Veterans Ticket Foundation

The Veteran Tickets Foundation, or VetTix for short, is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization started by two Gulf War veterans and the dependent of a Marine Corps veteran and is staffed almost exclusively by veterans and dependents. It offers donated tickets to servicemembers and honorably discharged veterans for free using a lotto system, as well as special discount codes that can be used save a few bucks. Tickets available vary but I’ve seen everything from opera to sports to comedy shows.

The site gives you the option to search available events by state. Once you find an event that interests you, you can click on the event and find out more details about the event as well as how many tickets have been donated and how many are still available. If the event lotto hasn’t opened yet, you can also see when it will open.

You can also choose to get notifications on events up to 210 miles from your home city (based on the zip code you enter when you sign up) and up to three other locations across the country. So, if you live in Iowa but are planning a trip to New York, you can get notified of any tickets in New York that may come open during your travel dates. Tickets tend to disappear almost as soon as the lotto opens so, when you see a new notification, you’ll want to act quickly if you want to have a chance of snagging any.

You enter a “lotto” drawing, by throwing in virtual coins. The more you want the event, the more coins you can put in. Coins are earned by keeping your account in good standing (2 coins per month) or by referring friends (15 coins per friend). They even make it easy to help you refer people, providing you with social media share buttons, e-mails, flyers, personalized VetTix business cards, or a referral URL, like this one I created: http://www.VetTix.org/ref/64125

You do have to sign up to access any tickets or discount information. Signing up is easy, though it does involve allowing VetTix to verify that you are actually a servicemember or veteran. For Active Duty members, you can sign up using your .mil account or provide a copy of your LES. Veterans can provide a copy of your DD-214 (long copy to show your character of discharge) or ID from a veterans organization (such as VFW). Surviving family members will need to provide a copy of the DD Form 1300 showing your name on the form. All individuals will also have to submit a copy of a government ID, such as a license. Social security numbers on all documentations can and should be blacked out before submitting the documents.

One thing to keep in mind before you start signing up for your free tickets – VetTix emphatically prohibits you from getting free tickets and then selling them. Also, all questions about tickets have to be directed to Vettix, not the venue/team/organization that the tickets are for. Violate these policies and your account can be suspended indefinitely.

Also, you don’t have to be in “take mode” to check out VetTix. As I mentioned, this is a non-profit so they rely on donations to keep this going. If you have tickets that you would be willing to donate or even a few bucks to help them purchase tickets, go ahead and contact them. You can also help with the “Hero’s Wish Program,” which attempts to fulfill a wish (recipients get one per lifetime) for Active Duty personnel within one month of a combat deployment (pre or post) or those home on R&R, severely wounded warriors, and surviving family members of servicemembers killed in action.

For those who might be curious, I verified that they are legit – beyond their 501(C)3 letter posted on their page, I confirmed it on the IRS webpage and Guide Star has given them a Gold-level rating for transparency. They are even Combined Federal Campaign donation eligible.

You can check it out at www.vettix.org or, if you want to be nice and earn me some virtual coins (wink, wink), at http://www.VetTix.org/ref/64125.

Note: In Sep, 2014 (about five or six months after I did my original post on VetTix) I had the opportunity to try out VetTix for myself. I had signed up for their newsletter and they notified me that there were free tickets (there was a $10 processing fee total) to a Jake Owen concert available for any vet who wanted to claim them, no lottery required. I claimed four and attended the concert. When I showed up, the tickets were waiting with a “Thank you for your service,” label on the back and, while the seats where in the topmost level of the venue, they were absolutely great seats and the concert was incredibly enjoyable. So, I can now state from personal experience that VetTix does what they say and I had a great experience with them!

© 2013 – 2020, Sarah Maples LLC. All rights reserved.

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14 Comments

  • Reply
    Arx
    29 April 2019 at 13:31

    There is NO support, just a bunch of listed FAQs none of which answered a question I had & no answer from them through social media. I did attend an event recently that went smoothly, but was banned when I uploaded the thank you post that THEY wanted! No way to complain or ask who the heck they think is holding the Vettix pic seeing as they say NO ONE is in the photo. Stay FAR away from this complete mess, you will probably be out of luck if the tickets aren’t at the event when you arrive.

