Atlanta Daily World

Peacetime Veterans To Get Limited Benefits

WASHINGTON, D. C. - Veterans with services only during peacetime are not entitled to Veterans Administration hospitalization without service-connected disabilities, VA announced in answer to inquires.

The only conditions under which peacetime veterans may be admitted to VA hospitals, the agency said, are:

1. If they were discharged under other than dishonorable conditions for a disability incurred in line of duty; or,

2. If they are receiving VA compensation for a service-connected or service-aggravated disability.

VA said peacetime service for the purposes of hospitalization is any period of active service that occurs before or after a war and does not extend into a war period, as defined by congress.

For example, VA said, all persons who entered service for the first time on or before February 1, 1955 are peacetime veterans for the purposes of VA hospitalization because the Korean conflict officially was ended the day before, January 31, 1955.

Another period of peacetime service for the purposes of VA hospitalization is between December 31, 1946, when World War II was declared ended for all except a few, and June, 1950, when the Korean conflict started.

A third period of peacetime service for the purposes of VA hospitalization occurred between the two World Wars - December 12, 1918, when World War I ended for all except a few, and December 7, 1941 when World War II started.

A fourth period of peacetime service for the purposes of VA hospitalization occurred between July 4, 1902, when the Spanish-American War ended for all except a few, and April 6, 1917 when World War I started.

For the vast majority of veterans who served only during the foregoing periods, VA hospitalization may be provided only under the eligibility requirements for peacetime veterans established by Congress, VA said.

Special eligibility requirements apply to peacetime veterans who have been retired from active peacetime service Veteran Administration said these veterans should check their eligibility with VA before applying for hospitalization.