Updated May 21, 2024
The Armed Forces Retirement Home
Since the late 1700s, Congress has established numerous
Eligibility for Residency
federal programs to provide housing, housing assistance,
Current statute (24 U.S.C. §412) defines eligibility for
and health care support to certain wounded, ill, or injured
AFRH residency. In general, residents must meet one of the
servicemembers, military retirees, and other veterans. Some
following eligibility requirements:
of those programs included the establishment of military
asylums for temporarily or permanently disabled
• discharged or released from military service after 20 or
servicemembers. Most military asylums have since closed
more years of active service;
or been transferred to the Department of Veterans Affairs
• suffering from a service-connected disability (as
(VA) or state agencies that separately or jointly administer
determined by the AFRH Chief Operating Officer
a variety of residential social support programs. Congress
[COO]) incurred during military service;
also later established the Armed Forces Retirement Home
• served in a war theater during a time of war declared by
(AFRH) as the only federal military retirement community.
Congress, or were eligible for hostile fire, imminent
In so doing, AFRH absorbed two previously existing
danger, or hazardous duty pay;
military asylums, later converted to Department of Defense
• served in a women’s component of the Armed Forces
(DOD)-affiliated retirement homes that provides residential
prior to June 12, 1948, and meets certain eligibility
care to military retirees and certain other veterans.
criteria established by the AFRH COO; or
• eligible for non-regular retired pay (i.e., retired
Background
reservist) and is enrolled in VA health benefits,
The Naval Home
TRICARE, or a COO-recognized health insurance plan.
On February 26, 1811, Congress directed the establishment
Spouses of those meeting the above criteria may also be
of Navy hospitals (2 Stat. 650). Then-Secretary of the
eligible for residency on a space-available basis. In
Navy, Paul Hamilton, utilized that authority to establish an
FY2023, AFRH reported having a total of 665 residents. Of
interim Navy hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In
those, 536 residents (81%) required only domiciliary care
1834, the hospital became an asylum, later renamed the
(i.e., independent senior living), while 129 residents (19%)
Naval Home, to provide for “decrepit and disabled naval
officers, seamen, and Marines.” In 1976, the Naval Home
required at least part-time nursing home care. At maximum
capacity, the AFRH can accommodate at least 1,100
moved to a new permanent site in Gulfport, Mississippi.
residents.
The Soldiers’ Home and Airmen’s Home
On March 3, 1851, Congress directed the establishment of a
Retirement Home Services
Military Asylum for the “relief and support of invalid and
The AFRH offers five levels of care for eligible residents,
disabled Soldiers of the Army of the United States” (9 Stat.
each with varying requirements for non-medical support or
595). Washington, DC, became the location of the primary
limited skilled nursing care, including
asylum. Temporary facilities in Louisiana, Mississippi, and
• Independent Living—residents do not require assistance
Kentucky were also established and subsequently closed.
with activities of daily living (ADL; i.e.,
Reorganizing into the AFRH
hygiene/grooming, medication administration,
In 1990, Congress consolidated the two existing military
ambulating, eating/drinking, or dressing);
retirement homes into an independent federal agency
• Independent Living Plus—residents require some
known as the AFRH (P.L. 101-510 §1511) and
assistance with ADL;
subsequently renamed each respective site: AFRH-
• Assisted Living—residents receive regular assistance
Washington (which also houses the headquarters office)
with ADL and support by full-time nursing coverage;
and AFRH-Gulfport.
• Long-Term Care—residents with a chronic illness or
disability receive full-time nursing coverage and
Purpose & Organization
assistance with ADL; and
By law (24 U.S.C. §411), the purpose of the AFRH is to
• Memory Support—residents with cognitive deficiency
provide “residences and related services for certain retired
receive full-time nursing coverage and assistance with
and former members of the Armed Forces.” A Secretary of
ADL.
