This is a feel good for me at least concerning my dad.

Long story, hopefully short.
I was talking to my dad yesterday and the subject of being a veteran came up. I wanted to ask him why he never used military benefits for my college. He and my mom skimped and helped me get through, but it always made me wonder.

He was too young for Korea, and basically too old to be drafted in Vietnam, but he did enlist in the Texas National Guard in probably around 1960. He retired with about 34 years and gets benefits etc.

He told me that technically he is not a veteran because he never served on active duty in his entire tenure with the NG. In fact, he does not have a dd214.
He could have been called up, but they never were. He said it really didn't matter to him. He loved his time in the guard and all the opportunities it provided him.

He told me that it always bothers him when people ask if he's a veteran, and he usually would just say "I don't know".

Thanks to the google machine, I did some looking and found that in late 2016, a law was passed recognizing him and folks in similar circumstances a "Veteran".

I called him this morning to make sure he knows that he can say he is a veteran. I think he almost cried and that is something I have never seen my dad do

Quote:

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I wanted to ask him why he never used military benefits for my college.

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He may not have had that option. I'm not knowledgeable enough on his time period and if NG members were eligible for things like the GI Bill.

There have been periods where the educational benefits were not nearly as good as they are now.

In my case, I think the Hazelwood Act (the change that allowed benefits to used by your children) passed about one minute after my youngest daughter finished grad school

(And yes, if he was in the National Guard for 30+ years, he is definitely a Veteran.)

My wife served 10 years in the Guard but never did the 180 days active duty to be considered as a Veteran for VA benefits. Texas recognizes her as a Veteran as her DL and LTC reflect her Veteran status (NGB22). The only thing I would like would be for her to have burial benefits. I plan to be buried at Ft Sam cemetery, and she can be buried there as my spouse. Seems that she earned it herself. We can have the headstone engraved Major Texas ANG reflecting her service, but that is on our own, no different from adding something like loving wife and mother.

28 years
9 Texas NG
19 USAR

4 deployments
- Bosnia 1998 (10mo)
- Iraq 2003-2004 (13mo)
- Iraq 2008-2009 (10mo)
- Afghanistan 2013-2014 (10mo)

1 CONUS Mobilization
- Ft. Sam Houston 2005-2006 (6mo)

I have a Class of 1986 buddy who went USMC Active Duty (21yrs) and never deployed. Intel guy who spent most of his time in dark basements.

My youngest brother did 15yrs Active Duty with the USAF (a viable alternative to military service) and never deployed (missile guy - so, somewhat understandable).