The following list identifies the periods of wartime designated by Congress for pension purposes. To be considered by the VA to have served during wartime, a Veteran need not have served in a combat zone, but simply during one of these designated periods. All other times are considered peacetime. Even if a majority of a veteran’s service occurred during peacetime, the service member would still meet the wartime service requirement for eligibility for pension benefits if he or she served 90 consecutive days, at least 1-day of which occurred during a period designated as wartime.
Other service qualifying criteria:
- Service in the Merchant Marine during World War II counts the same as Naval Service, providing the Veteran was at sea for 90 days
- Women who served in the World War II military, including nurses, qualify as Veterans
- Reserves and National Guard are not qualified unless they served 90 days active Federal duty with 1 day during a period of conflict
- The 90 days rule is excepted for those who served less than 90 days but were awarded the Purple Heart, suffered a service connected disability, or were killed in the line of duty
- If the active duty occurred after September 7, 1980, you must have served at least 24 months or the full period that you were called up (with some exceptions).
Timeliness of Content because of the complexity of applicable VA statutes, regulations, and internal claim development issues, it is impossible to keep this website fully updated at all times. Therefore, we cannot take responsibility for the current accuracy of the information presented here. For the most updated information click here.
Mexican Border Period
World War I
World War I, Served in Russia
World War II
World War II Ocean-Going Merchant Marine
Korean War
Vietnam War (In-Country)
Vietnam War (All Service)
Lebanon Expeditionary Force
Grenada Expeditionary Force
Panama Expeditionary Force1/31/1990
Persian Gulf War
Somalia Expeditionary Force
Operations Joint Endeavor,
Joint Guard & Joint Forge
(Former Yugolsavia)
Global War on Terrorism
(Military Expeditions to Combat Terrorism
as in Afghanistan)
05/09/1916
04/06/1917
04/06/1917
12/07/1941
12/07/1941
06/27/1950
02/28/1961
08/05/1964
08/21/1982
10/23/1983
12/20/1989
08/02/1990
09/17/1992
11/20/19950
09/11/2001
04/05/1917
11/11/1918
04/01/1920
12/31/1946
08/15/1946
01/31/1955
05/07/1975
05/07/1975
02/26/1984
02/26/1984
01/31/1990
Not determined
Not determined
6/20/1998
Not determined for Op. Joint Forge