Affirmative Action Categories and Definitions

Race and Ethnicity Category Definitions (2009)

Race/ethnicity: Categories developed in 1997 by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that are used to describe groups to which individuals belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the community. The categories do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological origins. The designations are used to categorize U.S. citizens, resident aliens, and other eligible non-citizens.

First, individuals are asked to designate ethnicity as either:

• Hispanic or Latino: A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race;

• Not Hispanic or Latino

Second, individuals are asked to indicate one or more races that apply among the following:

• American Indian or Alaska Native: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America) who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community attachment

• Asian: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam

• Black or African American: A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.

• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands

• White: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa

Veteran Category Definitions

Disabled Veteran: (i) a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or (ii) a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

Special Disabled Veteran: (i) a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Department of Veterans' Affairs for a disability (A) rated at 30 percent or more, or (B) rated at 10 or 20 percent in the case of a veteran who has been determined under Section 38 U.S.C. 3106 to have a serious employment handicap or (ii) a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service connected disability.

Veteran of the Vietnam era: a person who: (i) served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service for a period of more than 180 days, and who was discharged or released there from with other than a dishonorable discharge, if any part of such active duty was performed: (A) in the Republic of Vietnam between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975; or (B) between August 5, 1964, and May 7, 1975, in all other cases; or (ii) was discharged or released from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service for a service connected disability if any part of such active duty was performed (A) in the Republic of Vietnam between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975; or (B) between August 5, 1964, and May 7, 1975, in any other location.

Other Protected Veterans: veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized. For those with Internet access, the information required to make this determination is available at http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vgmedal2.htm. 

Armed Forces Service Medal Veteran: a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S.  military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985  (61 Fed. Reg. 1209) at http://www.opm.gov/veterans/html/vgmedal2.asp.

Other Veteran: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service that is not included in one of the categories listed above.

Disabled Individual Definition

Disabled individual: a person with a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities; has a record of such impairment; or is regarded as having such impairment.