Your classification as a veteran is what entitles you access to VA disability benefits. It largely goes without saying, to recover VA disability benefits, you must be a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. That, then, begs the question: What precisely is a veteran of the U.S. armed forces?
In this article, we will answer that question.
There are three criteria for determining whether or not an individual is a veteran. The first is obvious: you must be able to establish that you served in the U.S. Armed Forces. This includes the Coast Guard, National Guard, and commissioned officers who fulfill civilian roles in the healthcare industry.
In some scenarios, civilians who worked alongside the military will also qualify as a “veteran.” Lastly, those who attended a military academy will qualify as a veteran.
Nonetheless, there is a second criterion: you must not have been dishonorably discharged. Those who were dishonorably discharged do not qualify for VA benefits.
Lastly, you must be able to establish that you were “active duty” military at the time of your injury. In other words, if you fall out of bed on your way to the coffee maker while acting as a reserve, the VA disability fund will likely not honor that claim. Active duty means full-time duty. Reservists will qualify after they have been called to active duty.
Training exercises will also likely be considered active duty. There is limited leeway for those who are not on active duty to file claims if they are injured during exercises or as part of their military duty.
The term “other than dishonorable” doesn't tell much about what prevents veterans from seeking VA benefits. To put it simply, there are discharge conditions that will disqualify an individual from VA benefits. Those are:
Further, a veteran who accepts an undesirable discharge to avoid court-martial also will likely not qualify for benefits. These can include mutiny or spying, or an offense involving moral turpitude.
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