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Home Depot stores profiting on veterans

December 8, 2011

By DANIEL BLACKBURN

Veterans, enticed by the promise of special discounts, load their carts at Home Depot stores only to discover the advertised discounts require a non-existent veterans’ service card.

While a portion of veterans receive medical cards, the bulk are expected to utilize their discharge documents as proof of their service to the country, a document most Home Depots refuse to honor while promoting the stores as being supportive of veterans.

Several military veterans told CalCoastNews they have battled with clerks who refused to allow them the advertised veteran discounts at San Luis Obispo County Home Depot stores because they cannot produce a veterans’ card.

Los Osos resident Bobby Roark said he went to the veterans’ administration and was told the cards are non-existent after being turned down for the discount at a local Home Depot store.

“I think they are trying to look like they are honoring the troops,” Roark said.”You are either supporting veterans or you are not. You can’t just cherry pick a few that have a health card.”

Home Depot clerks said that store policy does not permit them to accept military discharge papers as proof of prior service. The clerks said store policy requires shoppers to show a veterans’ card in order to receive the discount.

Veteran Service officials said the retail giant has long been aware that former military personnel are not provided a veterans identification card upon leaving the military and have refused to change its policy.

Kelly Hayes, an administrative assistant at San Luis Obispo County Veterans’ Services, said they have contacted the retailer who told her it is company policy to require a card. Hayes said that there are discussions of changing veterans’ policies so that all veterans have access to a card.

Currently, only veterans receiving veterans’ health care benefits are provided a card.

“You have to qualify for health care to get a card,” Hayes said. “Unfortunately, Home Depot is not accepting a discharge document stating that this member was in the military. It should be sufficient, but unfortunately it is not.

“We have talked with them about their policy, but they are not planning on changing it. It is kind of a bummer.”

Confusion over individual store policies and interpretations of eligibility have long plagued Home Depot’s 10 percent vet discount program, according to numerous Web postings and blog comments dating back several years.

“There are varying opinions (of the program),” said Stephen Holmes, senior manager of corporate communications for the Atlanta-based Home Depot, acknowledging the widespread nature of the controversy. “But the policy is in place. There was some confusion where some thought we had cancelled it, but it remains part of our commitment to honor our veterans and military.”


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Sorry Home Depot, YOU just lost my business for your sheer stupidity.


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Go to staples and have them photo copy, a copy of your DD form 214 shrink it to wallet size , with that and you Driver’s license you ‘ll be able to prove your a VET


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Some have taken to criticizing the article written here as “unclear’ when it truly is the policy of Home Despot that is not clear; to say that the veteran has to have a “card” that seems to only be available to those who are receiving benefits is not the same as saying that you are offering a 10% discount to all veterans. The quote from the public relations person reenforces that that is their policy, to wit: “The everyday discount is available to active-duty, National Guard and reservists, retired and disabled service members, and their spouses.” Notice please, that this statement says nothing about discharged veterans; there is a difference between a veteran who served his term of service with honor and was then discharged and a member of the military who has “retired”, usually meaning someone who has put in twenty years or more. IF the policy was posted in each store like it has been posted here, that would help clear up the ambiguity that seems to plague this issue. One thing that is very clear however, is the question of whether or not the Veteran’s discount program at Home Depot is for all veterans or not; it is not, period. That seems to me to back up the assertion that I heard Karen make on the radio the other day about Home Depot “profiting on veterans”- that should be clear to everyone, regardless of any other programs HD has to benefit veterans.


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Sounds to me as though the Government needs to issue all Vet’s ( I am one) an ID card. I have my Vet’s medical ID card and use it at Home Depot with no troubles. They are free to all Honorable discharged

vets. Weather or not you use the medical services you should get one. Many stores and places accept them for vets discounts.


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According to the article, a VA identification card is what’s necessary to qualify for the discount. I thought all veterans qualified for VA services and all they have to do is sign up with the VA and they will receive a card?


Recently, I heard that automatically qualifying for VA services isn’t like it used to be for our Veterans and that many Vets do not qualify for any VA services and therefor do not receive a VA card. Can anybody speak to this fact that vets do not all qualify for a VA card or services?


I know they used to all qualify as my father, all my uncles (WWII) and my friends who served (Vietnam) had VA privileges regardless of whether they used the services verse their own medical insurance and their own private doctors, they had the option. Is this no longer the case?


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Sorry folks, I just read all the latest posts here including the reply from the PR dept to oto. Now I understand how the Home Depot program works. This is a very confusing article and appears to be poorly researched.


Apart from the clarification to how the HD discount program has been implemented, my question about vets qualifying for VA services still stands. I’m curious if all vets qualify for VA services or if only duty related injuries now qualify for VA services?


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