Honorable Discharge Policy for the U.S. Army

Evidence of meritorious military service is the honorable discharge.

All U.S. Army military personnel eventually leave military service, whether through retirement or at the end of their obligated service time. At the end of service, the Army assigns a characterization of the quality of that service. The type of discharge the service member receives is an indicator of the quality of his service. The most favorable discharge is the honorable discharge, signifying that the service member has served honorably throughout his career.

Types

Five types of discharges

The Army assigns five types of discharges. At the top is the honorable discharge and at the bottom is the dishonorable discharge. In between are the general discharge, the other than honorable discharge and the bad conduct discharge. A bad conduct discharge usually results from conviction at a court martial, special or general. A dishonorable discharge results from a general court martial.

Minimum Years of Service

Eight years of Army service is required before a discharge is issued.

Army members separating at the end of their initial enlistment usually don't receive a characterization of discharge. They must have eight total years of service, usually a mix of active and reserve. This reserve service can be either active or inactive, in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). Once eight years of service is gained, a member will receive her discharge certificate. An example would be four years of active service and four years of IRR service.

Significance

The type of discharge given a service member has consequences.

The type of discharge given to a military member can matter a great deal. Almost every employer will ask about military service and the type of discharge received. Lifetime benefits such as Veterans Administration home loans and government employment depend on the type of discharge characterization. Service members given honorable discharges generally have an advantage over members holding lesser types of discharges, all other things being equal.

Criteria

Good-to-excellent service is required in order to obtain an honorable discharge.

Good-to-excellent service is required in order to obtain an honorable discharge. An honorable discharge requires favorable performance ratings from superiors, and avoiding all but very minor disciplinary actions during enlistment. In rare cases, an honorable discharge can be earned before meeting normal service time requirements. A service member who flunked physical readiness testing might earn one, for instance; and a service member receiving a general discharge who also received an award for heroism could obtain one.

Expert Insight

Army members who have at least good service will normally receive an honorable discharge.

Discharge characterizations are the Army's way of telling a service member how well she did while serving. There are steps she can take to ensure an honorable discharge is the end result. First, she should behave in a manner that brings credit upon herself as well as the Army. Second, she should faithfully obey all Army rules and regulations. If she takes those two steps, at minimum, an honorable discharge will eventually result.

References

• Department of the Army: Military Personnel Office Separation Processing Procedures
• Air Force Mentor: U.S. Government Benefits Eligibility Based on Type of Discharge
• Army Regulation 635-200: Active Duty Enlisted Administrative Separations

Resources

• Eielson Air Force Base: Different Types of Discharges Explained