Many members of the military get an honorable discharge. They haven’t done anything wrong, but they simply can’t be in the military anymore. Someone could suffer physical injuries in combat, for example. They can no longer perform their job as a soldier, but it’s through no fault of their own, and so they get an honorable discharge from the military.
However, there are also a few different ways that someone can be discharged that have more negative ramifications. Below are three examples to keep in mind.
Bad conduct discharge
If a soldier is being punished, perhaps after a court marshal, then they may get a bad conduct discharge. This is seen as a punitive measure. There may be a review or appeal process, but someone who is discharged for bad conduct will likely lose all of their benefits.
Other than honorable discharge
If someone has not performed the way they were expected or upheld the code of conduct in the military, they may get an “other than honorable” discharge. This can sometimes happen for reasons within the soldier’s personal life. For instance, if someone commits adultery and gets a divorce, it is theoretically possible for them to get an other than honorable discharge as a result.
Dishonorable discharge
Finally, some soldiers get a dishonorable discharge, which can also cost them their benefits. This often happens after a serious event resulting in a court martial and a conviction. Examples include desertion, murder, sexual assault and other types of criminal events.
In some cases, soldiers are facing one of these outcomes when they believe they deserve an honorable discharge. They certainly need to know about all of their legal options at this time.