Veteran Service Officers, Cemetery Staff, and Administrative Assistants. Each group had the chance to explore new resources, learn about services and programs specific to their work, and connect across departments.

This collaboration strengthens how we support Montana Veterans — together. 🇺🇸 We’re excited to bring this knowledge back to our communities and continue improving the services we provide.