1. A "veteran" is an individual who has served on continuous federalized active military duty for one hundred eighty days or the full period for which the individual was called or ordered to active military duty for reasons other than training, and who was discharged or released under other than dishonorable conditions. A discharge reflecting "expiration of term of service" or "completion of required service" or words to that effect qualifies the shorter term of service as making the individual a veteran.
2. A "wartime veteran" is an individual who served in the active military forces, during a period of armed conflict or who received the armed forces expeditionary or other campaign service medal during an emergency condition and who was discharged or released under other than dishonorable conditions. "Wartime veteran" also includes an individual who died in the line of duty in the active military forces, as determined by the armed forces.
3. Period of service dates for a wartime veteran begins with the date of any declaration of war by the Congress of the United States or presidential proclamation beginning hostilities or the beginning of an emergency condition recognized by the issuance of a presidential proclamation or a presidential executive order and in which the armed forces expeditionary medal or other campaign service medals are awarded according to presidential executive order and ending on a date prescribed by presidential proclamation or concurrent resolution of the Congress of the United States and dates determined by the United States department of defense.
4. Current uniform period of service dates for periods of armed conflict include:
a. The period beginning December 7, 1941, through December 31, 1946, known as world war II;
b. The period beginning June 27, 1950, through January 31, 1955, known as the Korean war;
c. The period beginning August 5, 1964, through May 7, 1975, known as the Vietnam war;
d. The period beginning August 2, 1990, through January 2, 1992, known as the gulf war; and
e. The period beginning September 11, 2001, and ending on a date prescribed by presidential proclamation or by Congress as the last day of operation Iraqi freedom or operation enduring freedom, whichever occurs later.
5. The department of veterans' affairs shall maintain a list of all period of service dates for emergency conditions in which the armed forces expeditionary medal has been awarded.