  • Reply
    Bubba
    7 February 2019 at 13:36

    In theory VetTix is a greet idea. Unfortunately the IT end of things are a mess. Check Reddit and read how vets are being booted or suspended from VetTix for near no reason. I personally had an incident where I bought tickets to a local sports event, attended and then VetTix emails suddenly stopped. I was accused of marking VetTix emails as spam, was permanently suspended and was refused the right to contact support to resolve THEIR issues. I NEVER marked any VetTix email as spam and neither has my ISP. I have been involved in technology since 1978 and have taught computer technology at the college level. I have never seen anything like this where you get insulted, booted and denied resolution by folks who don’t even know what they are talking about. Screw VetTix.

  • Reply
    LG Bruce Warner
    7 January 2019 at 20:42

    I did sign up and sent a dd214 and I am a Vietnam vet. You site said I need to sign up. I don’t understand your site very well and there is no humans to talk to solve the problem. Don’thave Any idea what to do!

  • Reply
    Claude A Hickerson
    24 November 2018 at 13:58

    Vettix suspended my account permanently because emails marked spam. I did not do this or might have by accident and dont remember doing so.

  • Reply
    FRANCINE MUHAMMAD
    27 August 2018 at 15:09

    MY NAME IS FRANCINE MUHAMMAD I WILL LIKE TO UNSUBSCRIBE TO VETERAN TICKET FOUNDATION I BEEN TRYING FOR MONTH PLEASE UNSUBSCRIBE ME.

    • Reply
      will mct
      18 April 2019 at 19:47

      the website is so badly designed that you will never be able to delete your account, and now they have your ssn and military id. We have been scammed, and these baddies have wormed their way into the va system.

  • Reply
    Robert W Tucker
    22 January 2018 at 18:48

    I am a service disabled vet how do i Join ?

  • Reply
    Mike
    22 March 2015 at 12:30

    in regards to BBB and their ratings. We (Vet Tix) used to be rated by the BBB and there were points they wanted addressed. We addressed those points and resubmitted for new review. We were ignored and continually asked to donate money. So, we gave up on them.

    This last request from BBB to be reviewed went ignored by Vet Tix. We will never submit to a review by the BBB (ever). We are reviewed by GuideStar and next year will will be reviewed by CharityNavigator (we will meet their requirements for review). Our reviews by other Vets, Military and Families of KIA is all the really matters anyway.

    See video below – We have a similar experience by BBB and why you will never see us reviewed by them.

    • Reply
      Captain
      22 March 2015 at 19:53

      Mike,

      I appreciate you taking the time to comment and add this additional info so veterans have all the facts. I recently added a note about my personal experience with Vet Tix, which was fantastic, and I encourage all vets to do their homework, including looking at GuideStar and CharityNavigator, so they can make an informed choice about what works for them.

      Sarah

  • Reply
    Captain
    6 February 2014 at 22:46

    This comment was originally by a reader. I could not approve the original version due to length but, since I believe it is important for veterans to have access to all available information pertaining to the organizations I cover, I requested permission to post a truncated version and the reader agreed. So, from reader LVK:

    “What do we know about the organization “Veteran Tickets Foundation?”

    My major Veterans Service Organization (VSO) has been approached for support by Veteran Tickets.

    However, after doing an initial web search on their background, we found precious little regarding this foundation. We did find a review by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) that raised some significant questions, albeit answers to those issues raised by the BBC may (or my not) have been answered since that report.

    With that said, here is the BBB report issues that raise concerns:

    Veteran Tickets Foundation
    BBB (Better Business Bureau) – Report Issued March, 2012
    http://www.bbb.org/charity-reviews/national/veterans-and-military/veteran-tickets-foundation-in-phoenix-az-20989/all

    • Reply
      Glenn Sauers
      2 April 2017 at 19:50

      Vet Tix is an outstanding organization its u the better business bureau that needs to be put in check and monitored for being bias

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