The Vietnam Veterans are known as the forgotten veterans. This is even more true for the Alaska Native veterans who served courageously, but unfortunately were excluded from receiving Native Veterans Allotments in the late sixties and early seventies.
Through passage of the 2019 Dingell Act, Alaska Native Vietnam-era Veterans who served between Aug. 5, 1964 and Dec. 31, 1971 are allowed to select from 2.5 to 160 acres of federal unencumbered lands. The available federal lands for selection are limited in quality and location.
Recently, the State of Alaska has offered to make available certain selected lands across the state based on their priority list rankings from 2-4. State selections prioritized as number 1 will likely not be available.
The steps to select State lands are:
- Identify lands that the Alaska Native Vietnam Veteran desires to own.
- Meet with Bureau of Land Management (BLM) staff and fill out an application.* The veteran will need to have their current contact information updated and military records available at the time of application. The application period opened on December 28, 2020, and will expire on December 29, 2025. Contact the BLM Native Allotment Section with questions at (907) 271-5998 or CGrimes@blm.gov.
- The BLM will provide the Vietnam Veteran’s land selection to the State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Mining, Land and Water. The State will make a determination on the selection within 30 days.
*BLM Field Office staff in Glennallen are available to assist Native Alaska Vietnam Veterans with the application process.
Get the latest updates, a map of lands available for selection, and answers to frequently asked questions about the program at www.blm.gov/alaska/2019AKNativeVetsLand.
If a Vietnam Veteran or their heir needs assistance in identifying available State lands, please contact the Ahtna Land Department at (907) 822-3476 or landdepartment@ahtna.net.