If you serve in the military and then receive a dishonorable discharge, you may lose access to your veterans’ benefits. A dishonorable discharge is a very severe decision by the military, and it can cut off access to benefits for both you and your family members. You may have been counting on these benefits when you joined the military initially, so losing them can be a significant blow to your future plans.
The reason why this happens is because, technically speaking, the United States government no longer considers you a veteran if you received a dishonorable discharge. Since these benefits are only for veterans, on either the federal or state level, you do not get access to them with that status.
Can you change your status?
Yes, it is sometimes possible to alter your status. For instance, maybe you were given a dishonorable discharge because it was alleged that you committed a certain type of criminal offense. But you went through the criminal process and the charges were eventually dropped, clearing your name.
Or perhaps you believe mistakes were made in giving you the dishonorable discharge in the first place. You may think you just need to present the correct evidence and state your case to the board, demonstrating why an honorable discharge should have been used. By presenting the right information, you may be able to have your status altered and upgraded so that you get access to those benefits once again.
This can be a relatively complex process, however. If you are interested in altering your status, be sure you are well aware of the exact legal steps you will need to take.