veterans benefits for kid who didn't finish his army tour?

[tom d. friedman]

my stepson's best friend (my stepson has been deceased almost 4 years now) enlisted in the army a year & a half ago, completed basic training, went on to explosive ordinance disposal school, never completed the training,& recently got an honorable discharge & the status of veteran with all the fringe benefits to go with it for life. i think that sucks that he should get all that when he didn't fullfill his obligation to the army & get those perks at taxpayer expense. he doesn't even have to be on ready reserve for 2 years!! nice kid, but to be rewarded for contributing nothing to his country & then copping out because he didn't like it is very wrong!! the army & the va should have their heads put on a platter for allowing such undeserved waste!!

[Jack Cook]

90 days active duty and a honorable (or a other than honorable I think) and you're a vet.
Here in Oregon they just changed the law for home loans. Previously if you served
in the reserves for 20-30-40 years you weren't a vet and rec'v no benes other than
retirement pay at 65.

[tom d. friedman]

geez!!! that sounds like the government is talking out of either it's ass or both sides of it's mouth!! 20 to 40 years of service in the reserves & no thanks?? but my kid's friend never got his hands dirty in a year & a 1/2 of service & gets the bennies!! talk about convoluted logic!!

[Avn-Tech]

Mr. Friedman,

I beleive that federal law says, 180 days for other then training and an Honerable discharge.
You are then considered a veteran.

But even as a veteran the benifits will change, depending on what you are doing.
He can probably get veteran preferance for hiring, home loan, & education.
I beleive that is the limit.
While it may be unfortunate, many more would be hurt if the rules were changed.

Laterrrr
Avn-Tech
USAF Res, 1984-1991 (fuel System Mech, A-10/F-111/KC-135/B-52)
US Army, 1991-1996 (Aircraft dispatcher/TOC)
Ca Army Guard, 1996-2001 (NCOIC, AC2)
CA Air Guard, 2001-2004 (C-130, Flight Engieer, incl tour in Iqaq/Afganistan)
Ca Air Guard, 2004-Current (Power Production)
26 years total, 12 years of which is Active Duty
Prepairing to deploy again next year!

[Bill Greenwood]

Tom, there must be rules and precedent for this, and if he met the rule, perhaps it is 180 day then he qualified.

You also don't say why he was discharged, it may have been a medical thing or a hardship, anyway the army apparently was satisfied that it was honorable. And in any case the govt often claims that we have a volunteer army.

I don't know much about how military benefits are given, never asked or applied. But maybe there is or should be some seniority taken into account like on a retirement plan.
And maybe offering benefits, even for low time soldiers is part of the recruiting attraction. It sure ain't the haircut, the food, or getting see beautiful places that gets them to sign up.I don't know, but I'd guess that tuition money for future schooling is a draw.