When it comes to the VA claims process you must be “a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable” to establish basic eligibility. The first step that either your VA disability lawyer or the VA Board will take in establishing your benefit eligibility will be to examine whether your experience qualifies as military service.
Conventional service in one of the five branches of the US Armed Forces is the most common type of military service. If you served with the US Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, or Coast Guard, you’ll meet the military service requirement.
You could also meet the requirement by serving in one of these branches as a member of the Reserve, as a cadet or midshipman at a military academy, as a student in a prep school for one of the academies, or as a member of the Air or Army National Guard.
What Other Types of Military Service Make You Eligible?
If you did not serve in one of the five branches of the US Military mentioned above, you may still meet the first requirement of the VA’s definition of a veteran. It’s always best to consult a qualified VA disability lawyer on these finer points, but here are a few examples of service that may qualify you for classification as a veteran:
- Commissioned full-time officers in the Public Health Service
- Commissioned full-time officers of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Commissioned full-time officers of the Environmental Science Services Administration
- World War II service in the Philippines’ organized military forces
- World War II service as an American Merchant Marine
- Pre-1943 service in the Women’s’ Army Auxiliary Corps
- Other service by civilians during a few specific periods of armed conflict
For a free legal consultation, call 800-562-9830
If you think you might qualify for veterans benefit eligibility based on any of the above criteria, consult a VA disability lawyer before starting an application for the benefits that you deserve. Though the VA claims process can be difficult, enlisting the help of a qualified professional makes you much more likely to eventually receive the benefits to which you are entitled.
If you need assistance with your VA disability claim, contact Marc Whitehead, an accredited VA disability attorney at 800-562-9830 or visit disabilitydenials.com.
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