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Title 38, Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-110

§3202 Definitions

Title 38 › PART III — READJUSTMENT AND RELATED BENEFITS › CHAPTER 32 — POST-VIETNAM ERA VETERANS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE › SUBCHAPTER I — PURPOSE; DEFINITIONS › § 3202

Last updated Sep 23, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines who counts as an "eligible veteran" and explains a few other key words used in the chapter. An "eligible veteran" is a veteran who is not eligible for chapter 34 education help and who entered military service on or after January 1, 1977, and before July 1, 1985, and either served on active duty for more than 180 days starting on or after January 1, 1977 and left under conditions other than dishonorable, or was discharged after January 1, 1977 for a service-connected disability. The rule that you must have been discharged can be waived if you finished your first required period of active duty (which began after December 31, 1976) or six years of active duty (which began after December 31, 1976), whichever is shorter. "Active duty" does not count times when you were assigned full time to a civilian school for a civilian-style course, when you were a cadet or midshipman at a service academy, or when you served under 10 U.S.C. 511(d) as a Guard or Reserve enlistee. A veteran who, before January 1, 1977, did the Guard/Reserve service above and is eligible for chapter 34 only because that service is counted as active duty can choose to take benefits under this chapter instead of chapter 34; that choice makes them ineligible for chapter 34 and cannot be changed. Other terms: "program of education" means what section 3452(b) says and also includes full-time apprenticeships or on-the-job training approved under section 3687(a)(1) or (2), and, for people not on active duty, cooperative programs as defined in section 3482(a)(2). "Participant" means someone taking part in the education program under this chapter. "Educational institution" and "training establishment" mean what sections 3452(c) and 3452(e) say, respectively.

Full Legal Text

Title 38, §3202

Veterans' Benefits, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

For the purposes of this chapter—
(1)(A)The term “eligible veteran” means any veteran who is not eligible for educational assistance under chapter 34 of this title and who (i) entered military service on or after January 1, 1977, and before July 1, 1985, served on active duty for a period of more than 180 days commencing on or after January 1, 1977, and was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable, or (ii) entered military service on or after January 1, 1977, and before July 1, 1985, and was discharged or released from active duty after January 1, 1977, for a service-connected disability.
(B)The requirement of discharge or release, prescribed in subparagraph (A), shall be waived in the case of any participant who has completed his or her first obligated period of active duty (which began after December 31, 1976) or 6 years of active duty (which began after December 31, 1976), whichever period is less.
(C)For the purposes of subparagraphs (A) and (B), the term “active duty” does not include any period during which an individual (i) was assigned full time by the Armed Forces to a civilian institution for a course of education which was substantially the same as established courses offered to civilians, (ii) served as a cadet or midshipman at one of the service academies, or (iii) served under the provisions of section 511(d) of title 10 pursuant to an enlistment in the Army National Guard or the Air National Guard, or as a Reserve for service in the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, or Coast Guard Reserve.
(D)(i)The requirement of ineligibility for educational assistance under chapter 34 of this title, prescribed in subparagraph (A), shall be waived in the case of a veteran described in division (ii) of this subparagraph who elects to receive benefits under this chapter instead of assistance under such chapter 34. A veteran who makes such an election shall be ineligible for assistance under such chapter. Such an election is irrevocable.
(ii)A veteran referred to in division (i) of this subparagraph is a veteran who before January 1, 1977, performed military service described in subparagraph (C)(iii), is entitled under section 3452(a)(3)(C) of this title to have such service considered to be “active duty” for the purposes of chapter 34 of this title, and is eligible for assistance under such chapter only by reason of having such service considered to be active duty.
(2)The term “program of education”—
(A)has the meaning given such term in section 3452(b) of this title, and
(B)includes (i) a full-time program of apprenticeship or other on-job training approved as provided in clause (1) or (2), as appropriate, of section 3687(a) of this title, and (ii) in the case of an individual who is not serving on active duty, a cooperative program (as defined in section 3482(a)(2) of this title).
(3)The term “participant” is a person who is participating in the educational benefits program established under this chapter.
(4)The term “educational institution” has the meaning given such term in section 3452(c) of this title.
(5)The term “training establishment” has the meaning given such term in section 3452(e) of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 511 of title 10, referred to in par. (1)(C)(iii), was renumbered section 12103 of Title 10, Armed Forces, by Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title XVI, § 1662(b)(2), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2989.

Prior Provisions

Prior sections 3202 to 3205 were renumbered sections 5502 to 5505 of this title, respectively, and section 5505 was subsequently repealed by Pub. L. 103–446, title XII, § 1201(g)(4)(A), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4687.

Amendments

2006—Par. (1)(C)(iii). Pub. L. 109–163 substituted “Navy Reserve” for “Naval Reserve”. 1991—Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(a), renumbered section 1602 of this title as this section. Par. (1)(A). Pub. L. 102–54 inserted comma after last reference to “1977”. Par. (1)(D)(ii). Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(1), substituted “3452(a)(3)(C)” for “1652(a)(3)(C)”. Par. (2). Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(1), substituted “3452(b)” for “1652(b)” in subpar. (A) and “3687(a)” for “1787(a)” and “3482(a)(2)” for “1682(a)(2)” in subpar. (B). Pars. (4), (5). Pub. L. 102–83, § 5(c)(1), substituted “3452(c)” for “1652(c)” in par. (4) and “3452(e)” for “1652(e)” in par. (5). 1988—Par. (2)(B). Pub. L. 100–689 inserted designation “(i)” after “includes” and added cl. (ii). 1986—Par. (1)(A). Pub. L. 99–576, § 309(a)(2), inserted “and before
July 1, 1985,” in two places and substituted “commencing on or after
January 1, 1977” for “commencing on or after such date” and “released from active duty after
January 1, 1977” for “released from active duty after such date”. Par. (2). Pub. L. 99–576, § 310(a)(1), added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2) which read as follows: “The terms ‘program of education’ and ‘educational institution’ shall have the same meaning ascribed to them in section 1652(b) and 1652(c), respectively, of this title.” Pars. (4), (5). Pub. L. 99–576, § 310(a)(2), added pars. (4) and (5). 1984—Par. (1)(D). Pub. L. 98–223 added subpar. (D). 1980—Par. (1)(A). Pub. L. 96–466 inserted “who is not eligible for educational assistance under chapter 34 of this title and” after “any veteran” and struck out “initially” before “entered military service” in two places.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1988 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–689 effective Jan. 1, 1989, see section 108(c) of Pub. L. 100–689, set out as a note under section 3002 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1980 Amendment Pub. L. 96–466, title VIII, § 802(d)(1), Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2218, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by section 401 [amending this section] shall take effect as of January 1, 1977.”

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1977, see section 406 of Pub. L. 94–502, set out as a note under section 3201 of this title.

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of
November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. Enrollment in Program Before
April 1, 1987For provisions for continued eligibility for enrollment in the program established by this chapter until Apr. 1, 1987, of individuals on active duty in the Armed Forces who were eligible therefor on
June 30, 1985, and requiring notice of such continued eligibility to affected individuals, see section 309(c), (d) of Pub. L. 99–576, set out as a note under section 3201 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

38 U.S.C. § 3202

Title 38, Veterans' Benefits

Last Updated

Sep 23, 2026

Release point: 119-110