Wes Coulson explains the VA service requirements for eligibility for veterans pension benefits in this Elder Law Minute. The veteran must have been on active duty for 90 days, at least one of those during wartime, and have any kind of discharge except a dishonorable one. Wes also discusses what things aren’t requirements for the benefits.
Hi, I’m Wes Coulson and this is your Elder Law Minute. I want to talk today about the VA service requirement for eligibility for veteran’s pension benefits. Here’s the requirement: the veteran has to have been on active duty for at least ninety days, at least one of those during a wartime period, and needs to have any kind of discharge other than dishonorable – so honorable, general, medical will all work. The active duty requirement basically is going to rule out anybody who was a reservist and who was never called out. There are two things that aren’t requirements. One is there’s no requirement of being injured in the service; the VA has a separate program of benefits called Service and Active Disability for that. There’s also no requirement of having been in active combat duty or even in a combat zone. So for instance, if you were stationed inGermanyduring the Korean War, you clearly meet the service requirement. Thanks.
