SubscribeWars vs. conflicts
Question: I was among soldiers deployed to Grenada in 1983. I recently was a patient at a VA medical facility and overheard a conversation about the differences between wars and conflicts. Which military deployments are recognized as wars and which ones are conflicts?
Answer: The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines conflict as “to fight or content; do battle” and defines war as “a state of usually open and declared armed hostile conflict between states or nations.” The United States military recognizes service in Grenada between Oct. 23, 1983 and Nov. 21, 1983 as a conflict.
Other conflicts listed by the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) include:
- Lebanon – July 1, 1958-Nov. 1, 1958
- Vietnam – July 1, 1958-Aug. 4, 1964 NOTE: Vietnam is listed as a wartime service in the 2010 edition of Federal Benefits for Veterans.
- Berlin – Aug. 14,1961-June 1, 1963
- Dominican Republic – April 28, 1965-Sept. 21, 1966
- Panama – Dec. 30, 1989-Feb. 15, 1990
The Federal Benefits for Veterans booklet lists the following as war periods:
- Mexican Border Period – May 9, 1916-April 5, 1917
- World War I – April 6, 1917-Nov. 11, 1918 for veterans who served in Russia, April 6, 1917-April 1, 1920; extended through July 1, 1921, for veterans who had at least one day of service between April 6, 1917, and Nov. 11, 1918.
- World War II – Dec. 7, 1941-Dec. 31, 1946
- Korean War – June 27, 1950-Jan. 31, 1955
- Vietnam War – Aug. 5, 1964 (Feb. 28, 1961 for veterans who served “in country” before Aug. 5, 1964), through May 7, 1975.
- Gulf War – Aug. 2, 1990 through a date to be set by law or presidential proclamation
For more information visit your local DAV office or your local VA facility.
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Russell Davis has spent the last few years aggressively seeking answers to his own veterans’ benefit questions. He’ll be taking over the Taking on Life blog every Friday to tell you what he’s learned and to help honorable military discharged women and men, their spouses, partners and others to find answers. Click here to read his previous questions and answers, or to ask him a question.
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