AN ACT Relating to the definition of veterans of armed conflicts; and reenacting and amending RCW 41.04.005.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1.  RCW 41.04.005 and 2005 c 255 s 1 and 2005 c 247 s 1 are each reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(1) As used in RCW 41.04.005, 41.16.220, 41.20.050, and 41.40.170((, and 28B.15.380)) "veteran" includes every person, who at the time he or she seeks the benefits of RCW 41.04.005, 41.16.220, 41.20.050, or 41.40.170((, or 28B.15.380)) has received an honorable discharge, is actively serving honorably, or received a discharge for physical reasons with an honorable record and who meets at least one of the following criteria:

(a) The person has served between World War I and World War II or during any period of war, as defined in subsection (2) of this section, as either:

(i) A member in any branch of the armed forces of the United States;

(ii) A member of the women's air forces service pilots;

(iii) A U.S. documented merchant mariner with service aboard an oceangoing vessel operated by the war shipping administration, the office of defense transportation, or their agents, from December 7, 1941, through December 31, 1946; or

(iv) A civil service crewmember with service aboard a U.S. army transport service or U.S. naval transportation service vessel in oceangoing service from December 7, 1941, through December 31, 1946; or

(b) The person has received the armed forces expeditionary medal, or marine corps and navy expeditionary medal, for opposed action on foreign soil, for service:

(i) In any branch of the armed forces of the United States; or

(ii) As a member of the women's air forces service pilots.

(2) A "period of war" includes:

(a) World War I;

(b) World War II;

(c) The Korean conflict;

(d) The Vietnam era, which means:

(i) The period beginning on February 28, 1961, and ending on May 7, 1975, in the case of a veteran who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period;

(ii) The period beginning August 5, 1964, and ending on May 7, 1975;

(e) The Persian Gulf War, which was the period beginning August 2, 1990, and ending on ((the date prescribed by presidential proclamation or law)) November 30, 1995;

(f) The War on Terrorism, which means the period between September 11, 2001, and ending on the date prescribed by presidential proclamation or law;

(g) The period beginning on the date of any future declaration of war by the congress and ending on the date prescribed by presidential proclamation or concurrent resolution of the congress; and

(((g))) (h) The following armed conflicts, if the participant was awarded the respective campaign badge or medal: ((The crisis in Lebanon; the invasion of Grenada)) Lebanon, the 1958 crisis, multinational force Beirut from August 25, 1982, and ending March 31, 1984; Dominican Republic, Operation Power Pack; Grenada, Operation Urgent Fury; Panama, Operation Just Cause; Somalia, Operation Restore Hope; Haiti, Operation Uphold Democracy; Bosnia, Operation Deliberate Force, Operation Joint Endeavor; ((Operation Noble Eagle; southern or central Asia, Operation Enduring Freedom; and Persian Gulf, Operation Iraqi Freedom)) Kosovo, Operation Allied Force.

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