Section 26.15.160 - Extension of chapter to members of the Alaska Territorial Guard and to veterans of the armed forces of the United States The provisions of this chapter, except those provisions relating to the payment of bonuses, are extended to persons who served in the Alaska Territorial Guard and to veterans of the armed forces of the United States, who served other than dishonorably on active duty between June 25, 1950, and January 31, 1955, between August 4, 1964, and November 7, 1975, between August 2, 1990, and January 2, 1992, beginning September 11, 2001, and ending on the day prescribed by Presidential proclamation or by law as the last date of Operation Iraqi Freedom, or during any time period listed in 5 U.S.C. 2108(1) and to dependents of those persons, subject to the following provisions and eligibility qualifications:
(1) persons are eligible(A) who served in the Alaska Territorial Guard, who were discharged other than dishonorably from the armed forces of the United States, or who are released to a reserve component; and(B) who, at the time of entry into the service, were bona fide residents of the territory or State of Alaska and had been residents of the territory or state for not less than one year before their entry into the service; and who have returned to the territory or state within a reasonable length of time after the end of their service in the Alaska Territorial Guard or their discharge or separation as residents with the intention of remaining in the territory or state; or who, not being bona fide residents of the territory before their entry into the service, have lived in the territory or state for at least five years following their release from active military service; and(C) who served in the armed forces of the United States for 90 days or more, or whose service was for a lesser period because of injury or disability incurred in line of duty, between June 25, 1950, and January 31, 1955, between August 4, 1964, and July 1, 1977, between August 2, 1990, and January 2, 1992, beginning September 11, 2001, and ending on the day prescribed by Presidential proclamation or by law as the last date of Operation Iraqi Freedom, or during any time period listed in 5 U.S.C. 2108(1) , or who served in the Alaska Territorial Guard for 90 days or more or whose service in the Alaska Territorial Guard was for a lesser period because of injury or disability incurred in the line of duty;(2) persons are eligible who were dependent upon a member of the Alaska Territorial Guard or armed forces or upon a veteran, including persons who served in the Alaska Territorial Guard, eligible for the benefits of this chapter at the time of the member's or veteran's death if the member or veteran was a resident of the territory for one year before entry into service; dependents must be unmarried and the deceased veteran or member of the armed forces must have been their chief means of support and they must be either a widow, widower, minor child, or a mother, father, sister, or brother incapable of self-support; dependents must be residents of the state at the time of application and shall intend to remain residents in the state permanently; the rights of minor children under this chapter may be exercised only if they have no surviving parent and have an appointed guardian who may apply on their behalf for the benefits of this chapter for their care, support, or education;(3) a person who is eligible for veteran's benefits under the laws of any other state or territory is not eligible for the benefits of this section unless the person has lived in the state or territory for at least five years following the end of the person's service in the Alaska Territorial Guard or release from active military service; a World War II veteran who received a bonus under former AS 26.15.120 and former AS 26.15.150 need not repay the bonus in order to qualify under the loan provisions of this section;(4) for persons otherwise eligible for the benefits under this section, who did not return to the state or territory not later than one year after the end of the persons' service in the Alaska Territorial Guard or separation from the service unless prevented from doing so for medical, educational, or other valid purposes approved by the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development not later than one year after the end of the persons' service in the Alaska Territorial Guard or separation from the service, an additional requirement of four years' residence in the state or territory before their entry into the service is imposed to entitle them to the benefit provisions of this section.Amended by SLA 2014, ch. 102,sec. 6, eff. 7/28/2014.