M21-1 Manual  /  Part III, Subpart i, Chapter 1, Section B

Service Requirements and Verification of Eligibility

M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, Chapter 1, Section B

Overview

In This Section

This section contains the following topics:
TopicTopic Name
1Minimum Active Duty Service Requirements
2General Information Regarding Verification of Service and Character of Discharge (COD)
3Forms of Evidence for Verification of Service and COD
4Alternative Sources for Evidence of Service

1. Minimum Active Duty Service Requirements


Introduction

This topic contains information on the minimum active duty service requirements, including
  • requirement for a minimum period of active duty
  • entitlement to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits when the minimum active duty requirements are not met
  • exceptions to the minimum active duty service requirements, and
  • entitlement to benefits before the date of enactment of 38 U.S.C. 5303A.

Change Date

August 2, 2022

III.i.1.B.1.a. Requirement for a Minimum Period of Active Duty

The minimum active duty service requirement of 38 CFR 3.12a(a)(1) must be met, in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 5303A, by all persons, including officers, who
  • originally enlisted in a regular component of the Armed Forces after September 7, 1980, or
  • entered on active duty after October 16, 1981, and
  • have not
    • previously completed a continuous period of active duty of at least 24 months, nor
    • been discharged or released from active duty under 10 U.S.C. 1171.
Important: A Veteran may meet the minimum period of active duty without completing 24 months of active duty. 38 CFR 3.12a(a)(1) defines the minimum period as
  • 24 months of continuous active duty, or
  • the full period for which a person is called or ordered to active duty.
Note: In the case of a delayed enlistment, the entry date for purposes of this provision is the date of entry on active duty, not the date of swearing in, which may have preceded actual entry into active duty.

III.i.1.B.1.b. Entitlement to VA Benefits When the Minimum Active Duty Requirements Are Not Met

An individual who does not meet the minimum active duty service requirements is not eligible for any benefit under 38 U.S.C. or under any other law administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) except
  • benefits for, or in connection with, a service-connected (SC) disability or death
  • insurance benefits provided by 38 U.S.C. Chapter 19, and/or
  • refunds of a participant’s contributions to the educational benefits program provided by 38 U.S.C. Chapter 32.

III.i.1.B.1.c. Exceptions to the Minimum Active Duty Service Requirements

The table below outlines exceptions to the minimum active duty requirements.
ExceptionDescription/Restrictions
Discharge Under 10 U.S.C. 1173This discharge applies to an individual discharged for hardship. Acceptable narrative reasons on DD Form 214, Certificate of Uniformed Service A DD Form 214 issued for reasons of hardship must reflect Hardship or Dependency as the narrative reason for separation.Note: Develop for cases in which
  • the DD Form 214 is unclear as to the reason for discharge, and
  • a discharge for hardship is alleged but not stated on the DD Form 214.
Discharge Under 10 U.S.C. 1171This discharge allows for an early-out discharge within one year of the expiration of the term of enlistment or extended enlistment. Note: This discharge is not available to officers. Restrictions for persons in the Air Force, Space Force, Navy, and Marine Corps This discharge is not available to persons in the Air Force, Space Force, Navy, and Marine Corps who are discharged with less than 33 months of service, as the minimum period of enlistment for these branches of service is 3 years. Restrictions for persons in the Army This discharge is not available to persons in the Army who are discharged with less than 21 months of service, as the minimum period of enlistment is 2 years. Acceptable narrative reasons on DD Form 214 Most discharges under 10 U.S.C. 1171 have one of the following narrative reasons for discharge on the DD Form 214:
  • Overseas Returnee
  • Expiration of Term of Service, or
  • Completion of Required Service.
Accept a DD Form 214 with one of these narrative reasons and at least 21 months of service as proof of discharge under 10 U.S.C. 1171 without further development. Any other narrative reason for discharge for an enlisted person who served at least 21 months requires development to determine if the discharge was under 10 U.S.C. 1171. Restrictions for Public Health Service (PHS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) enlistments This discharge cannot be authorized by the PHS and NOAA as only officers serve in those branches.
Disability DischargeThis discharge is for those individuals who
  • are discharged or released from active duty for a disability determined to be SC without presumptive provisions of law, or
  • at the time of discharge, had such an SC disability shown by official records which, in medical judgment, would have justified a discharge for disability.
Compensable SC DisabilityAn individual with a compensable SC disability.
Discharge from Reserve Status for DisabilityThis discharge is issued to an individual who incurred an SC disability from an inactive duty training injury and is subsequently discharged or released from reserve status for that disability. The individual should be considered to have been discharged or released from active service.

