Eligibility for most VA benefits is based on discharge from active military services under "other than dishonorable" conditions for a minimum period specified by law.
Active military service means full-time service as a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, or as a commissioned officer of the Public Health Service, the Environmental Services Administration, or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Persons serving in selected reserves for a minimum period specified by law are also eligible for certain benefits. VA regional offices can clarify eligibility requirements for veteran benefits. The Department of Defense issues each veteran a military discharge form, DD 214, which identifies the condition of discharge. The VA decides whether a specific discharge was under "dishonorable" or "other than dishonorable" conditions.
Either a copy of the veteran's DD 214, which documents service dates and the type of discharge received, or the veteran's full name, military service number, branch of service, and dates of service must be submitted in order to file a claim for veteran benefits. The VA will then assign a claim number to the veteran's initial claim. This claim number should be referred to in all subsequent correspondence.
The following documents, if not in the VA file, will be required to process a claim related to a veteran's death:
- Marriage certificate for claims of a surviving spouse or children.
- Death certificate, if the veteran did not die in a VA medical facility.
- Children's birth certificates to determine children's benefits.
- Veteran's birth certificate, if parents want to establish benefit eligibility.
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