Okla. Stat. tit. 72, § 72-67.13a

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 72. Soldiers and Sailors Page 39

Except for the purposes of determining military service credit

for state retirement, the words “war veterans” used in Section 67.13

of this title shall be construed to mean such honorably discharged

persons as served:

1. In the Armed Forces of the United States at any time during

the period from April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918, both dates

inclusive;

2. In the Armed Forces of the United States as members of the

45th Division at any time during the period from September 16, 1940,

to December 7, 1941, both dates inclusive;

3. In the Armed Forces of the United States at any time during

the period from December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946, both dates

inclusive;

4. In the Armed Forces of the United States at any time during

the period from June 27, 1950, to January 31, 1955, both dates

inclusive;

5. For a period of ninety (90) days or more, unless discharged

from active duty for a service-connected disability, in the Armed

Forces of the United States during the period of time in which the

United States participated in a war, campaign or battle, but

excluding any person who shall have served on active duty for

training only, unless discharged from active duty for service-

connected disability;

6. In the Armed Forces of the United States at any time during

the period which began on:

a. February 28, 1961, and ended on May 7, 1975, in the

case of a veteran who served in the Republic of

Vietnam during that period, and

b. August 5, 1964, and ended on May 7, 1975, in all other

cases,

except that such period shall be deemed to have ended on December

31, 1976, when determining eligibility for education and training

benefits; or

7. In the Armed Forces of the United States on or after August

1, 1990, during the period of time in which the United States

participates in a war, military or naval campaign, or expedition,

excluding any person who shall have served on active duty for

training only, unless discharged from active duty for service-

connected disability.

The term “war veterans” shall include only those persons who

shall have served during the times or in the areas prescribed in

this section, and those persons who were awarded service medals, as

authorized by the United States Department of Defense as reflected

in the veteran’s Defense Department Form 214, related to the Vietnam

Conflict who served prior to August 5, 1964. Any honorably

discharged war veteran of any of the Armed Forces of the United

States shall be entitled to such tax exemptions to include but not

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be limited to tax-exempt veterans’ benefits as provided in paragraph

12 of Section 2887 of Title 68 of the Oklahoma Statutes, special

permits and veterans’ preferences for state employment; provided,

that any person who shall have served on active duty for training

purposes only shall not be entitled to any such tax exemptions,

special permits or veterans’ preferences.

The provisions of this act shall include military retirees,

whose retirement was based only on active service, that have been

rated as having twenty percent (20%) or greater service-connected

disability by the Veterans Administration or the Armed Forces of the

United States. For the purpose of defining military service or

status as a war veteran for the granting of military service credit

in the retirement systems of the State of Oklahoma, the specific

statutory provisions and definitions of each respective system shall

govern exclusively.