Defense-appointed Chief Executive Officer leads the
The AFRH does not offer comprehensive nursing home,
AFRH. Chapter 10 of Title 24, U.S. Code, assigns certain
long-term acute (inpatient) care, or hospice services. It
administrative and oversight responsibilities of the AFRH
partners with local VA medical centers and military
to DOD. These responsibilities include appointment of
treatment facilities to coordinate additional health care
executive staff members and the AFRH Advisory Council,
services for residents.
technical support for clinical and non-clinical functions,
periodic inspections by the DOD Inspector General, and
administrative support.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
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The Armed Forces Retirement Home
Figure 1. AFRH Appropriations, FY1991-FY2025 Request
Source: CRS graphic based on analysis of FY1991-FY2025 AFRH appropriations included in the Departments of Labor, Health and Human
Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act; Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act; the Military
Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act; and AFRH congressional budget justification documents.
Notes: Figures are rounded. FY2010 and FY2023 included additional funding for certain facility enhancements, including compliance with
Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. FY2021 included $2.8 mil ion in supplemental funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and
Economic Security (CARES) Act (P.L. 116-136). FY2025 figure is the amount requested by AFRH.
Budget
• the statutory purpose of the AFRH and considerations
The AFRH Trust Fund is the primary financial source for
regarding the necessity of a federally-funded military
the retirement home’s operations and maintenance. An
retirement community;
annual congressional appropriation typically made through
• the feasibility of transferring the AFRH to another
the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and related
federal department/agency with similar responsibilities,
agencies appropriations bill is the largest contributor to the
functions, and programs; and/or
trust fund. Collected resident fees, financial gifts and
• an expansion of the AFRH’s capability and capacity to
donations, real property leasing revenue, certain fines and
serve more eligible military retirees, veterans, or family
forfeitures levied under the Uniform Code of Military
members.
Justice, and a mandatory payroll contribution of $0.50 per
month (authorized to be no more than $1.00 per month)
Relevant Statutes, Regulations, and Policies
from all enlisted military servicemembers, warrant officers,
and limited duty officers contributes to the AFRH Trust
Title 24, Chapter 10, U.S. Code
Fund. Figure 1 shows congressional appropriations for the
Title 5, Chapter XI, Code of Federal Regulations
AFRH since FY1991. For FY2025, AFRH requested
DOD Instruction 1000.29, Armed Forces Retirement Home
$125.5 million. Of that amount, approximately $68.5
(AFRH), updated October 5, 2018
million would be designated for AFRH operations and
maintenance, $32 million for construction and renovation
CRS Products
purposes, and $25 million to support the long-term stability
CRS In Focus IF10555, Introduction to Veterans Health Care, by
of the AFRH Trust Fund.
Sidath Viranga Panangala and Jared S. Sussman
AFRH Outlook
CRS In Focus IF11656, State Veterans Homes, by Jared S.
Sussman
The AFRH is a unique federal entity that offers many
CRS In Focus IF10530, Defense Primer: Military Health System,
similar housing and health care support and benefits as
by Bryce H. P. Mendez
other Cabinet-level federal departments (e.g., DOD, VA,
Department of Housing and Urban Development). Based on
Other Resources
current eligibility requirements and infrastructure capacity,
AFRH, Congressional Budget Justification Fiscal Year 2025, 2024
the AFRH could support <1% of the eligible military retiree
or veteran population. Based on its Vision 2035 strategic
DOD Inspector General, Evaluation of the Armed Forces
plan, the AFRH intends to address “aging and outdated
Retirement Home Response to the Coronavirus Disease-2019
infrastructure and to accommodate shifting industry trends
Pandemic, DODIG-2021-055, February 12, 2021
and generational life preferences.” Such efforts include the
Government Accountability Office, Congress and Agency
formation of multigenerational veteran communities,
Management Should Take Actions to Improve Financial
dynamic living environments, and local and geographic
Sustainability, GAO-24-106171, December 7, 2023
expansion.
As annual appropriations and authorizing legislation are
considered for the AFRH, Congress may conduct additional
Bryce H. P. Mendez, Analyst in Defense Health Care
oversight activities to evaluate a variety of issues, such as
Policy
IF11626
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The Armed Forces Retirement Home
Disclaimer
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11626 · VERSION 7 · UPDATED