Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs

What Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs does

The Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs (UDVMA) is a State of Utah executive-branch department headquartered at 550 Foothill Drive, Suite 105, Salt Lake City. Its charter is to serve as the State-level liaison connecting Utah's Veterans, active-duty service members, Reserve/Guard personnel, and their families to federal Department of Veterans Affairs benefits, State of Utah-specific benefits, and a portfolio of wraparound support services. UDVMA deploys VA-accredited Veteran Service Officers (VSOs) across four regional offices (Northern Utah, Salt Lake Metro, Central Utah, Southern Utah) plus an embedded footprint at Utah Department of Workforce Services locations to provide free claims preparation, submission, and appeals assistance for VA disability, pension, education, and burial benefits. The department also operates the State Approving Agency (UT-SAA) validating academic, vocational, apprenticeship, flight training, and licensing programs under GI Bill programs across the Utah System of Higher Education's 16 public institutions.

UDVMA's service portfolio spans VA Claims Assistance, Healthcare Navigation, Education Benefits (including tuition waivers and the Veterans Tuition Gap Program), Employment Services, Business Resources (Veterans Business Resource Center, veteran-owned business registry), Burial Benefits, Housing Assistance including the $2,500 Utah First-Time Homebuyer Grant and disabled-veteran property tax abatement, Legal Aid, Recreation Programs, the Governor's Challenge to Prevent Suicide among Service Members/Veterans/Families, and the Purple Star Schools Program supporting military-connected K-12 students. The department directly operates four state-run skilled nursing Veterans Homes — Salt Lake (81 beds), Ogden (120 beds), Payson (108 beds), and Ivins (108 beds) — all rated 5-star by CMS and running at 95% occupancy, plus the Utah Veterans Cemetery & Memorial Park in Bluffdale (FY25: 499 internments). It also maintains a DD-214 military discharge archive for Utah-home-of-record Veterans and acts as the State liaison to military installations including Hill Air Force Base, Tooele Army Depot, Dugway Proving Ground, Camp Williams, and the Utah Test and Training Range.

The business model is non-commercial: UDVMA is funded by State of Utah general appropriations plus federal VA per diem subsidies of approximately $120 per resident-day for eligible Veterans in the four Veterans Homes. Most services are provided free of charge to Veterans and their families; fee-bearing line items are limited to Cemetery chapel reservation ($150) and niche vases ($25). The Leadership team is led by Commissioner / Executive Director Gary Harter (sitting in the Governor's cabinet), with Deputy Commissioners for Military Affairs (Brian Garrett) and Veterans Affairs (Cory Pearson), supporting approximately 50+ headquarters and regional VSO staff plus roughly 800 total employees across the Veterans Homes. The department traces its lineage to a 1919 Board of Soldier Settlement and has been reorganized multiple times (1935 Public Welfare, 1947 Veterans Affairs, 1973 within Social Services, 2000 Division of Veteran Services under the Utah National Guard, 2007 Utah Department of Veteran Affairs under Governor Huntsman, 2013 current UDVMA form under Governor Herbert).

Name

Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs

Legal name

Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs

Website

https://veterans.utah.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs (UDVMA) is a State of Utah executive-branch agency headquartered in Salt Lake City that provides free VA-accredited claims assistance, healthcare and education navigation, employment and housing support, four state-run skilled nursing Veterans Homes, and a Veterans Cemetery to Utah's approximately 129,783 Veterans, 31,454 active-duty/Guard/Reserve personnel, and their families, while also liaising with Utah's major military installations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Veterans and Military Affairs Services

NAICS

Administration of Veterans' Affairs (92314), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAKAI

Veterans & Military Family Benefits Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Social Security, Benefits & Welfare Administration

SECONDARYHLAFAAAH

Veterans/Military Hospitals & Federal Health Systems

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Acute Care Hospitals & Health Systems

SECONDARYHLAJAAAI

Military & Veterans Public Health Departments

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Public Health Agencies & Health Departments

Keywords

• Veterans benefits assistance
• VA claims assistance
• Veterans nursing homes
• State veterans services
• Military affairs coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Appropriations: Funded through Utah State government budget appropriations and federal VA funding mechanisms
2. VA Per Diem Subsidies: Veterans homes receive approximately $120 per day VA per diem subsidy for eligible Veterans with service-connected disabilities below 70%

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

UDVMA is the State of Utah's cabinet-level department that connects Veterans, current service members, and their families to federal VA benefits and state-specific programs. It delivers free VA-accredited claims assistance through Veteran Service Officers statewide, operates four skilled nursing Veterans homes and the Utah Veterans Cemetery, administers the State Approving Agency for GI Bill education benefits, and coordinates military affairs for Utah's installations. Services are provided at no cost to eligible Veterans and are funded by state appropriations and federal VA per diem subsidies.

