Periods Of War Defined

[Tbird]

there are occassions when it does matter if you are era veteran or not, for example if you served during periods as defined below but not in combat you would still be considered that era veteran.

hope some find this helpful

Title 38: Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief

PART 3—ADJUDICATION

Subpart A—Pension, Compensation, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation

General

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§ 3.2 Periods of war.

This section sets forth the beginning and ending dates of each war period beginning with the Indian wars. Note that the term period of war in reference to pension entitlement under 38 U.S.C. 1521, 1541 and 1542 means all of the war periods listed in this section except the Indian wars and the Spanish-American War. See §3.3(a)(3) and (b)(4)(i).

(a) Indian wars. January 1, 1817, through December 31, 1898, inclusive. Service must have been rendered with the United States military forces against Indian tribes or nations.

(b) Spanish-American War. April 21, 1898, through July 4, 1902, inclusive. If the veteran served with the United States military forces engaged in hostilities in the Moro Province, the ending date is July 15, 1903. The Philippine Insurrection and the Boxer Rebellion are included.

© World War I. April 6, 1917, through November 11, 1918, inclusive. If the veteran served with the United States military forces in Russia, the ending date is April 1, 1920. Service after November 11, 1918 and before July 2, 1921 is considered World War I service if the veteran served in the active military, naval, or air service after April 5, 1917 and before November 12, 1918.

(d) World War II. December 7, 1941, through December 31, 1946, inclusive. If the veteran was in service on December 31, 1946, continuous service before July 26, 1947, is considered World War II service.

(e) Korean conflict. June 27, 1950, through January 31, 1955, inclusive.

(f) Vietnam era. The period beginning on February 28, 1961, and ending on May 7, 1975, inclusive, in the case of a veteran who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period. The period beginning on August 5, 1964, and ending on May 7, 1975, inclusive, in all other cases.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 101(29)) (g) Future dates. The period beginning on the date of any future declaration of war by the Congress and ending on a date prescribed by Presidential proclamation or concurrent resolution of the Congress.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 101) (h) Mexican border period. May 9, 1916, through April 5, 1917, in the case of a veteran who during such period served in Mexico, on the borders thereof, or in the waters adjacent thereto.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 101(30)) (i) Persian Gulf War. August 2, 1990, through date to be prescribed by Presidential proclamation or law.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 101(33))

[26 FR 1563, Feb. 24, 1961, as amended at 32 FR 13223, Sept. 19, 1967; 36 FR 8445, May 6, 1971; 37 FR 6676, Apr. 1, 1972; 40 FR 27030, June 26, 1975; 44 FR 45931, Aug. 6, 1979; 56 FR 57986, Nov. 15, 1991; 62 FR 35422, July 1, 1997]

[Jayg]

I think they consider all military service from 1945 end of the war thru the fall of the Soviet Union as the Cold War all you get is a commendation paper and they won't even make a medal for it and if you don't ask for the paper they won't give it to you

I'm a "Viet Nam" era vet but served in Schwienfurt Germany from 1977-81. I was with the Field Artillery. There were two battalions there. We line our guns and ammo haulers back to back with approx. 3' between guns, 1 1/2 a gun width between batteries and a little wider gap between bns. We we 2 1/2 minutes from hostile attack/bomber aircraft bases. Our unit effective service time was 0 hours. It was hoped that individuals and small groups of individuals would provide isolated pockets of resistance for 24 hours. Predicted casualty rate beyond that 100% The last year I was there, we were given "adventure training." This was things like rappelling, making and crossing rope bridges, land navigation... "adventure..."- you know- Infantry stuff!

Driving down the road watching a Soviet SMLM (you know if you were there) take your picture, realize that you really didn't like them and daren't so much as blink while they were about it.

In my time there I was shot at on vehicle park guard duty, involved in a terrorist attack on a NATO storage site, got a shell splinter from a short round onto the artillery impact area op, (that's ok, it was just a 'splinter,' another fellow lost his leg), and was told what I didn't see on more than one occasional. None of this crap is in the records by the way- It never happened! (or was only a "training accident") Add to that the aggravation of the Iran hostage crisis- there we were- armed and dangerous while this little two bit country pushed us all over the place and when something was finally done, they botched it! I assure you, everybody's blood pressure was intensely high.

This was life in the (Yawn- ho hum)- Cold War/peace time Army. So nahhh, we 'don't deserve no stinking badges...'

[68mustang]

Peacetime or War I believe that the Military is a stressful situation and the Military are at far greater risk for injury and trauma than civilians.

Pete53 you are right. Not everyone handles stressful situations the same way. Everyone is different One individual might not be affected, while another is affected.

68mustang

[Testvet]

I'm a "Viet Nam" era vet but served in Schwienfurt Germany from 1977-81. I was with the Field Artillery. There were two battalions there. We line our guns and ammo haulers back to back with approx. 3' between guns, 1 1/2 a gun width between batteries and a little wider gap between bns. We we 2 1/2 minutes from hostile attack/bomber aircraft bases. Our unit effective service time was 0 hours. It was hoped that individuals and small groups of individuals would provide isolated pockets of resistance for 24 hours. Predicted casualty rate beyond that 100% The last year I was there, we were given "adventure training." This was things like rappelling, making and crossing rope bridges, land navigation... "adventure..."- you know- Infantry stuff!

