1. Determining Veteran Status for Financial Aid Purposes
Arianna Gray – Assistant Director, Financial Aid & Veterans Services, Collin College
Lindy Henrie – Advisor, Financial Aid & Veterans Services, Collin College
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

2. Federal definition of Veteran for FA
Have served (veteran) or are serving on ACTIVE DUTY in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes OTHER THAN training
Army
Navy
Air Force
Marines
Coast Guard
Released under a condition other than “dishonorable”
No minimum amount of time – even 1 day counts (provided it’s active duty) including basic training
From AVG Guide Pages 24-25
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

3. Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

4. There are 3 levels or types of service
Active Duty – the military is their full-time job.
Reserve & National Guard – the military is a part-time job.
Reserve & National Guard that were called to active duty for federal service by order of the president - their usual part-time service became a full-time job for a limited/specified period of time.
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

5. Determining type of service
Look in Box 2 of the DD214
Branch of Military
Active Duty
Reserves
ARMY
REARMY; RegARMY or RA
(occasionally USA)
AUS or USAR
Army National Guard
ARNG or ARNGUS
AIR FORCE
USAF or
Air Force - RegAF
USAFR
Air National Guard
ANG or ANGUS
NAVY
USN
USNR
MARINES
USMC
USMCR
COAST GUARD
USCG
USCGR
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

6. Determining if Reservists/NG’s called to active federal duty
Look in Box 18 on DD214
Definitive location for evidence of active federal duty. Called up by presidential order for a purpose other than training.
Beware other areas on the DD214 that may use the word “active duty”, “active service”, or “…completed first full term of service”, etc.
Beware active duty to assist with state level emergency (flood, hurricane, riot control, etc.) This is NOT federal service.
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

7. Discharge Status Look in Box 24 on DD214
Some status’ you might see here include:
Honorable
General or General under honorable conditions
Other than honorable
Entry level separation
Dishonorable and Bad Conduct Discharge*
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

8. Other notes about the DD214
DD214 is the “Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty”
This does NOT mean the person was an active duty soldier (were full- timers), only that they served on active duty for some reason.
ALL TRAINING is considered/called active duty because soldiers attend training full-time (there is no part-time training). This does not make them an active duty (full-time) soldier.
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

9. U.S. Service Academies & Preparatory Schools
U.S. Military Academy (West Point)
U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis)
U.S. Air Force Academy
U.S. Coast Guard Academy
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School
U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School
U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

10. Let’s look at some example DD214’s
Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

11. Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

12. Thank you! Arianna Gray – agray@collin.edu 972-881-5786
Lindy Henrie –