Back in '78, I was discharged from the National Guard because they couldn’t fulfill my contract. I signed up for the motor pool, but got orders for the 9th Infantry Division, which had no openings. Never went to boot camp, so they sent me a discharge. Am I a veteran?
I think you might not qualify for federal benefits if you didn’t go to boot camp or do any active duty training. Not 100% sure though. 
Lin said:
I think you might not qualify for federal benefits if you didn’t go to boot camp or do any active duty training. Not 100% sure though.
Yeah, that makes sense. I heard something about needing at least 180 days of active duty. Guessing I didn’t meet that. 
Lin said:
I think you might not qualify for federal benefits if you didn’t go to boot camp or do any active duty training. Not 100% sure though.
Exactly, usually it’s 180 days of service, or 20 years for Guard/Reserves without federal activation. Weirdly complicated.
Do you have your discharge papers? That’ll show if your discharge was ‘honorable’ or something else. Kinda matters for the veteran status thing.
Parker said:
Do you have your discharge papers? That’ll show if your discharge was ‘honorable’ or something else. Kinda matters for the veteran status thing.
I do have the papers somewhere… I don’t remember the discharge type though. I should dig it up. Thanks for the tip!
Parker said:
Do you have your discharge papers? That’ll show if your discharge was ‘honorable’ or something else. Kinda matters for the veteran status thing.
Yeah, look for your NGB Form 22. That’s the one with all the details you’d need.
If you weren’t active under federal orders (Title 10), you might not qualify as a veteran for VA benefits. But states have their own rules, so you could check state options too.
Sidney said:
If you weren’t active under federal orders (Title 10), you might not qualify as a veteran for VA benefits. But states have their own rules, so you could check state options too.
Oh, good to know! I didn’t realize states have different benefits. I’ll look into that.
Sidney said:
If you weren’t active under federal orders (Title 10), you might not qualify as a veteran for VA benefits. But states have their own rules, so you could check state options too.
For sure! Some states have programs for former Guard members even without federal veteran status.
Might be worth calling a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) to help figure this out. They can tell you what benefits you could still get. It’s free!
Levi said:
Might be worth calling a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) to help figure this out. They can tell you what benefits you could still get. It’s free!
Sounds like a solid plan. Thanks, I’ll look up how to reach a VSO in my area.
Levi said:
Might be worth calling a Veterans Service Officer (VSO) to help figure this out. They can tell you what benefits you could still get. It’s free!
VSOs are super helpful. They helped me understand my discharge status and benefits, so definitely give it a go!
If your discharge paperwork isn’t handy, you can request it from the National Archives. They have a site to get your military records.
Gentry said:
If your discharge paperwork isn’t handy, you can request it from the National Archives. They have a site to get your military records.
Good to know, thanks! I’ll check out the Archives if I can’t find my papers.
Gentry said:
If your discharge paperwork isn’t handy, you can request it from the National Archives. They have a site to get your military records.
Yeah, I used them to get my DD214. Took a bit, but it’s all online now!