I was recently introduced to Vet Tix, an organization that supports active duty military members, veterans, and their families by offering them free tickets to sporting events, concerts, and other events. Vet Tix, or The Veteran Tickets Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded by Michael A Focareto, a veteran of the US Navy (the majority of the support staff are also veterans and those who are not veterans all have family ties to the military).
Free Tickets for Military Members, Veterans, and their Families
I love how Vet Tix includes veterans. Many organizations limit discounts and freebies to active duty, Guard / Reserve, and retirees. Part of the reason many organizations limit support to these groups of people is that it can be difficult to prove military service. Vet Tix gets around this by requiring members to create an account and send in proof of service. Let’s take a look at how to create an account (note: you are limited to only one account; duplicates will be flagged and deleted):
Qualifying for a Veteran Tickets Foundation account: You must have a verified account before you are able to log in and request tickets to events. This is a manual process that usually takes about 3 business days. To qualify, you must have served honorably in one of the following branches of service, or you must be the spouse or PNOK (Primary Next of Kin) of a veteran who was killed in action.
- Coast Guard (including Reserves)
- Marine Corps (including Reserves)
- Air Force (including Air Guard and Reserves)
- Navy (including Reserves)
- Army (including National Guard and Reserves)
Supporting documentation required: You must also provide proof of honorable service. Here is how to apply:
- Active duty. All you need to do is register with your .mil e-mail address, and you will be good to go. If you are unable to register with your e-mail address, you can provide a copy of your most recent Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), and a copy of a valid government photo ID (do not send a copy of your military ID). You can provide this information via mail, fax, or by uploading it to their site.
- Veterans. To create an account, you will need to send in a copy of your DD Form 214, DDD Form 215, DD Form 256, or NGB Form 22, along with a copy of a valid government photo ID after you sign up. Your discharge papers must prove you received an Honorable Discharge. Note: Be sure to cover your SSN when you send in your discharge paperwork; this is more secure.
- Severely Wounded Veterans. Veterans who were Severely Wounded in Combat and received a Purple Heart are required to send in the same information as veterans, along with some additional information: point of contact information for their caseworker at the VA Hospital, Wounded Warrior Battalion or Warrior Transition Unit, as well as a point of contact at their current/former military command. (I’m not sure what the difference is, as I didn’t see anything else about this on their site).
- Spouse or Primary Next of Kin of KIA. Survivors of veterans must submit a Report of Casualty Form 1300 with a valid government photo ID after signing up. The name of the person applying must be on the DD Form 1330.
All required documents can be mailed, faxed, or uploaded to their system. If you cannot find your required documentation, you can learn more about ordering a replacement DD Form 214, or requesting a copy of your military records.
You can read all of the rules on their signup page.
Tickets go fast – be sure to check often!
Because Veteran Tickets Foundation is a non-profit organization, they rely on donations of tickets and funds to make this work. You can make a tax-deductible donation to this organization, or you can support them in other ways. If you sign up for an account, be aware that tickets can be random. Some organizations regularly support this organization by providing a large number of tickets, while others may only send a few tickets. It’s important to stay up to date and be flexible when making plans.
Overall, this is a great organization and one that is doing great things for our military community. We salute you, Vet Tix!
Visit the Vet Tix website to sign up or to learn more!
About Post Author
Ryan Guina says
Comments on this article are now closed.
Please address all inquiries about ticket availability, signing up for the VetTix program, donating event tickets, and related questions to the VetTix.org customer service team.
You can also check out 1stTix.org – for First Responders.
Marvin Lewis says
Good morning,
Just trying to find out if I could get 2 tickets for the LA Clippers / Lakers game this Thursday? What would I need to do to make that happen?
April Marchlewicz says
Is this site and Vettix.org still in use? I type in vettix.org or click on it above and it comes up with: This site can’t be reached vettix.org’s server IP address could not be found. I get emails from it and tried clicking a link from one of them but same message came up as well.
Please help! Husbands 50th is around the corner and would love to take advantage of this.
Rhonda Barnaby says
I have a question since my husband is the active duty member, the site says spouses can get tickets also. But if photo id is required to pick up and the service member is deployed or at Drill or whatever, how can their family take advantage of this great service?
James Myers says
Will there be tickets available to see Elton John at the Bryce Jordon Center in State College this summer. Any info will help. Thank you
Tony E. Rice says
Hi, I have been trying to contact you because my account still says “not validated” after I have sent in a copy of my DD 214 and drivers license two times. I have been totally unable to find a phone number for you organization
PLEASE HELP
Tony Rice
Michael Brewer says
How many tickets can a Veteran get for each event?
Ken Kravitz says
I recently requested tickets for An American in Paris in Tempe Az.
I thought I requested 2 tickets but must have messed up and only got 1 ticket.
Is it possible to get a second ticket for this event for April 23 at 1:00 PM
Debra Slingerland says
Where do we send the DD 214 to there is no address
Connie says
Do you ever get tickets to any attractions in Orlando?
Tina Keys says
Recently signed up and used this… Should also mention if you have an ID.me account, they will instantly approve you.
Debra Slingerland says
What is ID .me account
Kim Hester says
Can I copy my retired Military ID (blurred SSN) and send that in lieu of my DD-214?
Ryan Guina says
Great question, Kim. You will need to contact VetTix for an answer to your question, as they have their own policies.
LaShell says
What if your name is different now then whats on your DD214?
Celeste Thomas says
Hello, where would I send that paperwork? Thanks.
Sincerely,
C.Thomas
Andrew Radico says
Need mailing address
Dick Oster says
What is your mailing address so I can sign up for tickets?
Michael Malsbury says
What is your mailing address?
Allen Nichol says
Where do I send my paper work to get signed up for free tickets?
Kathy PHIPPARD says
Can we scan our dd214 and ID instead of sending it in? Thanks.
Ryan Guina says
Kathy – yes! You should never send anyone your original DD 214, and in this case. It is also a good idea to obscure your Social Security Number when giving a copy of your DD Form 214 to anyone other than a government agency or financial institution. There is rarely a need for anyone else to have a copy of your Social Security Number and not sharing it reduces the likelihood of it falling into the wrong hands. Thanks for your service!
Nicole says
Hey is possible to get a list of places or events is the Houston ,TX area so I can better determine if I want or need to sign up?
Heather Raymond says
Ryan thank you so much for getting the word out there about Vet Tix and what we are trying to accomplish! This article has generated a spike in people joining our site and we really appreciate your assistance!
Ryan Guina says
My pleasure, Heather. Thanks for supporting the military community! 🙂