III.i.1.B.1.d. Entitlement to Benefits Before the Date of Enactment of 38 U.S.C. 5303A

Entitlement to any benefit legally provided prior to the date of enactment of 38 U.S.C. 5303A, October 1, 1981, based on minimum active duty service requirements in effect at that time, is not affected. Example: An individual issued a certificate of eligibility for a VA home loan guaranty prior to October 1, 1981, continues to be eligible for that benefit even though the active duty service performed no longer qualifies under 38 U.S.C. 5303A.


2. General Information Regarding Verification of Service and COD


Introduction

This topic contains information on verifying service and the Veteran’s COD, including
  • verifying service and COD
  • determining former prisoner of war (FPOW) status
  • considering travel time when verifying length of service
  • requesting certification of travel time, and
  • determining travel time for PHS claimants.

Change Date

September 22, 2025

III.i.1.B.2.a. Verifying Service and COD

Verify active service dates and character of discharge (COD) by first reviewing the available service department records or other acceptable evidence of service in the claims folder. If a review of the claims folder indicates the available evidence is incomplete, any information is questionable, or no service department records or other acceptable evidence are available, request further verification or additional data via the
  • Personnel Information Exchange System (PIES), under procedures in the PIES User Guide, and
  • Veteran Information Solution (VIS), under procedures in
  • Defense Personnel Records Information Retrieval System (DPRIS), under procedures in
Important: As noted in M21-1, Part X, Subpart i, 6.C.3.d, Benefits Delivery at Discharge claims are rated while the service member is still on active duty. Therefore, the current period of service will not be verified until after discharge. These claims must not be deferred for service verification.References: For more information on
  • alternative sources for evidence of service, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 1.B.4.a
  • forms of evidence for verification of service and COD, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 1.B.3, and
  • making determinations about COD, see M21-1, Part X, Subpart iv, 1.A.

III.i.1.B.2.b. Determining FPOW Status

Review the claim and the available service and separation records for any indication that the Veteran was a former prisoner of war (FPOW). Reference: For more information on determining FPOW status, see

III.i.1.B.2.c. Considering Travel Time When Verifying Length of Service

Under 38 U.S.C. 106(c), a service member is considered to remain on active duty after discharge or release for the period of time necessary to travel directly home. Travel time is determined by the service department; however, a person is always considered to be on active duty until midnight of the day of discharge or release. Consider travel time in determining eligibility to benefits requiring 90 days or 24 months of active service. By adding travel time as certified by the service department, the required period of active service may be met. If there is a possibility that the information regarding travel time may be determinative, request the information through PIES or DPRIS. Note: Do not routinely request certification of travel time if the records show that the Veteran had less than 80 days of active service. In these cases, request certifications only if
  • travel time is put at issue by the claimant, or
  • unusual circumstances exist, such as an overseas discharge.
References: For more information about requesting travel time in

III.i.1.B.2.d. Requesting Certification of Travel Time

If the Veteran is disabled or dies from an injury within 11 days after discharge from service, compensation or Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) may be payable. In these cases, or if travel time is put at issue by the claimant, make an inquiry to the service department as to whether the Veteran was entitled to travel time under 38 U.S.C. 106(c) for the date and hour on which the injury or death occurred.

III.i.1.B.2.e. Determining Travel Time for PHS Claimants

For PHS claimants, accept the dates shown on the separation document as including travel time. The PHS determines travel time prior to separation and includes it in the active duty dates.

3. Forms of Evidence for Verification of Service and COD


Introduction

This topic contains information about the forms of evidence used to verify service and COD, including
  • acceptable forms of evidence of qualifying active service
  • service department issuance of DD Form 214
  • VA/Department of War (DOW) Identity Repository (VADIR) data shared with VA
  • completion of administrative decision when qualifying service cannot be verified, and
  • unacceptable forms of evidence.

