Source: http://helpdesk.vetsfirst.org/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=2763
Timestamp: 2017-04-27 22:43:17
Document Index: 52486954

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 101', '§ 3', '§ 101', '§ 3', '§ 3', '§ 3']

Veterans Benefits- Eligibility →
Although the term "veteran" appears straightforward, there are specific legal requirements for someone to be considered a "veteran" for purposes of eligibility for VA benefits. "In order to qualify for VA benefits, a claimant . . . [must be] a 'veteran.'" Cropper v. Brown, 6 Vet. App. 450, 452 (1994); D'Amico v. West, 209 F.3d 1322, 1327 (Fed. Cir. 2000). A veteran is defined as "a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable." 38 U.S.C. § 101(2); 38 C.F.R. § 3.1(d). Service in the active military, naval, or air service includes service in the United States Armed Forces or, for certain purposes, service in the organized military forces or organized guerilla forces of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Philippines in the service of the United States Armed Forces. 38 U.S.C. §§ 101(10), 101(21)(C), 101(24), 107; 38 C.F.R. § 3.40(b). To establish entitlement to benefits, VA may accept documents submitted by a claimant as evidence of qualifying service, without verification from the appropriate service department, if the documents were issued by a U.S. service department, contain the needed information, and in VA's opinion are genuine and contain accurate information. 38 C.F.R. § 3.203(a); Soria v. Brown, 118 F.3d 747, 749 (Fed. Cir. 1997). If, however, the evidence of service submitted does not meet the requirements of section 3.203(a), VA must request verification of service from the appropriate U.S. service department. 38 C.F.R. § 3.203(c); Soria, 118 F.3d at 749; Capellan v. Peake, 539 F.3d 1373, 1380 (Fed. Cir. 2008) (noting that section 3.203(c) requires verification from the service department whenever a claimant lacks the kind of official evidence specified in section 3.203(a)).
← 4.1. Eligibility for VA Benefits
4.3. Character of Discharge →