2023 Massachusetts General Laws › Part I - Administration of the Government › Title XVII - Public Welfare › Chapter 115 - Veterans' Benefits › Section 1 - Definitions

Section 1. The following words, as used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, shall have the following meaning:—
''Dependent'', the wife, husband, widow, widower, child, mother or father of a veteran, as hereinafter defined, including any person who stood in the relationship of a parent to such veteran for the five years next preceding the commencement of his wartime service; provided, that no child of a veteran who is more than eighteen years of age shall be deemed a dependent, unless such child is attending school for the purpose of completing a regulation high school course or its equivalent, or unless he is mentally or physically unable to support himself, and his disability existed before he attained that age, or unless he is under twenty-three years of age, and is a full-time student at an educational institution which maintains a regular faculty and curriculum and has a regularly organized body of students in attendance at the place where its educational activities are carried on.
''Reside'', to be present within a city or town of the commonwealth, notwithstanding the lack of a present abode, with no present intention of definite and early removal, but not necessarily with the intention of remaining permanently; provided, however, that any such person who enters the commonwealth solely for the purpose of obtaining benefits under this chapter shall not be considered to reside in the commonwealth; and, provided further, that an applicant lacking a present abode shall be required to provide an affidavit stating his identity, his last place of residence and his intention to establish an abode within the city or town in which he applies.
''Institution'', any hospital, sanatorium or wayfarer's lodge, boarding or rest home, or convalescent or nursing home, for the operation of which a license is required by law, any facility conducted by an agency incorporated under chapter one hundred and eighty or any special act as a charitable corporation and any facility operated by municipal, county, state or federal government.
''Secretary'', the secretary of veterans' services.
''Veteran'', any person who (a) is a veteran as defined in clause Forty-third of section seven of chapter four; or (b) meets all the requirements of said clause Forty-third except that instead of performing wartime service as so defined he has served on active duty in the Mexican border service, between June thirteenth, nineteen hundred and sixteen, and February third, nineteen hundred and seventeen; or (c) is entitled to the Civil War, Indian Campaign, Spanish Campaign, or Spanish War Service Medal; or (d) meets all the requirements of said clause Forty-third except that instead of performing ninety days active service, at least one day of which was for wartime service, he has performed active service in the armed forces of the United States at any time between April sixth, nineteen hundred and seventeen and November eleventh, nineteen hundred and eighteen, inclusive; or (e) meets all the requirements of said clause Forty-third, except that instead of performing wartime service as so defined he is entitled to any of the following campaign badges: First Nicaraguan, Haitian, Dominican, Yangtze River, Second Yangtze River, Second Nicaraguan, Vera Cruz, Mexican Service; provided, that in any case the service of such person was credited to Massachusetts, or such person has resided in the commonwealth for 1 day.
''Veterans' agent'' or ''Part-time veterans' agent'', a veteran, as defined in clause Forty-third of section seven of chapter four, appointed under section three to disburse veterans' benefits in any city or town, or, if no such appointment has been made, the mayor of the city or the selectmen of the town disbursing such benefits; in Boston, the veterans' benefits and services commissioner.
''Veterans' benefits'', the benefits provided by this chapter. When used in any statute, ordinance, by-law, rule or regulation, the phrases ''state aid'', ''military aid'', ''soldiers' relief'', ''soldiers' burial'', or any words or phrases connoting the same, shall mean veterans' benefits.