APPENDIX G MILITARY DISCHARGE UNDERSTANDING THE TYPES OF MILITARY DISCHARGE Entry Level Separation: Issued to enlisted military members only by a court-martial due to punishment for bad conduct and is given before any time in a military prison. Forfeits all veteran benefits.
Bad Conduct Discharge: Issued to enlisted military personnel for serious crimes such as murder, armed robbery, and sexual assault. It results in the loss of military and veterans benefits, difficulty finding civilian employment, and the loss of firearm rights under U.S. federal law. Dishonorable Discharge: Discharge for those leaving the military before completing at least 180 days of service. Can include medical and administrative. Depending on whether the separation is good or bad, may prevent some people from being classified as a veteran for state and federal military benefits. General Discharge: Discharge when there has been some type of non-judicial punishment to correct unacceptable military behavior. This individual failed to meet all expectations of conduct to receive an Honorable Discharge Honorable Discharge: Highest discharge from military service who has exceeded the standards for their performance and personal conduct and received an excellent or good rating by the time their enlistment is completed. Veteran benefits are available for these individuals. APPENDIX G MILITARY DISCHARGE UNDERSTANDING THE TYPES OF MILITARY DISCHARGE (CONTINUED) Other Than Honorable
Conditions Discharge: An officer guilty of serious misconduct or a major crime. Officers cannot receive bad conduct or dishonorable discharges, nor can they be reduced in rank by court-martial. Instead, a general court-martial issues a Dismissal, the officer equivalent of a Dishonorable Discharge. Officer Discharge: Most severe military administrative discharge category. Grounds include violence, civilian convictions with prison time, security violations, or adultery proven in divorce proceedings. Reversals are rare and usually require exoneration. The individual cannot re-enlist or join the reserves, and veterans benefits are typically lost.