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Vocational Training for Children with Spina Bifida or Certain Birth Defects
To be eligible for this benefit program, you must be the biological child of a Veteran who served in Vietnam or in the Korean demilitarized zone during certain periods in the 1960s or 1970s. You must have been conceived after the Veteran served in one of those two places.
Military Service Rules
The Veteran parent must have-
- Served in Vietnam during the period beginning January 9, 1962, and ending May 7, 1975, OR
- Served at or near the Korean demilitarized zone (DMZ) during the period beginning September 1, 1967, and ending August 31, 1971.
The Gender of the Veteran Parent
The rules for Spina Bifida are different from the rules for other covered birth defects:
- If you have Spina Bifida, you may qualify if either your father or your mother served in one of the situations described above.
- If you have another kind of birth defect, you qualify only if it was your mother who served in Vietnam or the Korean demilitarized zone
Your Own Disability
You must have been diagnosed with Spina Bifida or another covered birth defect.
To complete an application, use VA Form 21-0304, "Application for Benefits for Certain Children with Disabilities Born of Vietnam and Certain Korea Service Veterans."
If you have any questions, visit the Ask VA (AVA) website to ask a question electronically.
To apply for VA benefits and services, view your benefit status, and many more services go to www.va.gov and either logon with your eBenefits sign on or use www.Logon.gov to enroll. VA.gov is a one-stop source for information on Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs benefits and services. Veterans, service members and their family members can conduct self-service transactions such as checking compensation and pension claim status information, enrolling in GI Bill, and obtaining copies of civil service preference letters, military records (DD214), and other personal information. For further information visit the VA.gov website.