Who Qualifies as a Veteran? 5 Types of Veterans Recognized by the DoD and VA

The Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have devised a way to recognize our troops who serve in a “war”. To be considered a veteran, one must serve in a zone of hostility and receive a campaign medal during a designated period of conflict. Generally, 180 days of active duty is the standard for determining if someone is a veteran or not. So, who qualifies as a veteran? There are five types of veterans that are recognized by the DoD and VA.

Regular Military Veterans

are those who served on active duty in the U.

S. Armed Forces and were discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable. This includes those who served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

Reserve and National Guard Veterans

are those who served in the Reserve or National Guard components of the U. This includes those who served in the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, and Air National Guard.

Merchant Marine Veterans

are those who served in the U.

Merchant Marine during World War II and were discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable. This includes those who served in the Army Transport Service (ATS), Naval Transport Service (NTS), and Naval Armed Guard (NAG).

Philippine Scouts Veterans

are those who served in the Philippine Scouts prior to July 1, 1946 and were discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable. This includes those who served in the Philippine Army, Philippine Constabulary, Philippine Militia, Philippine National Guard, Philippine Scouts Regulars, Philippine Scouts Officers Reserve Corps, Philippine Scouts Enlisted Reserve Corps, Philippine Scouts Officers Training Corps, and Philippine Scouts Enlisted Training Corps.

WWII-Era Veterans

are those who served on active duty between September 16, 1940 and July 25, 1947 and were discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable. This includes those who served in the U.

Armed Forces during World War II as well as those who served in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) and Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES). These five types of veterans are recognized by both the DoD and VA for their service to our country. It is important to understand these distinctions so that we can properly honor our veterans for their service.