Veteran Status for CHL

[PaulTX]

I served in the Air National Guard - 9 months active duty and 8 years weekend warrior. I was never called up for active duty other than for training purposes. I think the requirement for Federal veteran status is 180 days of active duty service other than for training purposes. I have a DD214. So I'm not a veteran per se, but do I qualify for the CHL veteran discount?

Thanks,
Paul

[AEA]

If you have a DD214 that shows honorable discharge you can take advantage of the discount as far as I know.

Now, I could be wrong and there may be a minimum requirement of a certain period of time needed on "Active Duty" but I am unaware of that if there is such a requirement.

[Kythas]

I believe you're considered a veteran if you have served 6 years in the Reserves/National Guard with an honorable discharge.

At least, you're eligible for VA benefits at that point such as GI Bill and VA home loans. I would think if the Federal government qualifies you as a veteran, the State government should, also.

You should have an NGB-22 showing your time served. This serves as a DD-214 for members of the National Guard.

[Purplehood]

You did your 8 years of obligated service and have a DD-214. I see no reason to disqualify you for a Veterans discount.

[PaulTX]

I signed up for an initial 6 year hitch with the first 9 months on active duty for training. I got out for a short time and then re-upped for another 3 years. My DD214 only shows the 9 months of active duty time. I have two honorable discharge certificates. I've never seen an NGB-22 form.

Since all my active duty time is for training I have no veteran's benefits. I'm pretty sure that if I'd stayed in the guard for 20 years but never called up for active duty (other than for training) I would not be a veteran. My brother was in the same ANG unit and is 13 years older than me. He was called up for the Cuban Missile Crisis for one year and is a veteran and eligible for benefits. The "180 days of active duty service other than for training" is a nice loophole to keep the guard from receiving benefits - even though I gave the military a longer commitment on my life than someone who served for 2 or 4 years.

I thought if I sent the TXDPS a DD214 with my renewal application they would probably give me an automatic pass for the veteran's discount. But, I don't want to risk slowing down the process for just $35! The CHL is of greater value than that!!

Paul

[joe817]

I don't know if this will help:

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administra ... tute07.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

From what I can garner out of this, you qualify for the 50% reduction IF you apply for a CHL within 365 days of discharge, and was honorably discharged. Am I reading this wrong? Maybe it would be a good idea to call DPS for a clarification, IMHO.

[Kythas]

If you were discharged from the National Guard you should get a NGB-22. That is the document the Guard uses in place of a DD-214, which is used for active duty.

If you don't have one you can request one at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs/index.html.

If you did at least 6 years in the Guard, you are eligible for some veteran's benefits like VA loans. I got this directly off the VA home loan eligibility site (http://www.homeloans.va.gov/elig2.htm)

Selected Reserves or National Guard

If you are not otherwise eligible and you have completed a total of 6 years in the Selected Reserves or National Guard (member of an active unit, attended required weekend drills and 2-week active duty for training) and

Were discharged with an honorable discharge, or
Were placed on the retired list, or
Were transferred to the Standby Reserve or an element of the Ready Reserve other than the Selected Reserve after service characterized as honorable service, or
Continue to serve in the Selected Reserves

Individuals who completed less than 6 years may be eligible if discharged for a service-connected disability.

[ELB]

I think the answer to your original question is "Yes, you qualify for the 50% veteran's discount."

Here is the actual statutory language (not the 'changes' language or text from the bill).

GC$411.1951. WAIVER OR REDUCTION OF FEES FOR
MEMBERS OR VETERANS OF UNITED STATES &MED FORCES.
(a) In this section, "veteran" means a person who:
(I) has served in:
(A) the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or marine corps of
the United States;
(B) the state military forces as defined by Section 431.001 ; or
(C) an auxiliary service of one of those branches of the armed
forces; and
(2) has been honorably discharged from the branch of the service
in which the person served.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, .the
department shall waive any fee required for the issuance of an original,
duplicate, modified, or renewed license under this subchapter if the
applicant for the license is;
(1) a member of the United States armed forces, including a
member of the reserves, national guard, or state guard; or
(2) a veteran who, within 365 days preceding the date of the
application, was honorably discharged from the branch of service in
which the person served.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, the
department shall reduce by 50 percent any fee required for the issuance
of an original. duplicate, modified, or renewed license under this
subchapter if the applicant for the license is a veteran who, more than
365 days preceding the date of the application, was honorably
discharged from the branch of the service in which the person served.

Sec. 431.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Reserve militia" means the persons liable to serve, but not serving, in the state military forces.
(1-a) "Servicemember" has the meaning assigned by Section 161.551, Health and Safety Code.
(2) "State militia" means the state military forces and the reserve militia.
(3) "State military forces" means the Texas National Guard, the Texas State Guard, and any other active militia or military force organized under state law.
(4) "Texas National Guard" means the Texas Army National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard.

You served in the Air Guard, and you have a DD-214 with an Honorable Discharge. You are good to go.
The Texas Air Guard is part of the state military forces, which is one route of qualification; also the Air and National Guards are components of the federal military, so I think you qualify twice. I know Governors and others like to think the Guard belongs to them, but that's only when the Feds are not using them.

Send a copy of the part of the DD-214 that shows your name and honorable discharge with your application. It can be a plain copy, doesn't have to be notarized or certified or whatever.

[PaulTX]

Thank you very much for your research and I feel much better about filing the paperwork for the discount. I'll also look into NGB-22 and any potential benefits.

Paul

[joe817]

And Paul.......thank you for your service. I salute you!

[srothstein]

ELB beat me to the law, but it is clear the reserves and guard count as veterans. Note the clause saying "or auxiliary services". This clearly includes the reserves and guards if they were not counted elsewhere, but also includes such things as the Civil Air Patrol (an auxiliary service of the Air Force) and the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

I doubt many people are aware of the last two, since I was not aware of the auxiliary services clause until i looked at the law for this question.

[.45mac.40]

PaulTX
Thanks for your service !
DD 214 is good to go.
Have you been discharged ( ETS ) within the last year ??
If so ... the cost is: " FREE "
Let us know when ya' get your plastic.
Mac .45 >>>>> #

[Purplehood]

PaulTX
Thanks for your service !
DD 214 is good to go.
Have you been discharged ( ETS ) within the last year ??
If so ... the cost is: " FREE "
Let us know when ya' get your plastic.
Mac .45 >>>>> #

Free? I did mine after coming back from Afghanistan and got half off.

[ELB]

Free? I did mine after coming back from Afghanistan and got half off.

If you are on active duty or you apply or renew within 365 days after your honorable discharge, then it should be free. However, my inner bureaucrat tells me you probably have to point this out to them... if you applied for the 50% discount even tho you were eligible for 100%, they probably didn't notice and just verified that you had a DD214 with an honorable discharge...

[PaulTX]

Thanks for the kind words about my service! My time in the military seems almost another lifetime ago - I was out in 1980 so no freebie CHL for me. But I'm happy to pay $35 or even $70 for it. I served in the Arkansas Air National Guard, in Fort Smith with the 188th Tactical Fighter Group. It was a group of highly experienced guys and if I had to go to war I would have been in great company. I was an autopilot specialist. I've been a Texan since late 1980.

My CHL doesn't expire until December but I'm going to jump on it right away. I don't like to leave home without my CHL!

Paul