38 U.S.C. § 2101A — Eligibility for benefits and assistance: members of the Armed Forces with service-connected disabilities; individuals residing outside the United States

The Secretary^* may provide assistance under this chapter to a member of the Armed Forces^* serving on active duty^* who is suffering from a disability that meets applicable criteria for benefits under this chapter if the disability is incurred or aggravated in line of duty in the active military, naval, air, or space service^*. Such assistance shall be provided to the same extent as assistance is provided under this chapter to veterans eligible for assistance under this chapter and subject to the same requirements as veterans under this chapter.

For purposes of this chapter, any reference to a veteran^* or eligible individual shall be treated as a reference to a member of the Armed Forces described in subsection (a) who is similarly situated to the veteran or other eligible individual so referred to.

Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary may, at the Secretary’s discretion, provide benefits and assistance under this chapter (other than benefits under section 2106 of this title) to any individual otherwise eligible for such benefits and assistance who resides outside the United States.

The Secretary may provide benefits and assistance to an individual under paragraph (1) only if—