Patriotic fee-free days for 2026:
Most of the sites managed by the National Park Service are free to visit, but some require an entrance pass. You may also need a reservation at a few high-traffic sites. Frequent visitors, seniors, military, and others may save money on entrance fees with an America the Beautiful—the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass, also known as an America the Beautiful or interagency pass. Review all pass options and decide which pass is best for you.
Participating agencies include the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, and US Army Corps of Engineers. Most interagency passes are available through the USGS Online Store. Use the search tool for options to purchase or pick up passes at participating agencies' sites across the country.
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 Who qualifies?
Current Military and Dependents:
- Current members of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Space Force and National Guard
- Dependents of current U.S. military members
- U.S. Military Cadets
- U.S. Active Reservists (Do not need to be deployed)
What documentation is required when obtaining the pass in person?
- Unexpired Common Access Card (CAC)
- Unexpired DD Form 1173
- Unexpired Next Generation Dependent ID (Replacement of DD Form 1173)
***Common Access Cards (CAC) are NOT accepted online for verification but they are accepted at physical sites that issue Military Passes
1. Gold Star Families
- Gold Star Families are next of kin of a member of the United States Armed Forces who lost his or her life in a “qualifying situation,” such as a war, an international terrorist attack, or a military operation outside of the United States while serving with the United States Armed Forces, as explained in Department of Defense Instruction 1348.36
- Gold Star Family members must self-certify by applying for a Military-Lifetime Pass online at https://store.usgs.gov/MilitaryPass or downloading and printing a special voucher to either present to the ranger, exchange for a Military Pass in person, or place on the vehicle dashboard at unstaffed sites. Gold Star Vouchers may be downloaded from https://www.nps.gov/customcf/goldstar/voucher.htm
2. Veterans
- Individuals who served in the U.S. Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserves, and are able to present one of the following valid non-expired forms of identification when entering or using federal lands:
- Department of Defense Identification Card (DD Form 2, DD Form 2765, or Next Generation USID replacement)
- Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
- Veteran ID Card (As of September 2022, the VA only provides a digital version.)
- Veterans designation on a state-issued U.S. driver’s license or identification card
 Unacceptable Documents
- Expired Common Access Card (CAC)
- Business cards
- Email screenshots
- Proof of verification through other verification services
- Dependent application for VA benefits
- Documents that are not issued by the US government, for example:
- Veterans Advantage card
- VFW membership card
- American Legion
- USAA documentation
VA's NW MIRECC serves to improve the mental health and well-being of Veterans through research and dissemination of information to providers both within VA and the general public. VHA continually evolves and cultivates ongoing cutting-edge medical research and innovation to improve the lives of America’s patriots. VA's Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 20 serves Alaska, Washington, Oregon, most of Idaho, and one county each in Montana and California. Operating across three time zones over 817,417 square miles, VISN 20 is home to 273 federally recognized American Indian and Alaskan Native tribes. Spanning 23% of US land mass, VISN 20 is the largest geographic region of VA. NW MIRECC brings together complementary research, education, and clinical programs from VA Puget Sound (VAPSHCS) and the VA Portland Health Care System (VAPORHCS). The collaborative approach to mental health research, education and treatment has had a profound impact on the lives of Veterans.
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VAPSHCS and VAPORHCS were commissioned by Congress and the VA as one of the first three MIRECCs in the United States. The mission of NW MIRECC is to improve the quality of life and function of Veterans by developing, evaluating, and promoting the implementation of effective treatments for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and its complex comorbidities. PTSD comorbidities include the behavioral consequences of repetitive blast mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), Substance Use Disorder (SUD), chronic pain (in particular, post-concussive headaches), cognitive impairment, and increased risk for neurodegenerative disorders (chronic traumatic encephalopathy [CTE] and Alzheimer’s disease [AD]). VA MIRECC's provide for the improvement of the provision of health-care services and related counseling services to eligible veterans suffering from mental illness (especially mental illness related to service-related conditions) through—
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- the conduct of research (including research on improving mental health service facilities of the Department and on improving the delivery of mental health services by the Department);
- the education and training of health care personnel of the Department; and
- the development of improved models and systems for the furnishing of mental health services by the Department.
As part of the VISN 20 NW MIRECC mission to enhance access to mental health expertise, the NW MIRECC collaborates and consults with other MIRECCs and Centers of Excellence, as well as with other VA, Department of Defense (DoD), Federal, State departments of Veterans Affairs, community agencies, and experts. The close geographic proximity (40 miles) of DoD Joint Base Lewis-McChord/Madigan Army Medical Center to VAPSHCS has provided an exciting opportunity to develop innovative and productive research, education, and clinical care collaborations with DoD personnel that address PTSD and its associated conditions in their early stages in active-duty Servicemembers.
VA ranks as one of the nation's leaders in health research. Every year, thousands of research studies are conducted at VA medical centers, outpatient clinics, and nursing homes. For example, the VA has:
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- Developed artificial limbs that allow amputees to have more independence and better quality of life
- Invented the cardiac pacemaker
- Performed the first successful liver transplantation
- Developed the nicotine patch to help people stop smoking
- Played a major role in the development of the CT/CAT scan to view the inside of the body
- Tested new drugs and treatments for diseases such as AIDS, Diabetes, Alzheimer's and Osteoporosis
NW MIRECC research studies significantly contribute to advancements in our understanding of medical problems that lead to health improvements for Veterans and civilians alike. Research studies at NW MIRECC are currently enrolling Military Veterans, First Responders, Health Care workers, and Civilians in Seattle, Washington.
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