Department of Human Assistance

Defining a Veteran
38 U.S.C. § 101(2): The term "veteran" means a person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.

By VA regulations, 13 CFR § 125.11: Veteran has the meaning given the term in 38 U.S.C. 101(2). A Reservist or member of the National Guard called to Federal active duty or disabled from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty or while in training status also qualify as a veteran.

Active Duty
38 U.S.C. § 101(21): The term “active duty" means:

1. full-time duty in the Armed Forces, other than active duty for training;
2. full-time duty in the Armed Forces (other than for training purpose) as a commissioned officer of the Regular or Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service
1. on or after July 29, 1945, or
2. before that date under circumstances affording entitlement to “full military benefits" or
3. at any time, for the purposes of chapter 13 of this title;
3. full-time duty as a commissioned officer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or its predecessor organization the Coast and Geodetic Survey
1. on or after July 29, 1945, or
2. before that date
1. while on transfer to one of the Armed Forces, or
2. while, in time of war or national emergency declared by the President, assigned to duty on a project for one of the Armed Forces in an area determined by the Secretary of Defense to be of immediate military hazard, or
3. in the Philippine Islands on December 7, 1941, and continuously in such islands thereafter, or
3. at any time, for the purposes of chapter 13 of this title;
4. service as a cadet at the United States Military, Air Force, or Coast Guard Academy, or as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy; and
5. authorized travel to or from such duty or service

Armed Forces
38 U.S.C. § 101(10): The term “Armed Forces" means the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard, including the reserve components thereof.

Active duty for training
38 U.S.C. § 101(22): The term “Active duty for training" means:

1. full-time duty in the Armed Forces performed by Reserves for training purposes;
2. full-time duty for training purposes performed as a commissioned officer of the Reserve Corps of the Public Health Service
1. on or after July 29, 1945, or
2. before that date under circumstances affording entitlement to “full military benefits", or
3. at any time, for the purposes of chapter 13 of this title;
3. in the case of members of the Army National Guard or Air National Guard of any State, full-time duty under section 316 , 502 , 503 , 504 , or 505 of title 32 , or the prior corresponding provisions of law;
4. duty performed by a member of a Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program when ordered to such duty for the purpose of training or a practice cruise under chapter 103 of title 10 for a period of not less than four weeks and which must be completed by the member before the member is commissioned; and
5. authorized travel to or from such duty. The term does not include duty performed as a temporary member of the Coast Guard Reserve.

Active military, naval, or air service
38 U.S.C. § 101(24): The term “active military, naval, or air service" includes:

1. active duty;
2. any period of active duty for training during which the individual concerned was disabled or died from a disease or injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty; and
3. any period of inactive duty training during which the individual concerned was disabled or died;
1. from an injury incurred or aggravated in line of duty; or
2. from an acute myocardial infarction, a cardiac arrest, or a cerebrovascular accident occurring during such training.

Reserve
38 U.S.C. § 101(26): The term “Reserve" means a member of a reserve component of one of the Armed Forces.

Reserve Component
38 U.S.C. § 101(27): The term “reserve component" means, with respect to the Armed Forces

1. the Army Reserve;
2. the Navy Reserve;
3. the Marine Corps Reserve;
4. the Air Force Reserve;
5. the Coast Guard reserve;
6. the Army National Guard of the United States; and
7. the Air National Guard of the United States.

For information purpose only, for more information please click, here.