Veterans' Services

Purpose

The requirement for each city and town in Connecticut to have a Veteran Services Contact (VSC) was enacted by law on October 1, 2013. The Town of Old Lyme appointed a Veteran Services Contact (VSC) to ensure that our Veterans are exposed to the full array of services available to them. Although this page is designed to be utilized as a self-help resource, your VSC is available to be contacted at any time.

Defining a Veteran

To get started we should understand who our Veterans are and how benefits are made available to them. A Veteran is defined as any person who has served in the active U.S. Military, but there are further distinctions that provide benefits based on where and when the Veteran may have served.

• A war veteran is any service member that was ordered to foreign soil or waters to participate in a direct support activity against an enemy.
• A combat veteran is any service member that experienced any level of hostility for any duration resulting from offensive, defensive or friendly fire military action involving a real or perceived enemy in any foreign theatre.

Veteran’s benefits are based on Congressional regulations determined by a Veteran’s Honorable Discharge or discharge under Honorable Conditions. Military retirees who have served for at least 20 years in a National Guard or Reserve Component, or received a medical discharge may also be considered Veterans in Connecticut. Most retirees are usually eligible for supplementary federal benefits, privileges, and access to military installations, but not necessarily all Veterans Affairs services as regulated by Congress. If you are unsure, contact the VSC.