Discharge

A Discharge refers to Officers who have left or been removed from active service.  The type of discharge determines whether or not an Officer may return to duty in the future.

Types of Discharge

• Administrative
  • Entry level separation: uncharacterized
    • Officers who leave service prior to 180 days in service (often referred to as "washing out").  No performance review is given.
  • Honorable
    • Officers who received performance ratings "good" to "excellent", and consistently meet or exceed expectations.
  • General
    • Officers who received performance ratings of at least "satisfactory", but marked by a departure from expectations.  Reasons for this may vary.
  • Other than Honorable
    • Officers who received performance ratings below satisfactory, often accompanied by Punitive discharge.
• Punitive
  • Bad Conduct
    • Given as a result of a Court Martial (Special or General), and often preceeded by time in a military prison.  Officers who receive this type may not reapply for service, and most retirement benefits are forfeit as well.
  • Dishonorable
    • Given as a result of a general Court Martial, and considered the worst type of discharge.  All retirement benefits are forfeit regardless of past service, and ownership of weapons is prohibited.  Officers who receive this type may not reapply for service.
• Other
  • Medical
    • Given to Officers who suffer a permanent condition, often as a result of injury.   Officers who receive this type may reapply for limited service should that condition be corrected or overcome.
  • Reduction in Force (RIF)
    • Given to Officers who are forcibly removed from service due to a mandatory size reduction.   This type almost always guarantees an Honorable rating, as well as guaranteeing benefits and future application should he desire it.

Reasons for Discharge

• Expiration of Term of Service (ETS)
• Reaching the maximum age limit
• High Year Tenure (reaching the maximum allowable time-in-grade, and not selected for promotion)
• Disability, Dependency, or Hardship
• Pregnancy/Parenthood
• Personality Disorder
• Condition not a disability
• Physical or Mental Conditions that interfere with military service resulting in being placed on the Temporary or Permanent Disability Retirement Lists
• Convenience of The Government/Secretarial Authority (voluntary redundancy due to funding cutbacks, for example)
• Unsuitability
• Misconduct – Minor Disciplinary Infractions
• Misconduct – Drug Abuse with and without administrative review board
• Misconduct – Commission of a serious offense
• Entry-Level Performance and Conduct
• Resignation (available to officers only)
• Reduction in Force (RIF)
• Uncharacterized if discharged within the first 180 days of service and no misconduct found in service member's record
• Punitive Discharges – Bad Conduct Discharge issued by either Special Court Martial or General Court Martial only. Dishonorable Discharge issued by a General Court Martial only