38 U.S.C. § 1965 — Definitions

For the purpose of this subchapter— (1) The term “active duty” means— (A) full-time duty in the Armed Forces, other than active duty for training; (B) full-time duty (other than for training purposes) as a commissioned officer of the Regular or Reserve Corps 11 See Change of Name note below. of the Public Health Service; (C) full-time duty as a commissioned officer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and (D) full-time duty as a cadet or midshipman at the United States Military Academy, United States Naval Academy, United States Air Force Academy, or the United States Coast Guard Academy. (2) The term “active duty for training” means— (A) full-time duty in the Armed Forces performed by Reserves, or by members of the Space Force in a space force active status (as defined in [section 101(e)(1) of title 10](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title10-section101/e/1&num=0&edition=prelim)) but not on sustained duty under [section 20105 of title 10](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title10-section20105&num=0&edition=prelim), for training purposes; (B) full-time duty for training purposes performed as a commissioned officer of the Reserve Corps 1 of the Public Health Service; (C) full-time duty as a member, cadet, or midshipman of the Reserve Officers Training Corps while attending field training or practice cruises; and (D) in the case of members of the National Guard or Air National Guard of any State, full-time duty under sections 316, 502, 503, 504, or 505 of title 32, United States Code. (3) The term “inactive duty training” means— (A) duty (other than full-time duty) prescribed or authorized for Reserves (including commissioned officers of the Reserve Corps 1 of the Public Health Service), or for members of the Space Force in a space force active status (as defined in [section 101(e)(1) of title 10](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title10-section101/e/1&num=0&edition=prelim)), which duty is scheduled in advance by competent authority to begin at a specific time and place; and (B) in the case of a member of the National Guard or Air National Guard of any State, such term means duty (other than full-time duty) which is scheduled in advance by competent authority to begin at a specific time and place under sections 316, 502, 503, 504, or 505 of title 32, United States Code. (4) The terms “active duty for training” and “inactive duty training” do not include duty performed as a temporary member of the Coast Guard Reserve, and the term “inactive duty training” does not include (A) work or study performed in connection with correspondence courses, or (B) attendance at an educational institution in an inactive status. (5) The term “member” means— (A) a person on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training in the uniformed services in a commissioned, warrant, or enlisted rank, or grade, or as a cadet or midshipman of the United States Military Academy, United States Naval Academy, United States Air Force Academy, or the United States Coast Guard Academy; (B) a person who volunteers for assignment to the Ready Reserve of a uniformed service and is assigned to a unit or position in which such person may be required to perform active duty, or active duty for training, and each year will be scheduled to perform at least twelve periods of inactive duty training that is creditable for retirement purposes under chapter 1223 of title 10 (or under chapter 67 of that title as in effect before the effective date of the Reserve Officer Personnel Management Act); (C) a person who volunteers for assignment to a mobilization category in the Individual Ready Reserve, as defined in section 12304(i)(1) 22 See References in Text note below. of title 10; and (D) a member, cadet, or midshipman of the Reserve Officers Training Corps while attending field training or practice cruises. (6) The term “uniformed services” means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, and the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (7) The terms “widow” or “widower” means a person who is the lawful spouse of the insured member at the time of his death. (8) The term “child” means a legitimate child, a legally adopted child, an illegitimate child as to the mother, or an illegitimate child as to the alleged father, only if (A) he acknowledged the child in writing signed by him; or (B) he has been judicially ordered to contribute to the child’s support; or (C) he has been, before his death, judicially decreed to be the father of such child; or (D) proof of paternity is established by a certified copy of the public record of birth or church record of baptism showing that the insured was the informant and was named as father of the child; or (E) proof of paternity is established from service department or other public records, such as school or welfare agencies, which show that with his knowledge the insured was named as the father of the child. (9) The term “parent” means a father of a legitimate child, mother of a legitimate child, father through adoption, mother through adoption, mother of an illegitimate child, and father of an illegitimate child but only if (A) he acknowledged paternity of the child in writing signed by him before the child’s death; or (B) he has been judicially ordered to contribute to the child’s support; or (C) he has been judicially decreed to be the father of such child; or (D) proof of paternity is established by a certified copy of the public record of birth or church record of baptism showing that the claimant was the informant and was named as father of the child; or (E) proof of paternity is established from service department or other public records, such as school or welfare agencies, which show that with his knowledge the claimant was named as father of the child. No person who abandoned or willfully failed to support a child during the child’s minority, or consented to the child’s adoption may be recognized as a parent for the purpose of this subchapter. However, the immediately preceding sentence shall not be applied so as to require duplicate payments in any case in which insurance benefits have been paid prior to receipt in the administrative office established under sub[section 1966(b) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title38-section1966/b&num=0&edition=prelim) of sufficient evidence to clearly establish that the person so paid could not qualify as a parent solely by reason of such sentence. (10) The term “insurable dependent”, with respect to a member, means the following: (A) The member’s spouse. (B) The member’s child, as defined in the first sentence of [section 101(4)(A) of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title38-section101/4/A&num=0&edition=prelim). (C) The member’s stillborn child.