Canadian Veterans – Korean War (War Veterans Allowance Program)

This policy replaces the following policy: Canadian Veterans – Korean War (War Veterans Allowance Program) – May 18, 2012.

Purpose

This policy provides guidance on determining if an individual served as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces during the Korean War and, therefore, satisfies the war service requirements for the War Veterans Allowance (WVA) Program.

Policy

Canadian Veteran - Defined

1. A Canadian Veteran of the Korean War, is a person who:
   1. as a member of the forces referred to in section 14 of the National Defence Act, left Canada or the United States, including Alaska, at any time prior to July 27, 1953, to participate in military operations undertaken by the United Nations to restore peace in the Republic of Korea; or
   2. is in receipt of a pension under the Pension Act, or is declared to have been eligible for, or awarded, a pension under the Pension Act after the member’s death, having become eligible for that pension by virtue of
      1. service as a member of the Canadian Army Special Force that was constituted for the purposes of the Korean War, or
      2. service from the day of the member’s departure from Canada or the United States, including Alaska, to participate in the Korean War, until the earliest of
         1. the day on which the member returned to Canada or the United States, including Alaska;
         2. the day on which the member was posted to a unit that was not participating in the Korean War;
         3. the day on which the unit with which the member was serving, having ceased to participate in the Korean War, arrived at the place to which it had been next assigned; and
         4. October 31, 1953.
2. Per paragraph 1, a Canadian Veteran of the Korean War only needs to depart from Canada or the United States, including Alaska. It is not necessary for a Canadian Veteran to arrive in the Korean “theatre of operations” to satisfy service requirements for the WVA Program.
3. For the purpose of administering the War Veterans Allowance Act, the term “theatre of actual war” does not apply to the Korean War; instead, the term “theatre of operations” is used, and it is only applicable to Allied Veterans of the Korean War.

War Service Verification

4. It is necessary for Veterans Affairs Canada to confirm that an individual is a former member of His Majesty’s Canadian Forces as part of the WVA application process. This issue is easily resolved when the applicant provides supporting documents, such as official discharge papers. However, if such information is not included with the application, it will be necessary to formally verify the applicant’s claimed service with the National Archives of Canada. A VAC264 Request for Service Verification should be forwarded to the National Archives of Canada.

References

War Veterans Allowance Act, section 37

Pension Act

National Defence Act, section 14