The appellant's late husband did not have valid military service in the Armed Services of the United States, and therefore may not be considered a 'veteran' for VA purposes.
The deciding factor: The National Personnel Records Center found no evidence that the appellant's spouse had served as a member of the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines, including the recognized guerrillas, in the service of the Armed Forces of the United States.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 6, 2009
- Citation
- 0900406
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.