Change Date

September 22, 2025

III.i.1.B.3.a. Acceptable Forms of Evidence of Qualifying Active Service

Consider only the documentary evidence of qualifying service listed in the table below as adequate evidence of service for eligibility determinations.
Consider acceptance of …Of a …As adequate evidence of service for eligibility determinations because …
the original (copy 1)DD Form 214, printed prior to July 1, 1979,it contains COD information.
the original (copy 1)PHS Form 1867, Statement of Service – Verification of Status of Commissioned Officers of the U.S. Public Health Servicethis information is furnished by the PHS.
the original (copy 1)NOAA Form 56-16, Report of Transfer or Dischargethis information is furnished by NOAA.
the originalNGB Form 22, National Guard Report of Separation and Record of Servicethis information is furnished by the service department.
the original (copy 1)report of separation document that includes the Veteran’s name, rank, service number, dates and character of service, and the Veteran’s signaturereport of separation documents were issued prior to the implementation of DD Form 214.
any carbon copy (copy 2 through 8)original DD Form 214 (any edition) or other report of separation documentauthorized employees of the Veterans Service Center can authenticate photocopies of DD Form 214.
a digitally signed copyDD Form 214, or DD Form 215, Correction to DD Form 214, issued by the Department of War (DOW), a military service branch, or a State Adjutant Generala digitally signed form contains a 10-digit number that follows the certifying official’s name and it is acceptable in place of a certifying official’s signature if
  • the form appears genuine and unaltered, and
  • the Veteran was discharged on or after August 1, 2008, under other than dishonorable conditions.
a copy or abstractDD Form 214 or equivalent certified by a local or State government officialthe copy or abstract was certified by a local or State government official whose office recorded the Veteran’s original service DD Form 214 or equivalent. Note: A copy or abstract of the Veteran’s original (copy 1) of the DD Form 214 dated July 1, 1979, or later is not acceptable. This includes any electronically transmitted service information provided to a 3rd party such as a Veterans service organization.
a copy or abstractDD Form 214 or equivalent submitted or already of record when a valid application for plot benefits has been submitted by a State cemetery Important: This is for State plot burial benefits only.
  • this information is furnished by a State cemetery, and
  • the form appears genuine and unaltered.
a copyDD Form 214 or equivalent submitted by the claimant or the claimant’s representativeexamination of the copy confirms it is
  • genuine, and
  • free from alteration.
Notes:
  • Original records cannot be returned to claimants. Encourage claimants to submit copies of original documents that are acceptable as specified in the table instead of original documents.
  • In assessing whether scanned documents in the electronic claims folder (eFolder) are authentic, look for notations indicating the image is of an original or certified copy. Evidence of a raised seal or certification stamp is proof the image is of the original document or a certified copy of it. In assessing whether a document is genuine and unaltered, look for discrepancies with other documents in the file such as birth date, dates of service, service number, that might suggest a document was altered before being photocopied.
  • The appropriate service department retains Copy 2 of DD Form 214 as the permanent record of the Veteran’s service.
  • If the Remarks section of the DD Form 214 contains the entry “Continuous active military service: XX-XX-XX [Date],” service is verified from that date, regardless of any later date shown in the Enter(ed) on Duty (EOD) section of the form. A DD Form 214 with such an entry is acceptable proof of EOD and Release from Active Duty (RAD) dates.
  • PHS and NOAA began using DD Form 214 as their official notice of separation in October 2021. Prior to using DD Form 214,
    • PHS used PHSForm1867, Statement of Service-Verification of Status of Commissioned Officers of the U.S. Public Health Service, and
    • NOAA used NOAA Form 56-16, Report of Transfer or Discharge.

References: For more information on

  • accepting paper copies of DD Form 214 from the Records Management Center (RMC) as verification of service, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 1.B.5.e
  • action to take when a claimant submitted evidence of service which cannot be accepted and military service cannot be verified, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 1.B.3.e, and
  • handling cases of fraud, see M21-1, Part X, Subpart iv, 3.A.2.

III.i.1.B.3.b. When Service Departments Provide VA With a Certificate of Release

A DD Form 214 is issued by the service department to the following types of service members:
  • members who are separated or released from active service
  • recalled retirees reverting to retired status, regardless of the period of active duty service
  • members who are separated for cause or for physical disability, regardless of the period of active service
  • personnel being separated, when they have served 90 days or more or when required by the Secretary concerned for shorter periods, from a period of active duty for training, full-time training duty, or active duty for operational support
  • reserve component personnel ordered to active duty for a contingency operation for a period greater than 30 days, or
  • members who change their status or component while serving on active service.
Notes:
  • Service departments provide VA with a copy of a service member’s DD Form 214 or other appropriate certificate of release
    • if/when the service member files a claim for VA benefits at the time of separation, or
    • when the service member is released from active duty.
  • Prior to the deployment of DOW’s Healthcare Artifacts and Images Management Solution (HAIMS) on January 1, 2014, service departments included a copy of DD Form 214 with the service treatment records (STRs) they provided to VA. When a DD Form 214 is part of the STR document in the eFolder, RO employees must ensure the DD Form 214 is properly identified. This must be done either by
    • ensuring the subject line of the STR document identifies the inclusion of the certified DD Form 214, or
    • adding a bookmark indicating the certified DD Form 214 is included in the STR document.
References: For more information on

