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Show Former Hostages Will Be Eligible For Vet Benefits The Veterans Administration Ad-ministration is providing the same ,. level of education benefits for eligible former Iran hostages or their spouses and children that is provided pro-vided for survivors or dependents of veterans who died or were completely disabled as , the result of military r service. Elmer J. Smith, director of the Salt Lake City VA Regional Office, Of-fice, said that under the Hostage Relief Act of last October. The Secretary of State for Administration of the U.S. Department of State determines the eligibility of the hostages held in captive, state and their spouses and children. The Department of State then forwards the approved applications to the VA for regional payment of the hostages educational benefits, Cordova added. Section 101 of the Hostage Relief Act of 1980 notes that term 'American Hostage' means any individual who, while in civil service or the uniformed unifor-med services of the United States, or a citizen or resident alien of the United States rendering personal service to the United States abroad, similar to the service of a civil officer or employee of the United States (as determined by the Secretary of State), is placed in a captive status during the hostage period. |