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Different types of military discharges explained
Posted 10/1/2008 Updated 10/1/2008
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by Legal Intern Emily Wilson
354th Fighter Wing Judge Advocate Office
10/1/2008 - EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- A military discharge is given when a member of the Armed Forces is released from their obligation to serve. There are five ways to characterize a discharge: Honorable; General (under honorable conditions); Under Other than Honorable Conditions (UOTHC); Bad Conduct; and Dishonorable. The first three are given when a service member is administratively discharged, while the latter two are the outcome of the judicial process.
Each type of discharge has a specific meaning and can affect veterans' benefits and employment after serving. The service characterization received depends on the reason for discharge.
Service members normally receive an Honorable discharge when the service member completes their tour of duty and meets or exceeds the required standards of duty performance and personal conduct. However, one need not complete his or her term of service to receive an Honorable discharge; provided the reason for involuntary discharge is not due to misconduct. For instance, service is characterized as honorable for failure in the fitness program. Those receiving an Honorable discharge will generally get veterans' full rights and benefits and are able to obtain post-service employment.
A General discharge is for service members who leave the service under honorable conditions, but their conduct and performance of duty was not so meritorious to receive an Honorable discharge. Reasons for such characterization are generally preceded by some form of nonjudicial conduct. Some people think that a General discharge is as good as an Honorable discharge, but this is not true. A General discharge may disqualify a veteran from participation in the GI Bill, service on veteran's commissions, and other programs where an honorable discharge is required.
An Under Other than Honorable Conditions (UOTHC) discharge is the most severe form of an administrative discharge. This characterization represents a significant departure from the conduct expected by a service member. Significant departures include security violations and the use of violence. Recipients of UOTHC discharges are generally barred from enlisting into any component of the Armed Forces and the majority of veterans' benefits are unavailable.
Unlike an administrative discharge, a Bad Conduct discharge is a punitive discharge that can only be given to an enlisted service member through a Court Martial. Virtually all veterans' benefits are forfeited by a bad conduct discharge.
Similar to a Bad Conduct discharge, a Dishonorable discharge is a punitive discharge and not an administrative discharge. A service member may only receive a Dishonorable discharge through a General Court Martial conviction for offenses like murder, rape and desertion as part of the sentence. This characterization of service results in a loss of all veterans' benefits and may make obtaining gainful employment difficult.
Commissioned officers cannot be given a Bad Conduct discharge or a Dishonorable discharge. If an officer is convicted by a General Court-Martial, then that officer's sentence can include a "Dismissal." This is considered to be the same as a Dishonorable discharge.
What happens to you in the military can have lifelong effects, in particular when you consider a discharge's impact on post-service opportunities, such as educational and other veterans' benefits and job prospects. Living by the core value of Excellence in All We Do will ensure your success, even if you decide to leave the Air Force for a civilian career.
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