How to Apply for Veterans Status

By the Veteran Journal Staff

Veteran status can be granted for World War II, the Korean Conflict, or the Vietnam Conflict if the service member had at least 90 days of continuous active military service as long as any part of the 90 days falls on or within the dates listed below.

For World War II, laws extend the definition of a veteran to include any honorably discharged member of the American Merchant Marines who served during World War II and can present a DD-214 which establishes 90 days of continuous active service during the period noted above.

Veteran status for the Lebanon Crisis, the Grenada Peacekeeping Mission, the Lebanon Peacekeeping Mission, the Panama Peacekeeping Mission, Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Operation Restore Hope in Somalia and Operations Joint Endeavor/Joint Guard in Bosnia and Herzegovina requires that the service member served in the country/region or on ships patrolling the territorial waters of these nations for at least 14 days.  For Operation Uphold Democracy, the veteran must fulfill the 14-day requirement as above AND have received the Armed Forced Expeditionary Medal.

The 90 or 14-day requirement for service is not prescribed if the veteran was discharged because of a service-incurred disability.

Service with the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) and Women’s Army Corps (WAC) also qualifies for veteran status.

Absent Without Leave (AWOL) is deducted from total active service and if this reduces the active service to less than the 90 or 14-day service requirements, veteran status will be denied.

Veteran status can not be granted if an individual received a dishonorable discharge, a discharge from the draft, disenrollment from the Coast Guard Reserve, or a discharge from the reserve with no evidence of active service in time of war.

Veteran status also can not be granted if the individual service was in the: 

State Militia; Student Training Corps during World War II; Army of the Allies but not as a citizen of the United States at the time of such service; Military service during peacetime;

Military service for training purposes. Also, Courses of Education and Training under the Army Specialized Training Program or the Navy College Training Program where the courses were a continuation of the individual’s civilian courses; as a cadet or midshipman at one of the service academies; or any military service performed pursuant to the provisions of Section 511 (d) of Title 10, United States Code, pursuant to enlistment in the Army National Guard or as a reserve for Service in the Army Reserve, Naval Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps or Coast Guard Reserve.

War Era Service Dates:
World War II: Sept. 16, 1940-Dec. 31, 1946.
Korean Conflict: June 23, 1950-Jan. 31, 1955.
Lebanon Crisis: July 1, 1958-Nov. 1, 1958.
Vietnam Conflict: Dec. 31, 1960-May 7, 1975.
Lebanon Peacekeeping Mission: Sept. 26, 1982-Dec. 1, 1987.
Grenada Peacekeeping Mission: Oct. 23, 1983-Nov. 21, 1983.
Panama Peacekeeping Mission: Dec. 20, 1989-Jan. 31, 1990.
Operation Desert Shield/Storm: Aug. 2, 1990 to the present.
Operation Restore Hope (Somalia): Dec. 5, 1992-March 31, 1994.
Operation Joint Endeavor/Joint Guard (Bosnia and Herzegovina): Nov. 20, 1995 to the present.
Operation Uphold Democracy (Haiti): Sept. 19, 1994-March 31, 1995.

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Military Support For Events

Beginning Oct. 1, anyone requesting military support for an event sponsored by their organization – vehicles, personnel, leasing water trailer tanks, etc. – should go to the Domestic Actions website at www.state.nj.us/military/domac/index.html

The site has information as to who is eligible to receive support, how long prior to the event the request must be made; and includes forms that can be downloaded to make the request. Forms can then be mailed to the Domestic Actions Office, 101 Eggert Crossing Road, Lawrenceville NJ 08648) or faxed to 609-530-7003.

If there are any questions call 609-530-7043.