A military servicemember who is discharged with anything other than an honorable discharge may wonder how their discharge is going to affect their life after the military. One of the most important discharge records that a veteran has is the DD-214, which summarizes key details about the person’s service, such as the dates of service, discharge status, training and awards.
The DD-214 is also the basis of several benefits that military members receive after they’re discharged. The discharge type can have an impact on their ability to receive employment, education, housing, retirement and medical benefits. It can also negatively affect any services offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Some DD-214 forms can be limiting
Some people don’t realize that there are more than just two types of discharges. They’re so accustomed to hearing about honorable and dishonorable discharges that they don’t know about other-than-honorable, bad conduct or general discharges. All of these discharges, except honorable, can limit a person’s ability to receive any type of benefits.
In some cases, there are errors on a person’s discharge papers. This can affect how agencies and employers understand the record. Even a small error can become a large problem if it affects the person’s eligibility for services or benefits.
Even if a person’s discharge documents are accurate in noting a discharge that’s anything other than honorable, there might be a chance that they can have it changed. Working with someone who’s familiar with matters related to military discharge may be beneficial to help the individual qualify for the services and benefits they deserve as a result of their service in the military.