Find Your Era of Service
Different generations of Veterans faced different exposures and earned different benefits. Find your era below, then let us help you claim everything you have earned.
Vietnam Era
Macoupin County's largest Veteran population. Service in Vietnam, its offshore waters (Blue Water Navy), or other qualifying locations may carry Agent Orange / herbicide presumptive conditions.
- › Agent Orange presumptives — diabetes, ischemic heart disease, Parkinson's, several cancers, and (added by the PACT Act) hypertension
- › Blue Water Navy and expanded location eligibility
- › Illinois Veterans' Grant and SHEVD property-tax relief
Gulf War Era
Service in Southwest Asia carried exposure to burn pits, oil-well fires, sand, dust, and other hazards. You may qualify under the PACT Act and Gulf War undiagnosed-illness rules.
- › Burn-pit / airborne-hazard presumptives (PACT Act)
- › Gulf War Illness — chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, functional GI disorders
- › Camp Lejeune contaminated water (if you also served there 1953–1987)
Post-9/11 (OEF / OIF / OND)
Afghanistan and Iraq-era service. The PACT Act greatly expanded toxic-exposure benefits, with dedicated support for the signature conditions of these wars.
- › Burn-pit and airborne-hazard presumptives, including many cancers
- › PTSD and TBI claims
- › Military Sexual Trauma (MST) — relaxed evidence rules and free care
WWII & Korea — Veterans, Survivors & Dependents
For our oldest Veterans and the families of those who have passed, important benefits remain available.
- › Illinois 100% property-tax exemption for WWII Veterans and their non-remarried surviving spouses
- › Survivor benefits — DIC, survivors pension, Aid & Attendance
- › Gold Star family recognition and burial/memorial benefits
Peacetime · National Guard · Reserve
You may have more benefits than you realize. Toxic exposures and qualifying activities can establish eligibility even outside a declared war period.
- › TERA (Toxic Exposure Risk Activity) may open the door to care and claims
- › Guard/Reserve service may qualify for certain VA and Illinois benefits
- › Records help — DD-214 / NGB-22 retrieval and discharge review
Not sure which applies to you? We will figure it out together.
Bring your DD-214 and we will screen you for every benefit your service period qualifies you for — free.
Contact Us Call (217) 854-5249Presumptive conditions are set and updated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Confirm current eligibility with our office.
National Guard & Reserve — What Makes You Eligible
Guard and Reserve service can absolutely qualify you for VA benefits — but eligibility depends on how you served, not just that you served. Generally, members discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable are eligible for some VA benefits; your duty status and length of service determine which. Here is the plain-English version.
Active Duty — Title 10
Full-time federal duty — for example, a wartime mobilization or deployment (not active duty for training). This counts as “active service” for VA benefits.
Qualifies ✓
Full-Time National Guard Duty — Title 32
Federally-paid full-time duty — such as responding to a national emergency or serving as Active Guard Reserve (AGR). This also counts as active service.
Qualifies ✓
State Active Duty
Activated by the Governor under state law and paid with state funds (for example, local disaster response). This does not count as active service for federal VA benefits.
Does not count for VA benefits
Traditional / Drilling Member
One weekend a month and two weeks a year. You can still qualify for disability compensation if a condition was incurred or aggravated in the line of duty during active duty or active duty for training (ADT). For inactive-duty training (drill), it must result from an injury, heart attack, or stroke.
Line-of-duty injury may qualify
Depending on your service, you may qualify for disability compensation, pension, VA health care, the GI Bill and Illinois Veterans’ Grant, VA home loan guaranty, life insurance, Veteran Readiness & Employment (VR&E), and burial benefits. The rules are detailed — bring us your records and we will tell you exactly what you qualify for.
Read the full Guard & Reserve breakdown — including when there are no benefits → Talk to a service officer