Individuals and Groups Considered To Have Performed Active Military, Naval, or Air Service

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is amending its regulation governing individuals and groups considered to have performed active military, naval, or air service. More specifically, VA is expanding the regulation to include additional groups considered to have served on active military service. The need for this action results from recent decisions by the Secretary of the Air Force, and by Congress in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2001, expanding the categories of people considered to have performed active military service. The effect of these actions is to confer veteran status for VA benefit purposes on former members of these groups discharged under honorable conditions. VA also is amending references to three groups already included in our regulation in order to clarify which persons are members of these groups.