First, let me say I spent 2 1/2 years at AFA back in the early 90s. I never thought of myself as a vet. I'm now 40 years old and plan on getting my CHL (concealed handgun license) in Texas. They give veterans a 50% discount on the licensing fees. I decided to check to see what the legal status is of having served since they just mention "having served in the [military]." I have a DD214 and an honorable discharge. I remember being considered active duty.
So, to those of you who think it's despicable that a former cadet gets any status, consider this: when I was there, we got a "National Defense Service Ribbon" and were required to wear it. I always thought that was embarrassing to be honest. HOWEVER, realize that cadets also do training. I was a SERE instructor. In the "regular service", there are enlisted guys who train the servicemen. So cadets actually do perform real duties that are otherwise done by active duty, retirement benefit earning, etc guys. They teach jump school, CATM, survival, etc. They run basic training whereas regular enlistees are trained by other active duty. To that point, cadets are participating in roles that are very much active duty roles. You wouldn't diminish the service of TSgt Huckleberry at Lackland AFB just because he's been teaching basic training for the last three years, would you? Well, C2C Smith also teaches basic training during the summer between semesters when "normal people" are vacationing in Cancun or working an internship at some company they hope to work for later. How is that any less important?
Likewise, you are subject to UCMJ. You gave up your civilian freedoms. That should be worth something. You can, in fact, be called into "real" active service even as a cadet. You are under the direction of (scary!) President Obama!! If the baddies invaded, they COULD put a rifle in your hand and put you in combat. It wouldn't probably ever happen, but you ARE under that obligation as a cadet. And for that sacrifice, you get "veteran status"...barely.
So, while I was embarrassed to call myself a veteran because of my lack of "real service", and I'd never think of protesting for veteran benefits, I think maybe I SHOULD check the yes box on my CHL application. Congress went through the efforts to specifically deny cadets from certain benefits (VA?, GI Bill, etc), which implicitly imparts other benefits. If the standard was that cadets weren't veterans, then they would simply state that in the definition. There'd be no need to specifically deny certain benefits. Reminds me of A Few Good Men. "If your orders are always followed, and you told the men not to do it, then why the second order?" Why the specific denial of benefits?
And as for the deviation of this forum from benefits to what's owed if you leave, I have testimony on that too!
After my 2 1/2 years, I was involuntarily disenrolled. It was a bullsh!t railroading because the AOC didn't like me. I had the administrative hearing, the board, etc. They jumped the chain of command (over the deputy commandant). they took something that should have been simple demerits and walking tours and found a way to make it a nice, blanket "conduct unbecoming". They knew it was BS so they said "look, we'll make it easy. We want you gone, but we'll give you an honorable discharge, AND we'll waive any commitment." This is actually in the Academy Board notes. So, if what I did was so egregious, then why the HONORABLE discharge and why no commitment of any kind? I finally end up leaving. Four years later I got a bill for $87,000 and change. It went on my credit report as having an unpaid government obligation. I just graduated from college with a degree in electrical engineering. Thought I was about to enjoy life. And then AFA came back for one final kick in the nuts. I couldn't hire a lawyer so for the next three years basically I wrote back and forth with DOD to clear things up. After many months of waiting, many phone calls, many 15 page letters, I finally got a letter from their JAG office saying "apparently you were not afforded due processes and as such we are eliminating the debt you owe." No Sh!t! Wish you had thought of that before trashing my life-long dreams! I've survived and thrived since, and, in retrospect, I don't know if I'd have liked to been in the military over the last 20 years. They cut pilot slots from 750 to 150 in that era. They were paying people to get out early (the RIF). But in the end, and after 3 years of trashed credit ratings, David beat Goliath and the $87000 debt they said I owed vanished.
So will they force you to serve? Don't know. But they will send you a bill! And that was $87,000 in the mid 90s!
I remember people saying the Academy was a "free education". I remember it being better put as "a quarter-million dollar education shoved up your ass a nickle at a time."