Driving down the road watching a Soviet SMLM (you know if you were there) take your picture, realize that you really didn't like them and daren't so much as blink while they were about it.

In my time there I was shot at on vehicle park guard duty, involved in a terrorist attack on a NATO storage site, got a shell splinter from a short round onto the artillery impact area op, (that's ok, it was just a 'splinter,' another fellow lost his leg), and was told what I didn't see on more than one occasional. None of this crap is in the records by the way- It never happened! (or was only a "training accident") Add to that the aggravation of the Iran hostage crisis- there we were- armed and dangerous while this little two bit country pushed us all over the place and when something was finally done, they botched it! I assure you, everybody's blood pressure was intensely high.

This was life in the (Yawn- ho hum)- Cold War/peace time Army. So nahhh, we 'don't deserve no stinking badges...'

I was there at the same time you were, I was at Ledward Barracks 2/30 Infantry, our Battalion XO went on to bigger and better thing Major Barry McCaffrey now is seen on MSNBC as retired General Barry McCaffrey, I went to Graefonwehr (sic) muddy man was that place muddy I got reassigned to Fort Lewis as my wife had tuberculosis and Germany would not allow here to enter their country, I went back to Fort Lewis in May 78. There were a lot of people a Conn Barracks to, yea Germany was fun except the exchange rate dropped like a rock just about the time I got there, it went from 4 marks to a dollar to 1.5 per dollar all the GIs were screaming especially their wives...and it was worse if they were living off base and paying rent and german utilities.....

I promise you the DMZ in Korea was worse about "stress" anyone north of the river had a 15 minute life expectancy if the North Koreans came south, I was there in 75/76 for Operation Paul Bunyan I knew CPT Bonifas and 1LT Barret I knew another 1LT at JSA he came from Fort Lewis with me, they made him change his name tags when we got there, his real name was 1LT Charles Pigg they had him change his name tags to 1LT Charles supposedly all of us north of the river were MPs the command didn't think it was to funny to have an MP 1LT Pigg rofl there were 3-4 "incidents" while I was there that made me question why I asked the Army to send me there I thought it was safer than Fort Lewis for me....that joke was on me,, at Fort Lewis I only had GIs trying to kill me, in Korea I was on the fence a night every week looking at North Koreans with loaded weapons I jumped from the frying pan into the fire

[Jayg]

Yeah! Ledward Kaserne! I was in the last barracks on the parking lot opposite the dispensary. That was the 1/10FA. We used to fall out for formation in the dirt along the main street wall facing the parking lot. Hey! Remember "Maggies? The little Gasthaus just opposite the side gate there? We used to have her stamp our clearance papers before leaving. B) I used to have a buddy over in the 2/30Inf. He was a supply sgt. darn if I can remember his name now though. He provided me with my M16 cleaning kit. For some strange reason we couldn't get them in the arty. They were lucky to have one per section. I was one of only very few, and all the others were NCOs, who had their own kits. I had a temporary handout receipt from him so they couldn't take it away from me like they tried to do. Even though I got odd looks for having something receipted from an Infantry outfit, they just shrugged and never checked it out because I had a reputation for scrounging and they never looked too closely into where the things I obtained came from. Just as well they didn't check because said friend never kept his part of the receipt and would have roundly denied all knowledge of it if they had. (wasn't his name on the paper either of course! ;) )

Another thing about Europe was that it took a while to shake 3 years out of your system though that was purely benign if confusing. It took me a while to pick up a piece of pizza instead of using a knife and fork and tended to speak German at odd times unawares. Generally embarrassing but nothing about PTSD of course!

Anyway, I never did the Korean tour because after 3 years conus I was just bound for the euro long tour (still 3 years then). I knew plenty who did though and know that's about as close to regular combat duty as most guys were going to get in those days. The biggest difference between Europe and Korea border duty was that the Koreans were just itching to cause trouble and in Europe all parties (at the grunt level) wanted to avoid it at all costs. I know I once found myself eyeballing a fellow through my binos who was looking back at me the same way. It was cold, gray, wet mushy snow falling and I know darn well that fellow didn't want to be there any more I did.

(Due to pressures on the Cav and a near mutiny, they started having the arty pull border guard in- 1980 I think it was.)

[Pete53]

I was in 3rd Armor/12th Air Cav 1969-70 and we lived in the field.

I was stationed in Budingen Germany at Armstrong Barracks. Most of the time I can't remember the name of the Barracks. You could walk around the entire Post in about 5 minutes.

[Testvet]

I was in 3rd Armor/12th Air Cav 1969-70 and we lived in the field.

I was stationed in Budingen Germany at Armstrong Barracks. Most of the time I can't remember the name of the Barracks. You could walk around the entire Post in about 5 minutes.

Pete oneof the things I remember most about Ledward barracks was the fact we were in the middle of town, small base like you say and we were a mech infantry unit, so every time we went on alert the Germans raced to park their cars on the street near the motor pool what ever cars gor ran over by the tracks the Army basically bought and paid for them a new vehicle even if they were driving a cut down airplane made into a car, or a 200 dollar VW the German always seemed to get a new Mercedes out of it.... and do not run over a chicken in germany you could go broke rofl