The WISER Act of 2024 establishes two programs to help female military veterans who were involuntarily discharged under Executive Order 10240, a Cold War-era policy that separated service members, particularly women, from the military. The first program allows the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to upgrade the discharge status of eligible veterans, with upgraded veterans treated the same as if they had completed their full service obligation for benefits purposes. The second program directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a one-time payment of $25,000 to eligible veterans, with surviving spouses also able to claim this benefit if the veteran dies after the bill's enactment. Eligibility includes all women who were involuntarily separated under Executive Order 10240 between April 27, 1951 and February 23, 1976, as well as women who experienced pregnancy-related changes during the ten months following their separation. The bill authorizes whatever funding is necessary for the compensation program but does not specify a total cost or implementation deadline.
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