Unless otherwise enumerated below, all definitions associated with 960 CMR 7.00 shall be the definitions outlined in M.G.L. c. 10, § 78.
Activation. An order to Active Duty, other than for training, in the federal or state service.
Active Duty. Full-time duty in the active military service of the United States. The term does not include full-time duty in the Army National Guard or Air National Guard.
Active Duty for Training. A tour of Active Duty that is used for training members of the reserve component and the Army National Guard and Air National Guard to provide trained units and qualified persons to fill the needs of the Armed Forces of the United States in time of war or national emergency and such other times as national security requires.
Active Guard Reserve. A United States Army and United States Air Force federal military program which places members of the Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve on federal active duty status under Title 10 U.S.C., or full-time National Guard duty under Title 32 U.S.C. 502(f) for a period of 180 consecutive days or greater in order to provide full-time support to National Guard and Reserve organizations for the purpose of leading, organizing, administering, recruiting, instructing, or training the reserve components according to 10 U.S.C. § 101(d)(6)(A).
Active Service. Service on active duty or full-time Army National Guard or Air National Guard duty. Active Service shall not include Active Duty for Training in the Army National Guard or Air National Guard or active duty of training as a reservist in the Armed Forces of the United States.
Adjutant General. A person appointed by the Governor who under M.G.L. c. 33, § 15(a) is the commander of a state's military forces, including the National Guard, Naval Militia, and any state defense forces.
Applicant. A person(s) or legal entity legally entitled to make a claim for a veterans' bonus that has been authorized under the General Laws or Special Acts. An applicant may be a veteran eligible for the bonus, a family member of the veteran, or a court-appointed representative of a veteran eligible for the bonus. An applicant may be a full-time active service member.
Armed Forces. The United States Army, United States Army Reserve, United States Navy, United States Naval Reserve, United States Marine Corps, United States Marine Corps Reserve, United States Merchant Marine, United States Coast Guard, United States Coast Guard Reserve, Army Nurse Corps, Navy Nurse Corps, United States Air Force, United States Air Force Reserve, United States Space Force, Active Guard Reserve, Air National Guard and Army National Guard and including women's branches of said armed forces.
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal or AFEM. The medal established on December 4, 1961, to be awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces who, after July 1, 1958, have participated in a United States military operation and encountered foreign armed opposition, or were in danger of hostile action by foreign armed forces.
Commonwealth. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Contingency Operation. A military operation that is designated by the United States Secretary of Defense as an operation in which members of the armed forces are or may become involved in military actions, operations, or hostilities against an enemy of the United States or against an opposing military force, or results in the call or order to, or retention on, active duty of members of the uniformed services under 10 U.S.C. §§ 688, 12301(a), 12302, 12304, 12304a, 12305, or 12406, 10 U.S.C. c. 13, 14 U.S.C. § 3713, or any other provision of law during a war or during a national emergency declared by the President of the United States or the Congress of the United States.
COVID-19 Massachusetts State of Emergency. The state of emergency declared on March 10,2020, by the Governor of the Commonwealth.
Deployment. Movement from a military service member's Home Station, pursuant to orders, which makes it impossible or infeasible for the member to spend off-duty time in their Home Station.
DD Form 214 or DD-214. The term refers to the DD Form 214 or the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. The DD Form 214 is issued upon a service member's retirement, separation, or discharge from active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States. As appropriate, DD Form 214 includes a member's Copy 4, or any available long form copy, identifying the veteran's condition of discharge, e.g. Honorable, General (Under Honorable Conditions), Other Than Honorable, Dishonorable or Bad Conduct.
Enlistment Period: The period beginning on the date the service member enters military service and ending on the date the service member is released or discharged from military service or dies while in military service. A service member may re-enter military service following the completion of a previous enlistment thereby establishing a new enlistment period.
Home Station. The permanent location of active duty units and reserve component units.
Global War on Terror or GWOT. An international, United States-led military campaign launched following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Global War on Terror Operations. Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Inherent Resolve, Operation Freedom Sentinel, or any successor or related operation.
Heir(s)-at-Law. Except as controlled by M.G.L. c. 190B, Art. II, § 2-711, persons, including the surviving spouse and the Commonwealth, who are entitled under the statutes of intestate succession to the property of a decedent.
Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger Location. The areas identified in the United States Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation (DoD 7000.14-R, volume 7A, c. 10), or certified by the appropriate commander.
Operation. A series of tactical actions, such as battles, engagements, and strikes, conducted by combat forces coordinated in time and place, to achieve strategic or operational objectives in an operational area. An Operation may entail the process of carrying on combat, including movement, supply, attack, defense, and maneuvers needed to achieve the objective of any battle or campaign. An Operation need not involve combat.
Veterans' Bonus Appeal Board or Board. The payments' appeal board that consists of a member of the Treasury to be designated by the State Treasurer and Receiver General; an Assistant Attorney General to be designated by the State Attorney General; and the Adjutant General or a designee. The member of the Treasury designated by the State Treasurer and Receiver General shall be the Chair of the Board.
Veterans' Bonus Division. The Department within the Office of the State Treasurer and Receiver General that administers and distributes bonuses for eligible active duty, discharged, and deceased Massachusetts veterans who served during various conflicts in single or multiple deployments.
960 CMR, § 7.02