Are you a veteran if you didn't fight?

The term "veteran" means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable.


What are the 4 types of veterans?

Under VEVRAA, a veteran may be classified as a ''disabled veteran,'' ''recently separated veteran,'' ''active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran,'' or ''Armed Forces service medal veteran. ''

Are civilians considered veterans?

The Secretary of Defense may determine that service for the Armed Forces by a group of civilians or contractors will be considered active service, allowing members of those groups to be considered veterans for purposes of VA benefits.


Are you considered a veteran if you served during peacetime?

During Peacetime

To be considered a veteran, any military personnel must be on active-duty service for at least 180 days. The only exception is if the member sustained a service-related injury and was discharged under honorable conditions.

What qualifies you as a combat veteran?

Who's Eligible? Veterans, including activated Reservists and members of the National Guard, are eligible if they served on active duty in a theater of combat operations after November 11, 1998, and have been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions.


You Might Be A Veteran If... Part 2



Is 4 years in the military considered a veteran?

Service members must have served a minimum of 24 months of active duty to be considered a veteran. If the service member becomes disabled because of their time in the service, there is no minimum length of service to qualify for VA benefits.

Does DD214 show combat deployments?

A DD-214 will not outright say “combat veteran” on it, but certain awards or medals listed on the document can show that you engaged in combat. Some of these include a Combat Action Badge, Combat Medical Badge, Combat Infantry Badge, Medal of Honor, Purple Heart, among many others.

How many days do you have to be in the military to be a veteran?

"As long as you were deployed on active duty for at least 180 days and you didn't get a dishonorable discharge or a bad conduct discharge coming off those orders, then you could be considered a veteran," said Army Sgt.


Am I considered a veteran if I was other than honorably discharged?

Yes. For purposes of HMIS and Point-in-Time (PIT) Count data collection, as long as the person was on active duty for at least one day, Veteran Status should be 'Yes.

Does having a dd214 make you a veteran?

Since the DD Form 214 is issued to those leaving the active military as well as to members of the National Guard and Reserves completing their initial active duty for training, possession of this document does not necessarily mean the student is a veteran.

What is a non veteran called?

non·​vet·​er·​an ˌnän-ˈve-tə-rən. -ˈve-trən. plural nonveterans. : a person who is not a former member of the armed forces : someone who is not a military veteran. But he has pledged to shrink the size of government, which would affect veterans and nonveterans alike.


Who is not a protected veteran?

What Is a Non-Protected Veteran? You are not considered a protected Veteran if you did NOT serve active duty in the U.S. military OR if you received a dishonorable discharge from the military.

Does 6 years in the National Guard make you a veteran?

Does 6 years in the National Guard make you a veteran? Yes, if you spent at least 180 days of that 6 years deployed on federal active duty orders. A 2016 change to federal law expanded the definition of “veteran” for many National Guard members.

How do you prove someone is not a veteran?

Another way to find out if someone is a veteran or not is to ask him or her for a copy of their DD-214. The DD Form 214, or DD-214, is a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. It is provided to every service member of the U.S. Military upon discharge.


Are all general discharges honorable?

A general discharge under honorable conditions means that your service was satisfactory, but did not deserve the highest level of discharge for performance and conduct. Many veterans with this type of discharge may have engaged in minor misconduct.

Does basic training count as active duty time?

Active duty service, for the purpose of this new bill, doesn't count active duty time spent in initial entry training (IET), meaning time in basic training, initial job training, service academies, OCS/OTS, and ROTC.

Can you be a veteran without being deployed?

"Anyone who has reached 20 years of service, even if they were never activated on a [federal] order for more than 180 days outside of training, will now be considered a veteran," he said. The change in law, said Krenz, simply recognizes those who serve.


How do you prove you were in combat?

The VA lists several different ways in which a Veteran can prove he or she was in combat:
  1. If you received a combat service medal.
  2. If you received hostile fire pay, imminent danger pay, or tax benefits.
  3. If you received military service documentation that documents combat theater.


How can I prove my combat experience?

Combat Veteran Veterans can prove that they fall under this category through military service documentation that shows their service in a combat theater, proof that they received a combat service medal or campaign medal, and/or proof of receipt of imminent danger pay or hostile fire pay.

Can I call myself a veteran?

§ 101(2) provides: The term "veteran" means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable.


Why do employers ask about veteran status?

Why employers need to know about protected veteran status. Understanding protected veteran status prevents you from violating applicable laws. Your company can't discriminate against protected veterans when recruiting and hiring, and you must also promote upward mobility for employees with this protected status.

Why veterans do not use the VA?

Of the veteran and active service members who reported to the annual Wounded Warrior Project Survey that they have never used VA health care services, the most common reasons given included preferring to use other health care coverage and too much trouble or red tape.

Why are National Guard members not considered veterans?

What Service Makes a Guard Member a Veteran? In order to get Veteran status, National Guard members need to have been called up for active duty, either under Title 10 (by the president) or under Title 32 (by the state governor) of the U.S. Code.


Can a veteran lose their benefits?

VA disability compensation payments are reduced if a Veteran is convicted of a felony and imprisoned for more than 60 days. Veterans rated 20 percent or more are limited to the 10 percent disability rate. For a Veteran whose disability rating is 10 percent, the payment is reduced by one-half.