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 Oklahoma Statutes (Last Updated: September 18, 2014)
 Title 72. SOLDIERS AND SAILORS

  § 72-67.13a. War veterans defined - Retirement benefits.  

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  • Except for the purposes of determining military service credit for state retirement, the words “war veterans” used in Section 67.13 of this title shall be construed to mean such honorably discharged persons as served:

    1.  In the Armed Forces of the United States at any time during the period from April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918, both dates inclusive;

    2.  In the Armed Forces of the United States as members of the 45th Division at any time during the period from September 16, 1940, to December 7, 1941, both dates inclusive;

    3.  In the Armed Forces of the United States at any time during the period from December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946, both dates inclusive;

    4.  In the Armed Forces of the United States at any time during the period from June 27, 1950, to January 31, 1955, both dates inclusive;

    5.  For a period of ninety (90) days or more, unless discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability, in the Armed Forces of the United States during the period of time in which the United States participated in a war, campaign or battle, but excluding any person who shall have served on active duty for training only, unless discharged from active duty for service-connected disability;

    6.  In the Armed Forces of the United States at any time during the period which began on:

    a.February 28, 1961, and ended on May 7, 1975, in the case of a veteran who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period, and

    b.August 5, 1964, and ended on May 7, 1975, in all other cases,

    except that such period shall be deemed to have ended on December 31, 1976, when determining eligibility for education and training benefits; or

    7.  In the Armed Forces of the United States on or after August 1, 1990, during the period of time in which the United States participates in a war, military or naval campaign, or expedition, excluding any person who shall have served on active duty for training only, unless discharged from active duty for service-connected disability.

    The term “war veterans” shall include only those persons who shall have served during the times or in the areas prescribed in this section, and those persons who were awarded service medals, as authorized by the United States Department of Defense as reflected in the veteran’s Defense Department Form 214, related to the Vietnam Conflict who served prior to August 5, 1964.  Any honorably discharged war veteran of any of the Armed Forces of the United States shall be entitled to such tax exemptions to include but not be limited to tax-exempt veterans’ benefits as provided in paragraph 12 of Section 2887 of Title 68 of the Oklahoma Statutes, special permits and veterans’ preferences for state employment; provided, that any person who shall have served on active duty for training purposes only shall not be entitled to any such tax exemptions, special permits or veterans’ preferences.

    The provisions of this act shall include military retirees, whose retirement was based only on active service, that have been rated as having twenty percent (20%) or greater service-connected disability by the Veterans Administration or the Armed Forces of the United States.  For the purpose of defining military service or status as a war veteran for the granting of military service credit in the retirement systems of the State of Oklahoma, the specific statutory provisions and definitions of each respective system shall govern exclusively.

Added by Laws 1951, p. 324, § 2, emerg. eff. April 18, 1951.  Amended by Laws 1968, c. 102, § 1, emerg. eff. April 1, 1968; Laws 1969, c. 150, § 1, emerg. eff. April 14, 1969; Laws 1971, c. 88, § 1, emerg. eff. April 16, 1971; Laws 1975, c. 304, § 1, emerg. eff. June 7, 1975; Laws 1978, c. 1, § 1, emerg. eff. Jan. 13, 1978; Laws 1981, c. 288, § 1, emerg. eff. June 29, 1981; Laws 1987, c. 206, § 85, operative July 1, 1987; Laws 1987, c. 236, § 43, emerg. eff. July 20, 1987; Laws 1990, c. 242, § 1, emerg. eff. May 21, 1990; Laws 1991, c. 138, § 1, eff. July 1, 1991; Laws 1991, c. 205, § 2, emerg. eff. May 17, 1991; Laws 1997, c. 187, § 1, eff. July 1, 1997; Laws 1998, c. 192, § 4, eff. July 1, 1998; Laws 2000, c. 338, § 1, eff. July 1, 2000; Laws 2004, c. 302, § 4, emerg. eff. May 13, 2004.