Question:
I served in the Army 1977-1980. I was told recently they had extended the time frame of Vietnam era veterans. Could you tell me the years that qualify as Vietnam era?
Jim's Reply:
The Code of Federal Regulations Chapter 38 Paragraph 3.2 (f), tells us the Vietnam Era is "The period beginning on February 28, 1961, and ending on May 7, 1975, inclusive, in the case of a veteran who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period. The period beginning on August 5, 1964, and ending on May 7, 1975, inclusive, in all other cases."
I haven't heard of any such changes to the dates of the era and I'm not sure how or why such a thing could happen? President Ford announced the end of the war on May 7, 1975 and that's pretty conclusive. You missed the end of that war by a couple of years so you aren't Vietnam era.