FIVE CLASSES OF ‘VETERAN’
A recent review of the circumstances surrounding many ex-servicemen and women and their status as a veteran has thrown up the following circumstances.
Case 1 – Serviceman or woman – joined prior to 1 April 1974 has no Qualifying Operational Service in accordance with the Veterans Support Act 2014. Recognised as having Qualifying Routine Service.
Veteran status recognised by a Certificate of Appreciation signed by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Veterans Affairs and entitled to wear the Veterans Badge issued with the certificate. Has Routine Qualifying Service and entitled to no more assistance than any
other superannuitant who has reached the age of 65 years and is in receipt of a Super gold
Card. Not entitled to be buried in a service section of a local cemetery.
Case 2 – Serviceman or woman – joined prior to 1 April 1974 in receipt of the New Zealand Operational Service Medal but has no Qualifying Operational Service in accordance with the Veterans Support Act 2014. Recognised as having Qualifying Routine Service.
Status recognised by a Certificate of Appreciation signed by the Prime Minister and the
Minister of Veterans Affairs and entitled to wear the Veterans Badge issued with the
certificate. Has Routine Qualifying Service and entitled to no more assistance than any other superannuitant who has reached the age of 65 years and is in receipt of a Super gold Card. Not entitled to be buried in a service section of a local cemetery.
Case 3 – Serviceman or woman – joined prior to 1 April 1974 has Qualifying Operational
Service and Qualifying Routine Service in accordance with the Veterans Support Act 2014
Status recognised by a Certificate of Appreciation signed by the Prime Minister and the
Minister of Veterans Affairs and entitled to wear the Veterans Badge issued with the
certificate. Entitled to apply for the Veterans Gold Card although not drawing a veterans
pension, entitled to apply for assistance under the Veterans Support Act 2014, Entitled to be buried in a Service Section of a local cemetery
Case 4 – Serviceman or woman – joined after 1 April 1974 has Qualifying Operational Service in accordance with the Veterans Support Act 2014
Status recognised by a Certificate of Appreciation signed by the Prime Minister and the
Minister of Veterans Affairs and entitled to wear the Veterans Badge issued with the
certificate. Entitled to apply for the Veterans Gold Card and may or may not be drawing a
veterans pension, entitled to apply for assistance under the Veterans Support Act 2014,
Entitled to be buried in a service Section of a local cemetery. Not recognised as having
Routine Qualifying Service.
Case 5 – Serviceman or woman – joined after 1 April 1974 has no Qualifying Operational
Service in accordance with the Veterans Support Act 2014.
Status is not recognised and not entitled to any Veterans Support under the Act. Entitled
only to apply for the Super Gold Card on attaining the age of 65 years. No length of service is recognised and not entitled to be buried in a service section of a local cemetery. Not
recognised has having Routine Qualifying Service.
The Certificate of Appreciation signed by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Veterans
Affairs and Veterans badge is identical in all respects and issued in all Cases 1 to 4 above.
To qualify for the Veterans Gold Card you have to have Qualifying Operational Service
however, it also may or may not be linked to being in receipt of a Veterans pension.
Confusing, How have we got ourselves into this sort of problem? Hopefully with the current review of What is a Veteran? and your input to the Veterans Advisory Board in the first half of 2020 this will all be sorted out.