Veterans Affairs (VA) Service Requirements
Military Service Requirements for VA Loan Eligibility:
Wartime - Service During:
| WWII |
09/16/1940 |
to |
07/25/1947 |
| Korean |
06/27/1950 |
to |
01/31/1955 |
| Vietnam |
08/05/1964 |
to |
05/07/1975 |
You must have at least 90 days on active duty and been discharged
under other than dishonorable conditions. If you served less
than 90 days, you may be eligible if discharged for a service
connected disability.
Peacetime - Service during periods:
| 07/26/1947 |
to |
06/26/1950 |
| 02/01/1955 |
to |
08/04/1964 |
| 05/08/1975 |
to |
09/07/1980 (Enlisted) |
| 05/08/1975 |
to |
10/16/1981 (Officer) |
You must have served no less then 181 days of continuous active
duty and been discharged or released under other than dishonorable
conditions. If you served less than 181 days, you may be
eligible if discharged for a service connected disability.
Service after 9/7/1980 (enlisted) or 10/16/1981 (officer)
If you were separated from service which began after these dates,
you must have:
- Completed 24 months of continuous active duty or the full period
(at least 181 days) for which you were ordered or called to active
duty and been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable,
or
- Completed at least 181 days of active duty and been discharged
under the specific authority of 10 USC 1173 (Hardship), or 10 USC
1171 (Early Out), or have been determined to have a compensable
service-connected disability; or
- Been discharged with less than 181 days of service for a
service-connected disability. Individuals may also be eligible if
they were released from active duty due to an involuntary reduction
in force, certain medical conditions, or, in some instances for the
convenience of the Government.
Gulf War - Service during period 8/2/1990 to date yet to
be determined
If you served on active duty during the Gulf War, you must have:
- Completed 24 months of continuous active duty or the full period
(at least 90 days) for which you were called or ordered to active
duty, and been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable,
or
- Completed at least 90 days of active duty and been discharged
under the specific authority of 10 USC 1173 (Hardship), or 10 USC
1173 (Early Out), or have been determined to have a compensable
service-connected disability, or
- Been discharged with less than 90 days of service for a
service-connected disability. Individuals may also be eligible if
they were released from active duty due to an involuntary reduction
in force, certain medical conditions, or, in some instances, for the
convenience of the Government.
Active Duty Service Personnel
If you are now on regular duty (not active duty for training),
you are eligible after having served 181 days (90 days during the
Gulf War) unless discharged or separated from a previous qualifying
period of active duty service.
Selected Reserves or National Guard
If you are not otherwise eligible and you have completed a total
of 6 years in the Selected Reserves or National Guard (member of an
active unit, attended required weekend drills and 2-week active duty
for training) and
- Were discharged with an honorable discharge, or
- Were placed on the retired list, or
- Were transferred to the Standby Reserve or an element of the
Ready Reserve other than the Selected Reserve after service
characterized as honorable service, or
- Continue to serve in the Selected Reserves
Individuals who completed less than 6 years may be eligible if
discharged for a service-connected disability.
You May also be determined eligible if you:
- Are an unremarried spouse of a veteran who died while in service
or from a service connected disability, or
- Are a spouse of a service person missing in action or a prisoner
of war
Note: Also, a surviving spouse who remarries on or after
attaining age 57, and on or after December 16, 2003, may be eligible
for the home loan benefit. However, a surviving spouse who
remarried before December 16, 2003, and on or after attaining age
57, must apply no later than December 15, 2004, to establish home
loan eligibility. VA must deny applications from surviving
spouses who remarried before December 6, 2003 that are received
after December 15, 2004.
Eligibility may also be established for:
- Certain United States citizens who served in the armed forces of
a government allied with the United States in WW II.
- Individuals with service as members in certain organizations,
such as Public Health Service officers, cadets at the United States
Military, Air Force, or Coast Guard Academy, midshipmen at the
United States Naval Academy, officers of National Oceanic &
Atmospheric Administration, merchant seaman with WW II service, and
others.
Note: Applications involving other than honorable discharges will
usually require further development by VA. This is necessary
to determine if the service was under other than dishonorable
conditions.