ABSTRACT
There are additional designations of what or who is defined as a veteran, which correspondingly determine what benefits one is entitled to receive. War veteran connotes any person or government issue (GI) who was sent by the military to serve in harm's way. A combat veteran is any person or GI who sustains hostility for any time as a result of an offensive, defensive or friendly fire in operations involving the enemy under combat or war conditions. Women who served as pilots under the Women Airforce Service Pilots were neither designated as military personnel nor were they even considered veterans, making them ineligible for a time for veteran benefits. While the eligibility for veteran benefits is limited to only military personnel who were honorably discharged, the exception for the collection of veteran benefits may apply to some veterans who received a bad conduct discharge under other than honorable conditions.
