Definition of a Veteran

Eligibility and service requirements

To be eligible for veterans' benefits, one must be a "veteran" or a dependent of a "veteran" under M.G.L. c. 4, sec. 7, cl. 43rd as amended by the Acts of 2005, ch. 130. See below for service requirements and exceptions.

• For GUARD MEMBERS to qualify they must have 180 days and have been activated under Title 10 of the U.S. Code -OR- Members who were activated under Title 10 or Title 32 of the U.S. Code or Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 33, sections 38, 40, and 41 must have 90 days, at least one of which was during wartime, per the above chart.
• For RESERVISTS to qualify, they must have been called to regular active duty, at which point their eligibility can be determined by the above chart.

*Naval and Marine DD214 must indicate Expeditionary Medal. All DD214's must specify campaign: Lebanon, Granada, or Panama.

Exceptions

Training Duty Exception

Active duty service in the armed forces shall not include active duty for training in the Army or Air National Guard or active duty for training as a Reservist in the Armed Forces of the United States.

Minimum Active Service Exception (Purple Heart or Service-Connected Disability or Death)

Wartime Service

If his or her last discharge or release from wartime service was under honorable conditions, then a person who served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States under Title 10 of the United States Code during 1 day of wartime service or a person on full time Massachusetts National Guard duty under Title 32 of the United States Code during at least 1 day of wartime service or a person on full time Massachusetts National Guard duty under sections 38, 40 and 41 of chapter 33 of the general laws during at least 1 day of wartime service, who sustained a service-connected disability during such wartime service or was awarded the Purple Heart during such wartime service or who died during such wartime service under conditions other than dishonorable, is excused from completing the 90-day active service requirement during such wartime service.

Peacetime

If his or her last discharge or release from active service was under honorable conditions, then a person who served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States under Title 10 of the United States Code during peacetime, who sustained a service-connected disability while on active duty during peacetime or who died on active duty during peacetime under conditions other than dishonorable, is excused from completing the 180-day active service requirement during peacetime.

The following categories of persons may qualify as dependents eligible to receive veterans' benefits:

• Spouse of the veteran.
• Widow or widower of the veteran.
• Dependent parent of the veteran.
• Any person who acted as a parent to the veteran for five years immediately preceding the commencement of the veteran's wartime service.
• Child of the veteran until his or her 19th birthday.
• Child of the veteran between 19 years and 23 years of age while the child is attending high school, an institution of higher learning or some other accredited educational institution provided that the applicant is in receipt of benefits under the provisions of M.G.L. c. 115.
• Child of the veteran 19 years of age or older who is mentally or physically unable to support himself or herself and was affected by the disability prior to his or her 18th birthday.
• Legally adopted children of the veteran.

• Any person, who at the time of entering into the armed forces of the United States, had declared his/her intention to become a subject or citizen of the United States and withdrew his/her intention under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918.
• Any person who was discharged from the said armed forces on his/her own application or solicitation by reason of his/her being an enemy alien.
• Any person who has been proved guilty of willful desertion.
• Any person whose only service in the armed forces of the United States consists of his/her service as a member of the Coast Guard auxiliary or as a temporary member of the Coast Guard Reserve, or both.
• Any person whose last discharge or release from the armed forces is dishonorable.

Applications for financial help for veterans in Massachusetts can be filed with your community's Veterans' Service Officer.

To find your VSO:

• See the complete listing of Veterans' Service Officers in Massachusetts.
• Call your local city/town hall and ask for Veterans' Services.
• Or, call the Executive Office of Veterans' Services, 617-210-5480 and ask for your VSO's name and contact information.

Examples of documents needed for application (speak to your VSO for a full list of documents required)

A VSO may ask a veteran for the following documents:

• DD214 or other discharge certificate
• Income verification (pay stubs, award letters or other documents showing monthly income)
• Shelter verification (rent receipt or mortgage payment)

A VSO may ask a veteran's dependent for the following documents to establish a relationship as an eligible dependent:

• Marriage certificate (for spouse or widow/widower of a veteran)
• Birth certificate or adoption record with name of eligible veteran as parent (for child of a veteran)
• Death certificate (for widow/widower of a veteran, child of deceased veteran)
• Birth certificate of veteran with name of parent (for parent of a veteran)
• Public record or statements from the veteran or other knowledgeable people, showing that the applicant stood in place of a parent to the veteran for five years immediately preceding the veteran's wartime service (for person in place of a parent to a veteran)