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Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits - Special Groups

A number of groups who have provided military-related service to the United States have been granted Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. For the service to qualify, the Defense Secretary must certify that the group has provided active military service. Individual members must be issued a discharge by the Defense Secretary to qualify for Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. Service in the following groups has been certified as active military service for benefits purposes:

·          Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs).

·          Signal Corps Female Telephone Operators Unit of World War I.

·          World War I Engineer Field Clerks.

·          Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC).

·          Quartermaster Corps female clerical employees serving with the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I.

·          Civilian employees of Pacific naval air bases who actively participated in defense of Wake Island during World War II.

·          Reconstruction aides and dietitians in World War I.

·          Male civilian ferry pilots.

·          Wake Island defenders from Guam.

·          Civilian personnel assigned to OSS secret intelligence.

·          Guam Combat Patrol.

·          Quartermaster Corps members of the Keswick crew on Corregidor during World War II.

·          U.S. civilians who participated in the defense of Bataan.

·          U.S. merchant seamen who served on block ships in support of Operation Mulberry in the World War II invasion of Normandy.

·          American merchant marines in oceangoing service during World War II.

·          Civilian Navy IFF radar technicians who served in combat areas of the Pacific during World War II.

·          U.S. civilians of the American Field Service who served overseas in World War I.

·          U.S. civilians of the American Field Service who served overseas under U.S. armies and U.S. army groups in World War II.

·          U.S. civilian employees of American Airlines who served overseas in a contract with the Air Transport Command between Dec. 14, 1941, and Aug. 14, 1945.

·          Civilian crewmen of U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey vessels who served in areas of immediate military hazard while conducting cooperative operations with and for the U.S. Armed Forces between Dec. 7, 1941, and Aug. 15, 1945. Qualifying vessels are: the Derickson, Explorer, Gilber, Hilgard, E. Lester Jones, Lydonia Patton, Surveyor, Wainwright, Westdahl, Oceanographer, Hydrographer and Pathfinder.

·          Members of the American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers) who served between Dec. 7, 1941, and July 18, 1942.

·          U.S. civilian flight crew and aviation ground support employees of United Air Lines who served overseas in a contract with Air Transport Command between Dec. 14, 1941, and Aug. 14, 1945.

·          U.S. civilian flight crew and aviation ground support employees of Transcontinental and Western Air, Inc. (TWA), who served overseas in a contract with the Air Transport Command between Dec. 14, 1941, and Aug. 14, 1945.

·          U.S. civilian flight crew and aviation ground support employees of Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corp. (Consairway Division) who served overseas in a contract with Air Transport Command between Dec. 14, 1941, and Aug. 14, 1945.

·          U.S. civilian flight crew and aviation ground support employees of Pan American World Airways and its subsidiaries and affiliates, who served overseas in a contract with the Air Transport Command and Naval Air Transport Service between Dec. 14, 1941, and Aug. 14, 1945.

·          Honorably discharged members of the American Volunteer Guard, Eritrea Service Command, between June 21, 1942, and March 31, 1943.

·          U.S. civilian flight crew and aviation ground support employees of Northwest Airlines who served overseas under the airline's contract with Air Transport Command from Dec. 14, 1941, through Aug. 14, 1945.

·          U.S. civilian female employees of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps who served in the defense of Bataan and Corregidor during the period January 2, 1942, to February 3, 1945.

·          U.S. flight crew and aviation ground support employees of Northeast Airlines Atlantic Division, who served overseas as a result of Northeast Airlines' contract with the Air Transport Command during the period December 7, 1941, through August 14, 1945.

·          U.S. civilian flight crew and aviation ground support employees of Braniff Airways, who served overseas in the North Atlantic or under the jurisdiction of the North Atlantic Wing, Air Transport Command, as a result of a contract with the Air Transport Command during the period February 26, 1942, through August 14, 1945.

·          Chamorro and Carolina former native police who received military training in the Donnal area of central Saipan and were placed under command of Lt. Casino of the 6th Provisional Military Police Battalion to accompany U.S. Marines on active, combat patrol from Aug. 19, 1945, to Sept. 2, 1945.

·          The operational Analysis Group of the Office of Scientific Research and Development, Office of Emergency Managment, which served overseas with the U.S. Army Air Corps from Dec. 7, 1941, through Aug. 15, 1945.

·          Service as a member of the Alaska Territorial Guard during World War II of any individual who was honorably discharged under section 8147 of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2001.

Selected Reserve and National Guard:

Current and former members of the Selected Reserve who served on active duty establish veteran status and may be eligible for VA benefits, depending on the length of active military service and the character of discharge. In addition, reservists not activated may qualify for some VA benefits.

Members of the National Guard activated for federal service during a period of war or domestic emergency may be eligible for certain VA benefits, such as VA health care, compensation for injuries or conditions connected to that service, and burial benefits. Activation for other than federal service does not qualify guard members for all VA benefits. Claims for VA benefits based on federal service filed by members of the National Guard should include a copy of the military orders, presidential proclamation or executive order that clearly demonstrates the federal nature of the service.

Filipino Veterans:

World War II era Filipino veterans are eligible for certain VA benefits. Generally, Old Philippine Scouts are eligible for VA benefits in the same manner as U.S. veterans. Commonwealth Army veterans, including certain organized Filipino guerrilla forces and New Philippine Scouts residing in the United States who are citizens or lawfully admitted for permanent residence, are also eligible for VA health care in the United States on the same basis as U.S. veterans.

Certain Filipino veterans who served in the New Philippine Scouts and were discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable are eligible for care in a VA health-care facility for the treatment of service-connected disabilities, and may be eligible for disability compensation and burial benefits.

Other Veterans:

Certain Commonwealth Army veterans and new Philippine Scouts may be eligible for disability compensation and burial benefits. Other veterans of recognized guerrilla groups also may be eligible for certain VA benefits. Survivors of World War II era Filipino veterans may be eligible for dependency and indemnity compensation. Eligibility and the rates of benefits vary based on the recipient’s citizenship and place of residence. Call 1-800-827-1000 to determine eligibility.

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