Military Service Requirements for VA Loan Eligibility:
*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.
Wartime - Service during:
WWII
09/16/40 to 07/25/47
Korean
06/27/50
to 01/31/55
Vietnam
08/05/64 to 05/07/75
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:
07/26/47 to 06/26/50
02/01/55
to 08/04/64
05/08/75
to 09/07/80 (enlisted)
to 10/16/81
(officer)
You must have served at
least 181 days of continuous active duty and been discharged 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
09/07/80 (enlisted) or 10/16/81 (officer)
If you were separated
from service which began after these dates, you must have:
(a) 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
(b) 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;
(c) 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 08/02/90 to date yet to be determined
If you served on active
duty during the Gulf War, you must have:
(a) 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
(b) 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
(c) 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 active 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
(a) were discharged
with an honorable discharge; or
(b) were placed on the
retired list; or
(c) 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
(d) continue to serve
in the Selected Reserves.
Individuals who
completed less than 6 years may be eligible if discharged for a service-
connected disability. Eligibility for Selected Reservists expires
09/30/2007.
You may also be
determined eligible if you:
(a) are an unremarried
spouse of a veteran who died while in service or from a service connected
disability, or
(b) are a spouse of a
serviceperson missing in action or a prisoner or war.
Eligibility may also
be established for:
(a) certain United
States citizens who served in the armed forces of a government allied with the
United States in WWII.
(b) 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.
