If you were discharged from the military, the reason for that discharge is very important. If you simply served your term and then retired, it may be an honorable discharge. But if you were made to leave the military for some reason, you could’ve been given a dishonorable discharge, which stays on your record.
If you do have a dishonorable discharge, it can make a major impact on your future. It may be possible to correct your military record. Perhaps you think the dishonorable discharge was applied incorrectly and you want to appeal the decision. There are cases where the board will agree, and your status can be updated so that you are given an honorable discharge instead. Why would this be helpful and worth pursuing?
The benefits you deserve
In many cases, people are looking to correct their status simply because they’re being denied benefits. If you have a dishonorable discharge, for instance, you may not be able to get benefits through the Veterans Affairs office. Altering your status could make you eligible for:
- Retroactive disability retirement pay
- Back pay
- Educational debt relief
- Access to VA benefits
It’s also important to consider your family. In some cases, family members will also be eligible for certain benefits, but these could also be denied if the service member was dishonorably discharged. So seeking to adjust this record could be beneficial not just to you, but to your family as well.
For all these reasons, it’s important for you to understand your options and the legal steps you can take. Just because you have a dishonorable discharge on your record today doesn’t mean it has to stay that way indefinitely.