Am I a Vet?
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Thread: Am I a Vet?

  1. #1

    Cool Am I a Vet?

    I joined the Marines my senior year in high school (79-80) and I left that summer for boot camp. I contracted pneumonia during training and did not respond well to medical treatment and eventually did not complete training and was Honorably Discharged. I started Boot July 1980 and left either late September or early October.

    Since I didn't become a Marine, I did become a Police/Correctional Officer and now I'm a Private Investigator specializing in high risk security and investigations. Recently I have been recieving mail from the Veteran's Administration identifying me as a Veteran. I thought I had to be 180 days active to qualify as such. I moved to Texas 10 years ago and they are sending mail directly to me and I never claimed veteran status at any time.

    Have the rules changed???


  2. #2
    Marine Free Member CAS3's Avatar
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    The rules did not change....

    You are considered a veteran as having a DD 214.

    A medical discharge holds the equivelent status as an honorable with 180 day service.


  3. #3

    Vet?

    My code was RE-3F, that's not a medical discharge.


  4. #4
    Marine Free Member Sixguns's Avatar
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    The RE Code does identify you as someone separated for a medical reason. This is an additional narrative to further discribe your character of service (i.e. Honorable, other than honorable, etc.) The RE-3F is an idication that you cannot re-enlist without a waiver for the reason outlined in the narrative.


  5. #5
    Marine Free Member bigdog43701's Avatar
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    short answer...you are a veteran.


  6. #6
    Thanks for the info , feel that it's wrong for me to be a Vet when I didn't fully pay my dues. The only war I've served in is the war on street crime.


  7. #7
    Marine Free Member CAS3's Avatar
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    Shadow,
    You signed the paper, you tried your damndest and that gives you the right.
    Unfortunately, you can not get benefits. I feel bad about that. But you are in the VA system because you enlisted and you have a DD214.
    Keep up the fight re: street crime. We need you here in Hartford CT. It is getting out of control!


  8. #8

    Cool Thanks!

    I'm originally from Baltimore so I can imagine!

    Thanks again for the input and kind words and I thank all of you for your service to our country!




  9. #9
    Anybody tell me where I can get a copy of my DD256 (Honorable Discharge Certificate)?


  10. #10
    Disregard, I found the National Archive Site. Thanks!


  11. #11
    i have a question, i was in kuwait and moved forward to iraq in the begining of the whole war, i was there from 12/28/02 till the last week in june first or the first week in july not sure. but when i went to the va they said im not a vet. so i couldnt get any benifits. what do they need to show them so that i can get the benifits, they have a copy of my dd214, what else do they need?


  12. #12

    Are you sure?

    Are you sure about that? You have to have had a certain number of days in active service excluding "For training purposes", that being 180 days to gain "Veteran status". If you got medically discharged after you completed the 180 days active service excluding for training purposes, and then issued an Honorable Discharge, then you can gain veteran status. You won't get veteran status if you did boot camp and got a medical and never served on active duty for an extended period of time, determined by the Veterans Administration. You may gain an "Honorable Discharge" but the discharge does not automatically get you VA benefits. You must have had active service. In some cases, I believe is up to 24 months for later services, I think after 1979. Note, Veteran Status according to the Veterans Administration means a little more than an Honorable Discharge. That means active duty excluding training purposes of 180 days usually and or called to a combat theatre and fulfilling your obligation.
    The question here is: IS SHADOW A VETERAN? The answer I believe to the best of my knowledge is Yes, he is a veteran because he has an Honorable Discharge, but like the other man here said, he is illegible for VA benefits. The best he can probably do is join the American Legion, (If his dates jive with their wartime or conflict dates) he would only need one day of active duty INCLUDING training in boot camp. He could probably join AMVETS. Here is the irony though. The Marine Corps considers one a MARINE upon fulfilling basic training in boot camp. The Marine Corps League to join one must have completed 90 days of active service. (This means BOOT CAMP at least when you read between the lines.) So the VA says he is an Honorable Discharged Veteran, but with NO VETERAN STATUS for VA BENEFITS, but should be eligible to join certain veteran organizations, and the Marines do not consider him a Marine.


    Quote Originally Posted by CAS3
    The rules did not change....

    You are considered a veteran as having a DD 214.

    A medical discharge holds the equivelent status as an honorable with 180 day service.



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