VETERANS

Eligible veterans who served on active duty in the Persian Gulf Theater of Operations from Aug. 2, 1990, to Aug. 31, 1991, are eligible to collect a special one-time payment to honor their service and sacrifice.

Applications for the Persian Gulf Conflict Veterans Bonus are due by Aug. 31, 2018.

The bonus program, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, pays $75 per month for qualifying, active-duty service members, up to a $525 maximum.

For personnel whose death was related to illness or injury received in the line of duty in Operations Desert Shield or Desert Storm, there is an additional $5,000 available to the surviving family. Service members who were declared prisoners of war may also be eligible for an additional $5,000.

To be eligible for the bonus, a service member must have:

• Served with the U.S. Armed Forces, a reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces or the Pennsylvania National Guard;

• Served on active duty in the Persian Gulf Theater of Operations from Aug. 2, 1990, to Aug. 31, 1991;

• Received the Southwest Asia Service Medal;

• Been a legal resident of Pennsylvania at the time of active duty service; and

• Been discharged from active duty under honorable conditions, if not currently on active duty.

Since 2008, more than 9,000 Persian Gulf Conflict veterans have applied for and received a bonus for their war efforts. Individuals who received a bonus or similar compensation from any other state are not eligible for the Pennsylvania program.

For detailed instructions on how to apply, visit persiangulfbonus.pa.gov.