External Community & Veteran Resources
Baylor is one part of your support structure, and a temporary one. These organizations were here before you enrolled and will be here after you graduate, several of them anywhere you move next.
ⓘ These organizations are external to Baylor University. Programs, eligibility, schedules, locations, and services may change. Verify current information directly with the provider.
VA Healthcare & Benefits
Doris Miller VA Medical Center
Who it's for: anyone enrolled in VA healthcare, or transferring care to the Waco area.
VA Central Texas. Primary care, specialty care, mental health, labs, and pharmacy.
Visit Doris Miller VA Medical Center →
Waco VA Regional Benefit Office
Who it's for: anyone with a compensation or pension claim in progress.
The regional office handling benefits claims for this area, distinct from the medical center and from Baylor's own education benefits office.
Visit the Waco VA Regional Benefit Office →
Claims & Legal Assistance
McLennan County Veterans Service Office
Who it's for: anyone filing a claim, and anyone looking for local veteran organizations.
County VSO, accredited claims help. Determines eligibility and files state and federal claims: compensation, pension, loans, grants, burial allowances. Also the best source for which local veteran organizations are currently active and who runs them.
Contact the McLennan County VSO →
Texas Veterans Commission
Who it's for: Texas veterans seeking state benefits or accredited claims representation.
State-level claims assistance, employment services, education program approval, and grant funding for veteran support programs. Has staff embedded at the Veterans One Stop.
Visit the Texas Veterans Commission →
Baylor Law Veterans Clinic FREE*
Who it's for: veterans and spouses with a legal question: landlord, family, consumer, or discharge.
A free monthly legal clinic. Baylor Law students and faculty provide free legal advice to veterans and spouses, monthly from September through June, held at the Veterans One Stop. Covers McLennan, Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Falls, Hill, and Limestone counties.
Learn About the Baylor Law Veterans Clinic →
Housing, Employment & Basic Needs
Heart of Texas Veterans One Stop FREE*
Who it's for: veterans of any era and their families, especially anyone needing several things at once.
Counseling, peer support groups, VA claims assistance, employment services, a legal clinic, clothing locker, and a food pantry, all in one building, all free. Also a place to shoot pool and eat lunch with veterans who aren't students.
Visit the Heart of Texas Veterans One Stop →
Texas Veterans Network
Who it's for: anyone moving within Texas, or needing several services through one intake.
Combined Arms, a statewide hub. Connects you to hundreds of vetted nonprofits and agencies across Texas in one intake: employment, housing, healthcare, benefits.
Explore the Texas Veterans Network →
Workforce Solutions for the Heart of Texas
Who it's for: anyone job hunting locally, during school or after graduation.
Job search, training, hiring events. Regional workforce board: job listings, customized training programs, assessments, and job fairs. Veterans receive priority of service.
2-1-1 Texas
Who it's for: anyone in a bind that isn't veteran-specific: utilities, rent, childcare, transport.
Dial 2-1-1, any hour. A statewide referral line for food, housing, utilities, transportation, childcare, and mental health. Not veteran-specific, which is sometimes exactly what you need.
Community & Veteran Organizations
Wounded Warrior Project FREE
Who it's for: post-9/11 veterans and service members, plus family members and caregivers.
No cost, and you do not need a VA rating or even to be discharged yet. Unlocks mental and physical health programs, benefits assistance, financial readiness, career counseling, and peer events.
Register with Wounded Warrior Project →
Brew & Bravo
Who it's for: anyone who wants veteran camaraderie without a program attached to it.
Monthly, a veteran-led social club. Runs monthly gatherings across Central Texas, several of them at The Baylor Club. Coffee, food, conversation, branch rivalry, and storytelling. No intake form, no case file, no agenda beyond showing up. Built for the specific thing people miss after separation, twenty years ago or last month.
Local Veteran Organizations: Quick Reference
Posts and detachments change officers, meeting places, and phone numbers often. The McLennan County Veterans Service Office above keeps the current list; call them before you drive anywhere.
| Organization | Scope | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| VFW Post 2148 | Waco | vfw2148.org |
| VFW: find any Texas post | Statewide locator | texasvfw.org |
| American Legion: post finder | National locator | mylegion.org |
| Marine Corps League: detachments | National locator | mcleaguelibrary.org |
| Military Order of the Purple Heart | Purple Heart recipients | purpleheart.org |
Who Should I Contact?
| Your situation | Go to... |
|---|---|
| I need help navigating Baylor as a veteran. | Baylor VETS: Kevin_Davis1@baylor.edu. |
| I have a VA education-benefits certification question. | VA Education Benefits Office |
| I have a billing, financial-aid, scholarship, or payment question. | Baylor One Stop |
| I need immediate or crisis support. | Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988, then press 1, or text 838255 |
See Something We Should Update?
Resources, contacts, and programs change. If you find outdated information or know of a resource that should be included, let Baylor VETS know.