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Benefits News
Veterans Without "Honorable Discharge" Now Eligible for Benefits
October 1, 2018
A new law looks to expand benefits for certain previously ineligible veterans.
The law, which went into effect on October 1, 2018, extends a range of state and municipal benefits that were previously only available to veterans who were Honorably Discharged or were released under honorable conditions from active military service.
Now, the benefits can be accessed by veterans who received an "Other than Honorable" discharge characterization and who have been diagnosed with one or more of the following conditions:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder resulting from military service
- Traumatic brain injury resulting from military service
- Victim of Military sexual trauma
The diagnosis must be made by an individual who is licensed "to provide health care services at a United States Department of Veterans Affairs facility" which includes Physicians, Psychiatrists, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN), Psychologists and Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW).
Veterans applying for VA benefits must also submit all other required documentation.
A veteran with a "Bad Conduct" or "Dishonorable" discharge is not eligible for these benefits.
Upgrade Your Discharge
An estimated 250,000 Vietnam-era veterans, 25,000 Persian Gulf war veterans, and 7000 GWOT-era veterans, as well as other veterans, who received less-than-honorable discharges have been denied VA benefits. These benefits include medical treatment, disability pay and even military burials.
An estimated 80,000 to 90,000 of these men and women who served our country suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which was not recognized as a medical disorder until 1980. Many of our veterans have also suffered from exposure to Agent Orange, one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program.
Hardships suffered by these veterans include serious medical issues, homelessness, prolonged unemployment, damaged family and social relationships as well as the consequences of a less than honorable discharge.
Red River Helps With Upgrade
Red River Veterans for Peace, Chapter 154, an affiliate of national Veterans for Peace, is committed to assisting veterans with the process of applying for discharge upgrades. If you are one of these veterans or know veterans who might be helped by this upgrade, please write to RRVFP with a statement of your issue, telephone number, and your name. Write to: RRVFP, P.O. Box 5612, Fargo, ND 58105. Someone will contact the veteran and find a time they can meet/talk and review the process required to submit an application for review. RRVFP will also help veterans find resources that can be helpful in assembling the petition for review.
