Military Veterans
Veteran's Monthly Athlete Assistance Program
Through a partnership with the Veterans Affairs, the VA National Veterans Sport Programs & Special Events Office helps to provide a monthly assistance allowance for disabled Veterans of the Armed Forces, as authorized by section 703 of the Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2008.
Through the program, the VA will pay a monthly allowance to a Veteran with a service-connected or non-service-connected disability if the veteran is classified in the sport and meets the minimum military standard or any higher standard (i.e. emerging, national team) in his/her respective sport at a recognized competition.
In order to be eligible for the VA monthly assistance allowance an athlete must be classified nationally or internationally in the sport. To find information on U.S. Paralympics and International Paralympic Committee classifications, please follow the links below:
- U.S. Paralympics classification information
- International Paralympic Committee (IPC) classification information
To learn more about the specific sport standards or the monthly assistance allowance, contact the U.S. Paralympics division via email at VAstipend@usopc.org.
Current Para Powerlifting VMAA Standards
Athletes must achieve a qualifying score at a sanctioned regional event or World Para Powerlifting sanctioned competition. A list of eligible events may be found here.
Powerlifting qualifying scores follow:
VMAA Standards
VMAA Standards for Para Powerlifting
| Men | Men | Women | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight Class (kg) | VMAA Standard (kg) | Weight Class (kg) | VMAA Standard (kg) |
| 49 | 137 | 41 | 85 |
| 54 | 145 | 45 | 89 |
| 59 | 162 | 50 | 94 |
| 65 | 169 | 55 | 109 |
| 72 | 160 | 61 | 114 |
| 80 | 187 | 67 | 105 |
| 88 | 188 | 73 | 116 |
| 97 | 194 | 79 | 116 |
| 107 | 203 | 86 | 115 |
| 107+ | 201 | 86+ | 123 |