Certain members or veterans who served on active duty in one of the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard) are automatically considered as independent for 2007-08 FAFSA filing purposes. Those situations include:
- Served on active duty for purposes other than training and were released under a condition other than "dishonorable"
- Currently on active duty and will be a veteran by June 30, 2008
- Attended a U.S. military academic or preparatory school (beyond high school) for at least one day and were released under a condition other than "dishonorable"
- Certain members of the National Guard or Reserves (see note below)
Who is not considered a veteran?
- Members of the National Guard or Reserves (see note below)
- Students who are currently attending a U.S. military academy
- Members of the U.S. Armed Forces completing basic or other training
Note: Members of the National Guard or Reserves who were called to active federal duty by presidential order for a purpose other than training are considered veterans. The veteran must still have the release status of other than "dishonorable". It doesn't matter how long the student was on active duty, or whether they returned to reserve status afterward. Schools have seen a tremendous increase in this group of students due to the conflict in Iraq and other locations.
If a student answers "Yes" to the question about veteran status on the FAFSA, the Federal Processor will automatically perform a match with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) records to confirm the status. If the match is successful, the veteran status has been verified. If the match is not successful, the school(s) listed on the FASFA will be required to gather documentation from the student, which may include:
- Copy of the student's DD214 Member 4
- Letter from superior officer that documents the call-up to active duty and classifies the character of service as anything but "dishonorable" (this only applies to National Guard or Reserves called to active duty for other than training, but did not recieve a DD214 Member 4)
If the Federal Processor is not able to verify veteran status with the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the student is not able to provide the financial aid office with the required documentation, the student may be required to refile the FAFSA as a dependent student (using parent information). The school(s) will make this determination.
One other observation I would like to make is that I've seen a large number of students returning from overseas just before they begin taking classes. As a result, the Department of Veterans Affairs does not have its database updated to verify veteran status when the FAFSA is filed, so schools must request the documentation from the student. My suggestion to all veterans is to keep extra copies of all paperwork. On a personal note, thank you.