How to Use this Site

Thank you for visiting the National Resource Directory (NRD). Below are a few tips that will make it easier for you to use the site.

The National Resource Directory is an online tool for wounded, ill and injured Service Members, Veterans, their families and those who support them. The NRD provides access to thousands of services and resources at the national, state/territory and local levels that support recovery, rehabilitation and community reintegration. The Web site offers a number of ways to find this information, including:

  • Search & Advanced Search
  • Information by Subject
  • Information by State/Territory
  • Site Map

Search & Advanced Search

Type a word or phrase into the Search box on the top left-hand side of any page on the National Resource Directory and click the "Search" button to the right of the box to find results on that subject. A phrase is two or more keywords surrounded by double quotes. In addition to specific words or phrases, you can also enter the name of a city, county, or state, as well as a zip code, to find results for that location.

The Advanced Search option, accessed by clicking the word "Advanced" located to the left of the Search box, allows you to search by subject, audience, and location, in addition to a word or phrase. You can also specify whether you would like to include government resources, non-government resources, or both.

When entering multiple words into the keyword box, you can specify whether the search should match any word or all words. If all words is specified, the search will only return results that contain all of the keywords.

Location can be National, State and Local, or Zip Code. If you choose to search by State and Local, you can select individual states, or click on "Select All" at the top of the list to search all states. If you choose to search by Zip Code, you can search for resources located within a 5 to 150 mile radius of that zip code. You can choose the number of results that you would like to see per page by using the drop-down menu next to "Results per Page" at the bottom of the page.

Information by Subject

The information on this site is divided among the eight subject areas listed below. These can be accessed by clicking on the list of subjects on the left-hand side of any page on the site. Subject areas include:

  • Benefits & Compensation
  • Education & Training
  • Employment
  • Family & Caregiver Support
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Homeless Assistance
  • Transportation & Travel
  • Other Services & Resources

Each of these main subject areas is further divided into subfolders to help you find more detailed information. For example, if you are a Veteran looking for a job, you might wish to go to the Employment section of the site, and then click on the "Job Services & Employment Resources" subfolder and browse for answers to your questions.

We invite you to explore all of the main subject areas to find information that interests you.

Information by State/Territory

The "Information by State/Territory" option located on the lower left-hand side of any page allows you to choose from the drop-down menu to find state/territory information and resources. Once you have selected your state/territory, you can further refine your search by choosing the subject areas (such as Benefits & Compensation, Employment, Health, etc.) of interest to you.

Site Map

Click the "Site Map" link located at the bottom of any page on the site for a complete list of folders and subfolders on the site. Click on any link in the list to be taken to that resource page on the site.

Other Features

Stay Connected

In the "Stay Connected" box on the right-hand side of the home page, you will find several tools to help you receive information about what's new on the site and suggest useful resources. In the box, the following five items are available:

Link to Us

You can add a link to the National Resource Directory to your site by clicking "Link to Us" on the right-hand side of the home page.

Suggest a Resource

Share your recommendations for new resources to be added to the National Resource Directory by clicking "Suggest a Resource" on the right-hand side of the home page. You will be taken to a page where you can enter the link address/URL, link title and link description for the new information you would like to see added to the site.

Please read the National Resource Directory's Participation Policy before submitting a request to add a new link.

Receive Email Updates

You can sign up to receive email updates on news, as well as new resources added to the National Resource Directory.

RSS Feeds

You can also subscribe to Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds. RSS is a way to receive updates of new content that has been added to the National Resource Directory.

Bookmark & Share

You can "bookmark and share" a link to the National Resource Directory, either by choosing to make it a favorite link on your computer or through sharing it with others.

Find a Facility or Records

Underneath the "Bookmark & Share" tool on the right-hand side of every page in the National Resource Directory, you will find a box titled "Find a Facility or Records." This link will take you to a page titled "Facility & Records Locator," where you can find the locations of commonly used offices such as health care facilities, Social Security offices, VA facilities, military installations and more. In addition, you can use the locators to search for military transcripts, scholarships and personnel records. The locators are organized by subject areas. Simply click on the desired subject and you will be directed to a list of locators associated with that subject.

In the Spotlight

The "In the Spotlight" section on the home page of the National Resource Directory offers information about current Veterans and military affairs issues.

In the News

The "In the News" section on the lower right-hand corner of the National Resource Directory home page contains the latest news stories pertaining to Veterans, Service Members, families and caregivers. Click on the headline to get the full story. By clicking on "View all News" on the bottom right of the box, you will have access to additional news features.

Skip to page content

On the top left-hand side of any page on the National Resource Directory is a "Skip to page content" feature for users of screen reading software so that they may skip directly to the main content of each page.

Text Size

On the upper right-hand side of any page on the National Resource Directory is a Text Size feature which allows the user to select their text size preference for the site. The three "A" buttons to the right of "Text Size" range in size; the first "A" button is small text, followed by medium size text with the final button representing the largest text available for use on the site. Simply click the button of the text size that you prefer.

High Contrast

Located at the top of each page on the National Resource Directory is a drop-down menu that allows the user to switch from "Full Graphics" to "High Contrast" in order to more easily tell the difference between background images and text on the site. If you would like to use the High Contrast version of the site, simply select "High Contrast" from the drop-down menu at the top right of any page and click the "SET" button to the right of the drop down menu.

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The National Resource Directory does not endorse the views and/or facts presented, or any commercial products that may be advertised or available on external links. The presence of a link to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

Version: 2.10.2