John Plahovinsak
In the June 26, 2025, issue of The Clermont Sun newspaper, Gary L. Knepp did an excellent summary of the Korean War.
June 25, 2025, marked the 75th Anniversary of the start of the Korean War, sometimes called only a “Police Action,” in which 33,686 Americans fought and died.
On July 27, 1953, a truce was signed signaling a stoppage of the active fighting, but a document was never signed officially ending the war. This war has been known as the “Forgotten War” fought by the “Forgotten Veterans.”
Sadly, it still is “forgotten” by the members of Congress, the bureaucracy of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and, in general, the American Public. How did this situation happen?
To save money, Congress enacted Public Law 104-262 in 1996. Because of the influx of Vietnam War veterans seeking medical services from the VA, Congress required the VA to establish a means (income) test. If the veteran’s income level was above a certain level, they were denied VA medical services, which they earned from their military service.
Later that year, Congress passed and enacted the Veterans Health Care Eligibility Act of 1996. This Law exempted veterans of the Mexican Border War of 1916 and veterans of World War I from having to meet any eligibility requirements, such as the means (income) test, before being eligible for VA medical services.
Starting in 2020, Congressman Josh Harder initiated legislation to have World War II veterans exempted from any eligibility requirements.
Although Representative Harder was not successful in getting his proposed bill passed in Congress, he was successful in having the bill’s language inserted, as an amendment, into the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2024, which was passed by Congress.
With the World War II veterans included in Title 38, Section 1710 of the United States Code (U.S.C.), the next group of veterans to be exempted from eligibility requirements are the Korean War Veterans.
The VA’s population projection for 2025 indicated that the median age of Korean War veterans is calculated to be 93 years old.
It is difficult to estimate how many Korean War veterans will use the VA’s medical services if the current eligibility requirements are removed. Many of the Korean War veterans have also served in World War II, five (5) years earlier, thus being eligible because of the NDAA of 2024.
Because Congress passed the Veterans Health Care Eligibility Act in 1996, the VA is forced to implement the means (income) test in determining eligibility for VA’s medical services.
My Opinion: Providing medical services to Korean War veterans does not mean that they will be automatically receiving disability compensation.
Some people may consider the offering of medical benefits and services as a symbolic gesture because of the small number of veterans who still may be eligible to receive them.
Every day, the ranks of our Korean War veterans are reduced. The hardships that they experienced have taken a toll on them. And then to disqualify some of them from receiving their medical benefits because of a means (income) test is a disgraceful treatment by our nation.
Currently, there is no pending 119th Congressional Session Korean War veterans’ legislation like Congressman Harder’s bill for World War II veterans introduced in the 118th Congressional Session.
The Korean War Veterans Association (KWVA) Chapter #121 (Greater Cincinnati) and the DAV Chapter #63 (Clermont County) have already passed Resolutions in support of Korean War veterans being exempt from any VA eligibility requirement.
The National Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization has gone on record to support Korean War veterans and created a Resolution exempting them from any eligibility requirements for VA medical services.
This National Resolution is contained in the DAV’s Legislative Critical Policy Goals for the 119th Congressional Session. Hopefully, it will be passed by Congress and will allow the Korean War veterans to obtain the benefits that they have earned by their sacrifices.
The National DAV’s Mission Statement declared it will “fight for the rights of disabled veterans on Capitol Hill (in Washington, D.C.).” This is one fight they must win.
Gary Knepp summed it best in his article contained in the June 26, 2025, issue of The Clermont Sun newspaper when he wrote: “We should make our amends (for forgetting them in the past) and express our gratitude (to Korean War veterans) while we can.”
We owe it to the “Forgotten Veterans” of the “Forgotten War.”
BioSketch: John Plahovinsak is a retired 32-year Army veteran who served from 1967 to 1999. He is the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department of Ohio’s Hospital Chairman and Adjutant of DAV Chapter #63 (Clermont County). He can be contacted at: [email protected].
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