Florida Military Specialist
4Hours CE
Florida Realtors®
Copyright© 2014
Objectives
Florida’s Military History
Base Locations in Florida
Ranks
Pay Grades
Military Demographic
Programs for Disabled Veterans
Objectives
Education Benefits
Florida Homestead Exemptions
Veteran Employment Benefits
Health Care for Veterans in Florida
VA Loans
Guaranty vs. Guarantee
Florida’s Military History
• The explorer Ponce de Leon, was the first to come
ashore in Florida and give the state its name
• The French established Fort Caroline in 1564 near
modern day Jacksonville
• The Spanish retaliated by building a fort themselves
– Fort Castillo de San Marcos
Florida’s Military History
• Florida’s military history seems a perpetual
battle between Spain, France and Britain over
ownership of the land
• Eventually the British persevered, taking
control around 1763
• Florida is inherently intertwined with military
endeavors, successes and defeats, both in
peacetime and in war
Military Installations
When working with military service personnel
whether active duty or retired, it’s important for
you to know the mechanics of the military to
provide knowledge driven information to your
clients
Military Installations
One of the best ways to assist these military
families is to understand the military
representation in one’s own marketplace.
This means becoming familiar with the areas of
the state that have a significant military
presence, whether through the Navy, Air Force
or the Army
http://militarybases.com/florida/
Military Bases in Florida
Let’s take some time to review
the military bases in Florida.
Ranks
• The U.S. Armed Forces has its own culture,
language, and ways of conducting business.
• For civilians with little or no personal exposure
to the military culture, the Armed Forces may
seem overwhelming, incomprehensible,
esoteric, or even anachronistic
Ranks
• Protocols are in order which must be
followed
• Individuals are put through a very precise,
scientifically studied program to make them
tougher, more resilient, and highly efficient
in strenuous or stressful environments
Ranks
• Military rank is more than just who salutes
whom
• On the battlefield commanders can be killed
or captured at any time
Ranks
• Without a concrete chain of command, less
experienced soldiers would be left without
direction or instruction in the absence of a
leader and could face the prospect of death or
capture
• The military rank structure provides that
someone is in command at all times
Ranks
• What does rank mean for the Florida Military
Specialist?
• How might this past experience change the
way your military client shares information
with you?
• How might it affect family decisions?
Ranks
Modern military services recognize three
broad categories of personnel:
• Officers
• Non-Commissioned Officers
• Enlisted
Pay and the Role it Play’s
History
• The Continental Congress passed rudimentary
laws regarding service pensions
• These pensions were administered by the
individual states
Pay and the Role it Play’s
History
• The Bureau of Labor and Statistics uses the
Employment Cost Index (ECI) to adjust military
wages
• Military pay raises coincide with wage
earnings in the private sector
Pay vs. Allowance
• Pay is money which is based upon
remuneration for employment
• Allowance is money necessary for the efficient
performance of duty
• Generally speaking, pay is income, while
allowances are reimbursements
Pay vs. Allowance
• Basic pay also known as base pay, is provided
on a monthly basis and is determined by rank
and length of military service
• Service members are paid on the 1st and 15th
of the month
• The monthly pay statement is known as Leave
and Earnings Statement (LES)
Pay vs. Allowance
Types of Allowance:
Basic Allowance for Housing – is non taxable
money paid on a monthly basis for service
members not occupying government quarters.
Three factors for determining BAH:
1. Pay Grade
2. Location
3. Dependents
Pay vs. Allowance
Types of Allowance:
Basic Allowance for Subsistence – meant to
offset service members costs for meals
Clothing Allowance – provided on an annual
basis to buy and replace required uniforms.
Amount determined by rank and branch of the
military
Pay vs. Allowance
Types of Allowance:
Overseas Housing Allowance – enables service
members stationed overseas to privately lease
housing based on the economy of the area
stationed
Family Separation Allowance – for service
members with dependents who serve
unaccompanied tour of duty
Pay vs. Allowance
Types of Allowance:
Overseas COLA – is a non taxable allowance to
offset the higher cost of living overseas for nonhousing goods and services
Cost of Living – helps offset the effects of higher
cost areas that service members may be located
in
Pay vs. Allowance
Types of Allowance:
Dislocation Allowance – is to partially reimburse
a service member for the expenses incurred in
relocating the household on a PCS, ordered for
the Government’s convenience, or incident to
an evacuation
Pay vs. Allowance
Lenders have the discretion to super-cede any and all VA
guidelines, when counting allowances as income to qualify for a
mortgage. Some lenders will count allowances and Gross Up
that amount as they are not taxed.
The key would be to
determine which allowances would be considered Long Term
such as BAH, BAS and sometimes the clothing allowance. Most
of the other allowances are Short Term and cannot be counted
as effective income.
