Eligibility based on service in Japan, Korea Demilitarised Zone, and North East Thailand (including Ubon) follows a review of anomalies in Repatriation benefits in respect of various groups of veterans with overseas service since the Second World War. Members who served in these areas within the dates specified in the VEA Determinations were exposed to hazards of an operational or warlike nature beyond those of normal peacetime duty.
An eligible person therefore, is a person who, as a member of the Defence Force, was assigned for service in:
(see Determinations at Eligibility GO 5.3.2 — Japan and Japan (HMAS Vengeance))
(see Determinations at Eligibility GO 5.3.2 — North Eastern Thailand);
An eligible person is also a person whose first service in the Defence Force began on or before 14 May 1985, and who, as a member of the Defence Force, was assigned for service:
Note: The Korean DMZ has no end date as at January 2009.
Set out below are copies of the instrument issued by the Defence Force under subsection 6D(1) of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986. Accordingly, information contained in these instruments may be used in deciding whether an applicant is an eligible person under paragraph 4(1)(gc) of the DSH Act in accordance with the 'Best Evidence' policy.
Service in Japan
View Determination signed 3 June 1998 [4]
Service in Japan (HMAS Vengeance)
View Determination signed 13 August 1998 [4]
Service in North East Thailand (including Ubon)
Membership of one of the special groups defined below may provide a person with qualifying service.
5.3.3.1Welfare Organisations. A person who served with a unit of the Defence Forces as a representative of one of the following approved welfare organisations:
(for service in Korea or Japan: see Ministerial determination at Eligibility GO 4.4.4)
(for service in Vietnam or North Eastern Thailand: see Ministerial determination at Eligibility GO 6.3.2)
5.3.3.2Other Commonwealth Forces. (Repealed)
[Note:Eligible service covered by this chapter requires inclusion in a written instrument issued under ss.6D(1) of the VEA. It is unlikely that other Commonwealth forces could be so assigned.]
5.3.4.1Misconduct or misbehaviour. A person with otherwise appropriate service may be ineligible if that service ended due to misconduct or misbehaviour (please see Eligibility GO 11 for full details). However, this exclusion does not apply to the widow, widower or dependent parent of a person whose service ended due to misconduct or misbehaviour.
Links
[1] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/18068%23comment-form
[2] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/18139%23comment-form
[3] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/18617%23comment-form
[4] https://clik.dva.gov.au/service-eligibility-assistant-0
[5] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/18448%23comment-form
[6] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/18655%23comment-form