Veterans' Services

Women veterans' in need of financial assistance are entitled to the same state benefits as men veterans under M.G.L. ch.115 administered by the veterans' agent of each city and town.

The Department of Veterans' Service acknowledges that women veterans have needs and concerns not experienced by the general male veteran population. The VA runs the Women's Health Center, for more information, call the Whitman Veterans’ office or the Women's Outreach Program Managers, Diane Harness-DiGloria at Brockton VA 774-826-1435, or Heidi Kruckenberg at Boston VA (617) 210-5781.

Veteran

  Any person, male or female:

• Whose last discharge or release from his/her wartime service (defined below) was under honorable conditions and
• Who served in the Army, Marie Corps, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard of the United State for not less than 90 days active service, at least one day of which was for wartime service, provided that any person who so served in wartime and was awarded a service-connected disability or a Purple Heart, or who died in such service under conditions other than dishonorable, shall be deemed to be a veteran notwithstanding his/her failure to complete 90 days of active service.

Wartime Service

Service performed by a "Spanish War veteran", a World War I veteran", a "World War II veteran", a "Korean veteran", a "Vietnam veteran", a "Lebanese peace keeping force veteran", a "Grenada rescue mission veteran", a "Panamanian intervention force veteran", a "Persian Gulf veteran", or a member of the "WACC" during any of the periods of time described herein. You may call the Veteran's Office (781-618-9750) and you will be given dates for everything listed above.

Merchant Marine

Any Merchant Marine who performed such wartime service in armed conflict between December 7, 1941 and August 15, 1945, and who received an honorable discharge from the Army, Navy, or U.S. Coast Guard.

None of the following shall be deemed to be a veteran:

• Any person, who at the time of entering into the armed forces of the United States, had declared his/her intention to become a subject or citizen of the United States and withdrew his/her intention under the provision of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918.
• Any person who was discharge from said armed forces on his/her own application or solicitation by reason of his/her being an enemy alien.
• Any person who has been proved guilty of willful desertion.
• Any person whose only service in the armed forces of the United States consists of his/her service as a member of the coast guard auxiliary or as a temporary member of the coast guard reserve, or both.

Any person whose last discharge or release from the armed forces is dishonorable.

Tuition waiver for all Massachusetts veterans to all state colleges and universities Veterans of Massachusetts, as defined by M.G.L. ch. 4, s.7, clause 43, can be eligible for any state-supported course in an undergraduate degree program or certificate program offered by a public college or university. To be eligible, a veteran must also be a legal resident of Massachusetts and he/she must not be in default of any federal student loan. Veterans will be eligible on a space-available basis for a waiver of full or partial tuition based on proper documentation of the eligibility of the veteran. Space availability shall be determined in accordance with normal practices and procedures as published by each institution, i.e., the individual college or university. Contact the Veteran's Representative at the college or university for details.

GI BILL - Click here for the educational seminar 'The insiders guide to using the GI Bill Benefits, presented by: Military.com & St. Leo University, Nov 06.

Public service scholarship programs

 M.G.L. ch. 15A,s.16

Scholarships will be awarded to:

Children of POW/MIA, military or service persons missing in action in Southeast Asia whose service was between February 1, 1955 and the termination of the Vietnam campaign; and Children of veterans whose service was credited to the Commonwealth and who were killed in action or otherwise died as a result of such service. Scholarships will be for undergraduate studies at an institution of higher education in the Commonwealth.

Eligible Veterans

All veterans as defined by M.G.L. ch. 4, s. 7:

Children of Deceased Veterans

Motor Vehicle Benefits