Getting to Know Them
The Florida Military Specialist should understand
the varying needs of active service members,
retirees and veterans
All people who previously served in the military
are considered veterans, but a retiree is a
veteran who has met certain criteria
Getting to Know Them
Retiree Criteria:
Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines – 20 or more
years of service
When the 20 year criteria is met the retirees
name is moved to the Rolls of Retired Personnel
Getting to Know Them
Age Distribution
Getting to Know Them
Aptitude and Educational Background
Marital Status
Marital Status
Veterans Living in Florida by Age
Age
Number
Age
Number
<20
250
55-59
133,513
20-24
10,720
60-64
207,939
25-29
37,612
65-69
167,871
30-34
63,234
70-74
134,731
35-39
76,505
75-79
138,584
40-44
45-49
104,621
130,080
80-84
85+
120,443
116,685
50-54
145,260
Total
1,588,029
Florida’s Veteran Population
ERA
Gulf War
Vietnam
Korean Conflict
World War II
Peace Time
Female
Male
War Time Veterans
Amount
431,062
490,589
163,760
101,590
403,662
166,222
1,354,341
1,124.894
Total Veteran Population
(9/30/2013)
1,520,563
Florida By The Numbers
 Number of veterans: 1,520,563
 VA expenditures in Florida: $7.2 billion
 Compensation and pensions: $3.4 billion
 Readjustment benefits: $280 million
 Medical and construction programs: $3.3 billion
Florida By The Numbers
 Insurance and indemnities: $105 million
 Number of veterans receiving disability
compensation or pension payments: 262,072
 Number of Florida veterans using GI Bill
education benefits: 36,394
Florida By The Numbers
 Number of home loans in Florida backed by VA
guarantees: 19,679
 Value of Florida home loans guaranteed by VA: $3.9
billion
 Number of VA life insurance policies held by Florida
residents: 111,114
Florida By The Numbers
 Value of VA life insurance policies held by
Florida residents: $1.3 billion
 Number of Florida participants in vocational
rehabilitation: 5,053
Florida By The Numbers
 Number of veterans buried in Florida’s VA
national cemeteries: 13,044
 Number of headstones and markers provided for
graves of Florida veterans and survivors: 19,514
Florida Veteran’s Benefits
• Benefits are vast and variable based on a
significant list of factors
• Be familiar with the benefits that are most
suited and available to your military customer
• A licensee who can correlate an individual’s
unique military background with the right
benefits will embody what it means to be a
Florida Military Specialist
Florida Veteran’s Benefits
Veterans seeking benefits for the first time must
submit a copy of their service form, which
documents service dates and type of discharge,
full name, military service number, and branch
of service
DD-214
DD-215
WD (for World War ll Veterans)
Health Care Benefits
There are two Veterans Integrated Service
Networks serving Florida:
• VISN 8 encompasses 60 counties in North,
Central and South Florida
• VISN 16 serves the remaining 7 counties in
Northwest Florida
Health Care Benefits
Six VA operated medical centers in Florida:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Bay Pines
Miami
Tampa
West Palm
Gainesville
Lake City
Health Care Benefits
VA provides nursing home services to Veterans through three
national programs:
1. VA owned Community Living Centers
2. State Veteran’s Homes owned and operated by the state
where it’s located
3. Community Nursing Home Program are VA contracted
health care facilities
Burial and Memorial Benefits
There are 7 VA National Cemeteries in Florida
1. Barrancas – Pensacola
2. Bay Pines – St Petersburg
3. Florida National – Bushnell
4. St. Augustine National – St. Augustine
5. Jacksonville National – Jacksonville
6. Sarasota National – Sarasota
7. South Florida – Lake Worth
Americans with Disability Act
ADA is a wide ranging law that prohibits, under
certain circumstances, discrimination based on
disability
The law was enacted by the U.S. Congress in
1990.
Florida Specific Benefits
• Disabled veterans in Florida are eligible for a
number of benefits
• Some of the benefits are available exclusively
to disabled veterans, while others are
available to all veterans of armed forces
Florida Specific Benefits
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Parks and Recreation
Licensing
Department of Motor Vehicles
Homestead Exemption
Employment
Education
Guaranty or Guarantee
26% of the adult population of the U.S is a Veteran
40% of them have not used their entitlement
Qualified Veteran’s may borrow up to $417,000 for
their owner occupied home
Guaranty or Guarantee
Eligibility Requirements:
1. Two years ( or more) on active duty as a
current service member
2. Six years of active Reserve or National Guard
duty
3. 90 days of active wartime duty under
U.S.C. Title 10
4. 181 days of active peacetime duty under
U.S.C. Title 10
Guaranty or Guarantee
VA Loans Offer:
• Equal Opportunity
• No Down Payment
• Buyer Informed of Reasonable Value
• Negotiable Interest
• Ability to Finance the Funding Fee
Guaranty or Guarantee
VA Loans Do Not:
• Guarantee the Home is Free of Defects
• Cannot Compel a Builder to Correct
Construction Defects
• Cannot Guarantee the Veteran is Making a
Good Investment
• Cannot Provide Legal Services
The Basics
A VA home loan is a mortgage loan, made by an
institutional lender (not the VA, which only
guarantees the loan to the lender) to an eligible
veteran.
The veteran may borrow up to 100% of the
purchase price of an owner- occupied principal
residence
The Basics
Repayment Plans
• Traditional Fixed-Payment Mortgage
• Buy Downs
• Adjustable Rate Mortgage
The Basics
Down Payment Requirement
Interest Rates
Closing Costs
Take a Walk with
Ron Realtor and Vicki Veteran
Questions Before
the Loan is Awarded
Questions After
the Loan is Awarded
When All Is Said and Done
The purpose of the Florida Military Specialist
certification course is to familiarize you with
Florida specific resources
The Florida Military Specialist will have superior
knowledge of the local military bases and
military communities in one’s region, even if
they are not right around the corner
When All Is Said and Done
By understanding the nuances of your military
client’s professional life you are fostering
confidence in their belief that you can help them
succeed in the listing, sale or rental of property
It is not necessary for you to know the details of
every program available to all veterans, but
rather the ones that are most suited and
available to the military customers you serve
When All Is Said and Done
As a Florida Military Specialist, you are doing
your best to assist our veterans here at home,
and those serving abroad, by taking the time to
learn about their lives and applying what you
learned to lend a helping hand
Thank You
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