I was in the Army National Guard for 2 years and had a general discharge. Should I consider myself a veteran?

Did you serve? If yes, then you already know the answer to the question. You wore a uniform at some point in time during your life, you are a veteran.

Yes you are a veteran. I think only dishonorable discharge would disqualify you.

The definition of exactly what it takes to be a veteran is not an easy question to answer. But in the eyes of many the answer is yes, but!

Under federal law, a veteran is any person who served honorably on active duty in the armed forces of the United States. Discharges marked “general and under honorable conditions” also qualify. Other qualifying events are any person who served in the active military, naval or air service of the United States and was discharged from the service due to a service-connected disability or filed a claim and was service-connected for a disability sustained while in the service.

Members of the National Guard and Reserves may be considered veterans if they were deployed under Title 10 (Federal Orders) and complete that deployment and are issued a DD-214 (discharge) under honorable conditions. People who just serve in the National Guard and Reserve without a federal deployment are usually not eligible for veterans benefits, unless they were injured during their basic or advanced training or while on weekend drill or the two-week summer training. They must have reported the injury, filed a claim with the VA, and been rated as disabled for that injury.

Eligibility for veteran’s benefits also depends on the character of the discharge. There is honorable, general under honorable conditions, other than honorable, bad conduct and dishonorable. Normally only honorable and general under honorable conditions will qualify the veteran for benefits. An uncharacterized discharge may also qualify the veteran, but it is up to the VA and is handled on a case-by-case basis.