Veterans’ Legal Series Episode 6: “Overview of Discharge Upgrades Part 1”

There is a lot of misinformation on military discharges, especially because the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a particular way it evaluates discharge characterizations when deciding whether a veteran is eligible to access VA benefits. The characterization of a veteran’s military service, listed on his or her Department of Defense Form 214, called the DD214, can have an impact on a wide array of benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs including eligibility to receive health care, disability compensation, educational benefits, vocational benefits, and many other benefits.

In the sixth episode of the Veterans’ Legal Series, Veterans Assistance Project Director Kent Eiler explains the difference between administrative and punitive discharges and dispels some rumors about discharge upgrades:

 

To learn more about interacting with the VA and VA benefits, see the other episodes of the Veterans’ Legal Series on the Veterans Assistance Project page.