Product overview

The Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs (UDVMA) is a state government department that serves as the central hub connecting veterans, service members, and their families to federal VA benefits and state-specific programs. Rather than a single product, UDVMA operates a portfolio of interconnected service programs including VA Claims Assistance (via accredited VSOs), Healthcare Navigation, Education Benefits coordination through the State Approving Agency, Employment Services, Business Resources including the Veterans Business Resource Center, Veterans Homes (four skilled nursing facilities), the Utah Veterans Cemetery & Memorial Park, Burial Benefits, Housing Assistance including the First-Time Homebuyer Grant, Recreation Programs, Legal Assistance, Suicide Prevention initiatives, and the Purple Star Schools Program for military families. These services are delivered through a statewide network of regional offices, outreach VSO appointments, and online resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VA Claims Assistance

Quantifiable outcome

• 82,360 unique patients served by VA Salt Lake City Healthcare System with 695,144 outpatient visits in FY2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and important.

• U.S. Department of Veterans AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal partner overseeing VA benefits, healthcare, and cemetery administration. UDVMA assists Veterans in accessing VA benefits and processes claims through the VA system.
• George E. Wahlen VA Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor VA healthcare facility in Salt Lake City serving as the primary medical center for Utah Veterans under VISN 19 Rocky Mountain Network.
• Veterans Benefits Administration Salt Lake Regional OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional office handling VA disability claims, compensation, pension, education benefits, and home loans for Utah Veterans.
• American Legion (Utah)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Veterans Service Organization providing accredited representatives to assist with VA claims. Phone: 801-326-2380.
• Disabled American Veterans (DAV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization with local representation providing free VA claims assistance through accredited service officers.
• Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeterans organization providing accredited representatives for VA claims assistance. Phone: 801-326-2385.
• Utah Department of Workforce ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing employment services; VSOs meet Veterans at DWS offices throughout Utah for benefits assistance.
• Hill Air Force BasecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Air Force Materiel Command base home to 75th Air Base Wing, Ogden Air Logistics Complex, and 388th/419th Fighter Wings.
• Utah National GuardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState military force including Army and Air National Guard components; UDVMA serves as liaison to leadership.
• U.S. Army Dugway Proving GroundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArmy testing center for chemical/biological defense, munitions testing, and home to Unmanned Aerial Systems Rapid Integration and Acceptance Center.
• U.S. Army Tooele Army DepotcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestern Depot Complex supporting global ammunition management operations and engineering precision design.
• Utah System of Higher EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState higher education system with 16 public universities and technical colleges providing Veteran support services and GI Bill administration.
• Salt Lake Chamber of CommerceimportantStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor business organization with Military Affairs Committee supporting military installations and Veteran employment.
• Utah Defense AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity advocacy organization promoting continued vitality of military installations, maintaining relationships with senior military leadership.
• Governor's Office of Economic OpportunitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState economic development agency providing business grants, rural development resources, and supporting Veteran entrepreneurs.
• Military Order of the Purple HeartimportantStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeterans organization providing VA claims assistance through accredited representatives. Phone: 801-782-7005.
• Intermountain HealthcareimportantStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system providing behavioral health access centers and partnering on mental health resources for Veterans.
• Utah Department of Health and Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partnering on Governor's Challenge to Prevent Suicide among Service Members, Veterans, and Families (SMVF).
• VA Salt Lake City HealthcarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Governor's Challenge suicide prevention initiative; provides mental health services and resources.
• Davis Chamber of CommerceimportantStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional chamber with Military Affairs Committee supporting military community and installations.
• Ogden-Weber Chamber of CommerceimportantStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional chamber participating in Top of Utah Military Affairs Committee (TOUMAC) with Davis Chamber.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Wounded Warrior Project: National nonprofit focused on post-9/11 Veterans — overlapping with UDVMA's Current Conflict cohort (70,932 Veterans) on mental health, employment, and benefits navigation services.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): Federal agency that UDVMA serves as state-level liaison to — administers the underlying benefits, healthcare, and cemetery programs that UDVMA helps Veterans access. Sets the regulatory framework VSOs operate within.

Direct peers

• New York State Division of Veterans' Services: State agency providing free VA claims assistance, benefits navigation, and advocacy — directly comparable to UDVMA's regional VSO model and benefits portfolio.
• Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW): National VSO with Utah posts providing accredited VA claims representation — directly comparable service to UDVMA's core VSO offering for the same Veteran population.
• Disabled American Veterans (DAV): National VSO providing free VA claims assistance through accredited service officers in Utah — competes for the same Veteran claims workload that UDVMA's regional VSOs serve.
• Military Order of the Purple Heart: Veterans service organization providing accredited VA claims assistance in Utah — directly comparable to UDVMA's VSO service for service-connected disability claims.
• California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet): California state agency providing benefits assistance, claims representation, and operates veterans homes — directly comparable scope to UDVMA across claims, homes, and cemetery services.
• Florida Department of Veterans Affairs: State agency administering VA benefits assistance, state veterans homes, and cemetery services — direct peer offering parallel one-stop benefits service plus nursing home operations.
• Texas Veterans Commission: State agency administering veterans benefits, claims assistance, and state-specific programs in Texas — the closest functional analog to UDVMA at scale, with similar VSO-based service model.
• American Legion: Major congressionally-chartered VSO with Utah posts providing accredited VA claims assistance — competes with and partners alongside UDVMA's VSO service.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Utah_DVMA
• Facebookfacebook.com/udvma
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/udvma
• Instagraminstagram.com/utah_dvma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs