VETERANS: Key point clarified

In response to a Letter to the Editor by Esequiel Vasquez on Wednesday, April 18, about educational benefits, here is some general information about the Veterans Administration’s educational benefits.

The Department of Education uses the following definition to be considered a veteran:

“A veteran is a former member of the Armed Forces of the United States (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard) who served on active duty and was discharged under conditions, which were other than dishonorable. There is no minimum number of days a student must have served on active duty to be considered a veteran. However, periods of active duty for training, pursuant to an enlistment in the National Guard or Reserves, do not qualify a student as a veteran. Thus former or current members of the National Guard or Reserves are not considered to be veterans unless they had prior or subsequent service with an active component of the Armed Forces. (Reservists called to active duty by Executive Order qualify as veterans.) Since the DD Form 214 is issued to those leaving the active military as well as to members of the National Guard and Reserves completing their initial active duty for training, possession of this document does not necessarily mean the student is a veteran.”

To document your veteran status, you can have your DD-214 (discharge document) reviewed at the Veterans Service Office at 120 E. Railroad Ave, Post Falls. Phone number is 208-446-1090.

JACK EVENSIZER

Dalton Gardens