Hayes Lowe
Federal law regarding Confederates and the V.A.
Wed Nov 22 09:58:40 2000


OK, I've found a very important provision in the Federal law pertaining to Confederate veterans.

Here's the cite: United Stated Code Annotated, Title 38, Chapter 15, Section 1501, (3).

It states: 'For the purposes of this Chapter, the term "Civil War veteran" includes a person who served in the military or naval forces of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War, and the term "active military or naval service" includes service in those forces.'

This Chapter is regarding pensions. Even if there was an absence of other laws or Congressional decrees, this firmly establishes the Confederate veterans as "Civil War veterans" across the board. Especially when considered as a whole with the following [ USCA, Chap. 1, Secion 101, (12): 'The term "veteran of any war" means any veteran who served in the active military, naval, or air service during any period of war.'

The term "veteran of any war" is usually included in any section dealing with eligibility for benefits, thus making Confederate veterans (and certain survivors and offspring) eligible for full benefits and fully defining them as "Civil War veterans".

This still does not quite make them "U.S. veterans", however, and I am still looking for those laws or decrees.

• US Servicemen — Judy Wills, Wed Nov 22 13:57