Claim Raven explanation
What this means
VA uses legally defined beginning and ending dates for periods of war. Those dates can affect which benefit provisions apply, including rules that expressly distinguish wartime from peacetime service.
Serving during a defined war period is not necessarily the same as serving in combat. Some definitions have additional location or service qualifications, so compare the complete provision with the actual service record.
How this helps your claim
This helps you understand a decision's reference to a wartime period without assuming that combat participation is always required. The benefit involved and its separate eligibility rules still matter.
What to check in your records
Use your decision, examination reports, and relevant records to check the following points.
- Confirm the exact active-service dates in official personnel records.
- Check any location or service qualification stated for the relevant period.
- Identify which benefit requirement makes the war-period definition relevant.
Separate service dates from combat history
A deployment location, campaign medal and legally defined period of war answer different questions. Your service may fall within a listed period even when you did not participate in combat. Conversely, the name of an operation alone is not enough to decide which dates and qualifications apply.
Create a short service timeline using the dates on your official documents. If you had several enlistments, list each period separately. Then identify why the decision discusses wartime service at all: the relevant benefit may use this definition, while another benefit may have different service requirements.
Does peacetime service rule out disability compensation?
No. Disability compensation has provisions for qualifying peacetime service as well as wartime service. This section defines periods; it does not say that every disability claim requires combat or wartime service. The compensation statutes and service-connection rules explain the additional requirements.
Official regulatory text
38 CFR § 3.2
eCFR snapshot: September 3, 2026. Layout and spacing are adapted for reading. The full section and its tables are included below.
§ 3.2 Periods of war.
This section sets forth the beginning and ending dates of each war period beginning with the Indian wars. Note that the term period of war in reference to pension entitlement under 38 U.S.C. 1521, 1541 and 1542 means all of the war periods listed in this section except the Indian wars and the Spanish-American War. See § 3.3(a)(3) and (b)(4)(i).
(a) Indian wars. January 1, 1817, through December 31, 1898, inclusive. Service must have been rendered with the United States military forces against Indian tribes or nations.
(b) Spanish-American War. April 21, 1898, through July 4, 1902, inclusive. If the veteran served with the United States military forces engaged in hostilities in the Moro Province, the ending date is July 15, 1903. The Philippine Insurrection and the Boxer Rebellion are included.
(c) World War I. April 6, 1917, through November 11, 1918, inclusive. If the veteran served with the United States military forces in Russia, the ending date is April 1, 1920. Service after November 11, 1918 and before July 2, 1921 is considered World War I service if the veteran served in the active military, naval, or air service after April 5, 1917 and before November 12, 1918.
(d) World War II. December 7, 1941, through December 31, 1946, inclusive. If the veteran was in service on December 31, 1946, continuous service before July 26, 1947, is considered World War II service.
(e) Korean conflict. June 27, 1950, through January 31, 1955, inclusive.
(f) Vietnam era. The period beginning on November 1, 1955, and ending on May 7, 1975, inclusive, in the case of a veteran who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period. The period beginning on August 5, 1964, and ending on May 7, 1975, inclusive, in all other cases.
(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 101(29))
(g) Future dates. The period beginning on the date of any future declaration of war by the Congress and ending on a date prescribed by Presidential proclamation or concurrent resolution of the Congress.
(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 101)
(h) Mexican border period. May 9, 1916, through April 5, 1917, in the case of a veteran who during such period served in Mexico, on the borders thereof, or in the waters adjacent thereto.
(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 101(30))
(i) Persian Gulf War. August 2, 1990, through date to be prescribed by Presidential proclamation or law.
(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 101(33))
[26 FR 1563, Feb. 24, 1961, as amended at 32 FR 13223, Sept. 19, 1967; 36 FR 8445, May 6, 1971; 37 FR 6676, Apr. 1, 1972; 40 FR 27030, June 26, 1975; 44 FR 45931, Aug. 6, 1979; 56 FR 57986, Nov. 15, 1991; 62 FR 35422, July 1, 1997; 87 FR 68363, Nov. 15, 2022]
Related references
- 38 USC § 101: Key Definitions for VA Benefit Eligibility
- 38 CFR § 4.1: What a VA disability rating measures
- 38 CFR § 3.159: VA duty to assist: records and examinations
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