Marines come ashore near Da Nang Air Base on March 8, 1965
Photo credit: U.S. Navy(National Archives, RG 127; National Archives Identifier 26382181)

August 30, 2022 - Washington, D.C. – For five nights in a row, starting Monday, National Geographic is airing a PSA from First Lady Jill Biden as part of the White House’s Joining Forces initiative, which supports military families. This PSA serves as a reminder for the military community of their free entry into all national parks.

Rather than renewing the annual pass each year, veterans and Gold Star family members will be able to receive lifetime passes to federal recreational lands, thanks to the Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks (VIP) Act, passed in December 2021. 

The passes will be made available by the end of the year. Until then, veterans, service members and Gold Star families can still receive free access through the Interagency Annual Military Pass. Those can be found with proof of eligibility at specific federal locations that issue passes or on the USGS store with a $10 processing fee.

In response, Military Outdoors Campaign Manager Aaron Leonard released the following statement:

“Research has shown – and we have seen first hand – that spending time in nature has measurable, positive effects on veterans’ physical and mental health and overall wellbeing. But barriers still exist preventing many veterans from experiencing those benefits, including cost. By removing this additional step every year, veterans can spend less time and money applying and more time outside, reaping nature’s many benefits. ”

“We are also asking that the administration take this a step further and make the passes more easily available to veterans by issuing them at the 1,298 VA health care facilities across the country. Currently passes are only obtainable at limited in-person locations or online with a fee.”