--- title: "Part III, Subpart i, Chapter 1, Section C Civilian Groups Approved for Veteran Status" document: "M-21-1" section: "Part III, Subpart i, Chapter 1, Section C" canonical: "https://veteranai.co/va-regulations/m21-1/iii.i.1.c-civilian-groups-approved-for-veteran-status" source: "https://www.knowva.ebenefits.va.gov/system/templates/selfservice/va_ssnew/help/customer/locale/en-US/portal/554400000001018/content/554400000181426/M21-1-Part-III-Subpart-i-Chapter-1-Section-C-Civilian-Groups-Approved-for-Veteran-Status" updated: "2026-09-06T14:36:43.000445Z" --- April 28, 2015 ### III.i.1.C.1.a. Listing of Approved Groups Under PL 95-202 The table below lists * the groups approved for Veteran status under _Public Law (PL) 95-202_ , Section 401, the GI Bill Improvement Act of 1977, and * the date on which Veteran status was granted. | **Name of Group**| **Date Approved** Quartermaster Corps Keswick Crew on Corregidor, World War II| 02/07/1984 U.S. Civilians of the American Field Service (AFS) Who Served Overseas Operationally in World War I (WWI) During the Period 08/31/1917 to 01/01/1918| 08/30/1990 U.S. Civilians of the AFS Who Served Overseas Under U.S. Armies and U.S. Army Groups in World War II (WWII) During the Period 12/07/1941 through 05/08/1945| 08/30/1990 U.S. Civilian Volunteers Who Actively Participated in the Defense of Bataan| 02/07/1984 U.S. Merchant Seamen Who Served on Blockships in Support of Operation Mulberry| 10/18/1985 Civilian Personnel Assigned to the Secret Intelligence Element of the OSS| 12/27/1982 Engineer Field Clerks in WWI| 08/31/1979 Quartermaster Corps Female Clerical Employees Serving With the AEF| 01/22/1981 Reconstruction Aides and Dietitians in WWI| 07/06/1981 Signal Corps Female Telephone Operators in WWI| 05/15/1979 Women's Army Auxiliary Corps| 03/18/1980 Male Civilian Ferry Pilots| 07/17/1981 U.S. Civilian Employees of American Airlines Who Served Overseas as a Result of American Airlines' contract with the Air Transport Command During the Period 12/14/1941 through 08/14/1945| 10/05/1990 Women's Air Forces Service Pilots| 11/23/1977 Civilian Employees, PNAB, Who Actively Participated in the Defense of Wake Island| 01/22/1981 Guam Combat Patrol| 05/10/1983 Wake Island Defenders From Guam| 04/07/1982 U.S. Merchant Seamen Who Served in Active Oceangoing Service from 12/07/1941 to 08/15/1945| 01/19/1988 Civil Service Crew members Aboard U.S. Army Transport Service and Naval Transportation Service Vessels in Oceangoing Service| 01/19/1988 ** _Notes_** : * VA has no authority to make active duty determinations for individuals of any of these groups. Before applying for VA benefits, the individual _**must**_ apply for a _Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214)_ by completing a _DD Form 2168_ , _Application for Discharge of Member or Survivor of Member of Group Certified to Have Performed Active Duty with the Armed Forces of the United States_. * Instructions for completing the form, including mailing addresses, are contained on the back of the form. If the appropriate service department determines the individual has provided active military service, the service department will issue a discharge certificate. * On May 26, 2004, the Secretary of the Air Force denied “active duty” status for the U.S. Civilian Crewmembers of the Flotilla Alaska Barge and Transport Company who served overseas in Vietnam for the period of April 1966 through April 1975. **Important:** Once Veteran status has been established, any available service records may be requested from National Personnel Records Center through PIES. **Reference:** For information on the correct address codes to use to obtain Merchant Mariner records, see [M21-1, Part X, Subpart i, 5.B](). ### III.i.1.C.1.b. Listing of Approved Groups Under PL 106-259 Effective August 9, 2000, _PL 106-259_ established Veteran status for individuals who participated in the Alaska Territorial Guard (ATG) during WWII and who were honorably discharged from service. **Notes:** * _AK-DMVA Form ATG-214_ _**must**_ be completed for individuals * seeking to establish ATG status, and/or * requesting an official copy of his/her Transcript of Military Records. * To obtain a copy of _AK-DMVA Form ATG-214_ , send a request to: Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Office of the Adjutant General P.O. Box 5800 Fort Richardson, Alaska 99505-6003