Founder’s Preface
Why I Started Forever Vet USA
My name is Steve Kirkley, and I founded Forever Vet USA™ because no veteran should ever feel forgotten or left behind after their service.
When I left the Navy in 1993, I didn’t realize I was entitled to the benefits I had earned. I had a 20% disability rating, years of available support — and no one ever told me. It wasn’t until 2016, when I met another veteran by chance, that I finally learned how to apply. By early 2017, I began receiving the benefits that had been mine all along.
That experience changed my life. It also opened my eyes to a painful truth:
Thousands of veterans don’t know what they’re entitled to.
Many don’t understand that:
- VA health benefits are based on income level or disability rating
- Waiting too long to apply can mean losing years of retroactive compensation
- The government doesn’t automatically provide back pay for the years you didn’t apply
I learned that the hard way — and I don’t want another veteran to go through the same thing.
That’s why I tell every veteran: apply as soon as you can. Whether you’ve been out for two months or twenty years, those benefits can make a real difference.
Forever Vet USA™ exists to continue the mission.
Not with weapons or uniforms — but with support, technology, and connection.
We help veterans live safer, more independent lives through home-technology solutions, digital support, and one-on-one assistance. Too many veterans struggle with isolation, old injuries, or technology that feels more like a barrier than a bridge. My goal is to change that — one home, one veteran, and one story at a time.
And while this company was built for veterans first, our services are open to everyone in the community — because helping each other is what strong communities do.
This isn’t just a business for me.
It’s a way to give back.
— Steve Kirkley
Founder, Forever Vet USA™