III.i.1.B.3.c. VADIR Data Shared with VA

A Veteran’s military history information is stored in the VA/DOW Identity Repository (VADIR). The VADIR data is equivalent to (and considered as) an electronic DD Form 214, and is acceptable for verification of service, COD, separation reason, and so on.VADIR data is shared with, and/or displayed to VA via
  • the MILITARY SERVICE screen in VBMS, and
  • VIS.
Important: Historically, VA also received data via the Veterans Assistance Discharge System (VADS), which electronically transferred military service information to VA, resulting in updates to the corporate record. VBMS identifies authoritative service information from VADS by displaying Yes in the SYSTEM VERIFIED SERVICE field on the MILITARY SERVICE screen. Legacy applications denoted VADS-verified service with a Y (i.e. Yes) or D (to indicate the data was input by DOW’s Defense Manpower Data Center). Notes:
  • If there are discrepancies between the information displayed in VIS and evidence provided by the service member pertaining to the dates of service or COD, develop for the DD Form 214.
  • For reservists and National Guard members, a DD Form 214 is filed for each segment of active duty. VIS will display the dates a reservist or National Guard member entered and exited active duty with the same unit. VIS will not display dates for activation within a unit.
  • For retirees, a known discrepancy exists in VIS showing a one day difference between the RAD provided by VIS and the RAD on the DD Form 214. The RAD data in VIS is the last day the service member is paid by the military. To arrive at the same separation date shown on a retiree’s DD Form 214, add one day to the RAD date displayed in VIS.
  • Data in VIS concerning return to active duty may be inconsistent, as discussed in M21-1, Part X, Subpart v, 2.B.1.b.
References: For more information on
  • Veterans’ identification data available in VBMS, see the VBMS Core User Guide
  • using VIS, see the VIS User Guide, and
  • service department records for verifying periods of active duty for training and inactive duty for training, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, 1.A.2.e.

III.i.1.B.3.d. Completion of Administrative Decision When Qualifying Service Cannot Be Verified

When qualifying service cannot be verified in a claim for compensation or DIC, complete an administrative decision as directed by M21-1, Part X, Subpart v, 1.C before administrative denial of the claim. References: For more information on

III.i.1.B.3.e. Unacceptable Forms of Evidence

If a claimant has submitted evidence of service which cannot be accepted and military service cannot be verified by other methods
  • send a denial letter which
    • explains the attempts to verify service, and
    • describes the acceptable forms of evidence, and
  • furnish notice of decision review rights.
Reference: For more information on providing a decision notice, see M21-1, Part VI, Subpart i, 1.B.


4. Alternative Sources for Evidence of Service

Change Date

September 30, 2021

III.i.1.B.4.a. Alternative Sources for Evidence of Service

When the standard means of verifying a Veteran’s service are unsuccessful, regional offices (ROs) should follow up with the claimant, encouraging a search of personal effects for a copy of discharge documents or other evidence of service. If a claimant is still unable to locate acceptable evidence of service and the Veteran’s record contains sufficient information to justify a request for this evidence, ROs should attempt to request it from the following sources:
  • Social Security Administration
  • State unemployment offices
  • State historical commissions
  • Federal or State offices of personnel management (if the Veteran was employed by a Federal or State agency)
  • current or former employers (The Veteran may have provided an employer a copy of discharge documents at the time of application or hiring.)
  • Railroad Retirement Board (if the Veteran was employed by the railroad)
  • county courthouses
  • State Adjutants General offices, and/or
  • rosters or registers published by some States that list Veterans who served in World War I, World War II, and the Korean Conflict. (These may contain complete service data for each Veteran listed.)
Note: ROs must determine which sources of alternative records are most reliable and the weight to be given to any evidence acquired.

Source: VA M21-1 Adjudication Procedures Manual, M21-1, Part III, Subpart i, Chapter 1, Section B (U.S. government work, reproduced for reference). Browse all sections →