Veterans Services

Mission

The mission of Veterans Services is to serve Wilson County veterans and their families with dignity and compassion and to be the veterans' advocate by ensuring they receive quality care, support, entitlements, and the recognition earned in their service to the nation.

Veterans Resources

Check out our provided resources for veterans.

Eligibility for Benefits

Eligibility for most VA benefits is based on discharge from active military service under other than dishonorable conditions for a minimum period specified by law. Active service generally means full-time service as a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or as a commissioned officer of the Public Health Service, the Environmental Services Administration or the National Oceanic ad Atmospheric Administration.

Eligibility Criteria

You may be able to get VA disability benefits or compensation if you have a current illness or injury (known as a condition) that affects your body or mind and you meet at least one of the requirements listed below.

• Both of these must be true - you:
  • Served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training, and
  • Have a disability rating for your service-connected condition
• At least one of these must be true - you:
  • Got sick or injured while serving in the military - and can link this condition to your illness or injury (called an in-service disability claim), or
  • Had an illness or injury before you joined the military - and serving made it worse (called a preservice disability claim), or
  • Have a disability-related to your active-duty service that didn’t appear until after you ended your service (called a postservice disability claim)

Eligible Wartime Service
Certain VA Benefits and medical care require wartime service.  As specified by law, VA recognizes the following wartime periods:

• World War I: April 6, 1916, through November 11, 1918
  • For veterans who served in Russia: April 6, 1917, through April 1, 1920, extended through July 1, 1921, for veterans who had at least one day of service between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918
• World War II: December 7, 1941 through December 31, 1946
• Korean War: June 27, 1950, through January 31, 1955
• Vietnam Era: August 5, 1964, through May 7, 1975
  • For those in-country, February 28, 1961, through May 7, 1975
• Persian Gulf: August 2, 1990
  • Date to be set by Congress and Presidential proclamation or concurrent resolution

Presumed Disabilities

• A chronic (long-lasting) illness that appears within one year after discharge
• An illness caused by contact with contaminants (toxic chemicals) or other hazardous materials
• An illness caused by your time spent as a prisoner of war (POW)

Who Is Covered

• Veterans
• Qualified dependents