Veterans Affairs has decided to consider making veterans benefits available if you were dishonorably discharged from service. This new development will ensure that even more veterans will be able to receive the care made available by the US government to its veterans who have at one point served the country in the Army.
This means that veterans discharged non-honorably will now be reconsidered based on new conditions that will be reviewed to determine the reason for their discharge as of the time they were discharged. Those who can now enjoy the VA will have to have dishonorable conditions such as the following:
- A discharge because of your health status, such as having an HIV status.
- A discharge and denial of the VA benefits as a result of homosexual conduct will be taken.
- If you were discharged due to a change in gender identity, it will get you reconsidered to receive the benefits.
- You can be reconsidered if your discharge was based on moral wrongdoing.
The criteria to determine being reconsidered
Not all non-honorably discharged veterans will be reconsidered for the VA benefits, as you can still be denied the benefits if you were discharged after being found guilty of a serious offense such as mutiny or going AWOL on duty. However, if you fall under the criteria below, you may be reconsidered.
- Another factor that will be considered is the length of service.
- The assessment of your health bill will also be looked into to determine your physical and mental health.
- As a victim of sexual abuse or discrimination, you will be considered for the benefits.
- More than this, your combat experience will also be assessed before you can enjoy the benefits.
Why is the change happening?
Most veteran benefits that are open to you if you served in the Army are usually paid out to persons who were discharged honorably in their service in the Army. This new development will be one that will be able to close the gap between persons who receive VA benefits and those who do not. More than this, it can also offer more people the chance of being rewarded for their service to the US government despite the challenges that they faced during their time, which eventually led to their discharge at the time of service.
Therefore, if you fall into the category of persons who meet the criteria that have been highlighted, you can be sure that having satisfied the requirement, you can have a decent chance at enjoying VA benefits for your service in the Army courtesy of the change that has been affected, which will guarantee you a better chance of taking care of your expenses as a veteran of the US Army.
