Ok, first he does not need a tv. And if he has to finance it he cannot afford it either. Now the question is how long has it been since he paid anything on his debts. after being 7 years delinquent these debts are wiped off his credit history. Government debts will never go away. Get an account at the Navy Federal Credit Union, they may be the most friendly place for a vet to get credit. Go slow and don’t do stupid things, like financing TVs. Pay on time, don’t exceed 30% of available credit, and be consistent. Yes its hard, but people don’t like being screwed over by debtors who fail to pay. He needs to earn others’ trust, and that takes time.