How long is army discharge?

Many people contact us to ask how long a military discharge upgrade takes. The process can take anywhere from several months to a couple of years. The amount of time can vary by service branch and whether you are doing a “record review” or a personal appearance before the board.

What is it called when a soldier is discharged?

A military discharge is simply defined as a military member being released from their obligation to continue service in the armed forces. A discharge relieves the veteran from any future military service obligations whereas a retired reserve individual may be called back to active duty.

How long does it take to get a discharge from the military?

In the U.S., discharge or separation is not military retirement. Enlisting in the US military generally entails an eight year commitment, served with a combination of active and reserve service.

How many people are discharged from the military each year?

Statistics. According to the Department of Defense, of 207,000 service members that were discharged in 2014, more than 18,000 (9%) were issued less-than-honorable paperwork, including 4,143 (2.0%) other-than-honorable discharges, 637 (0.31%) bad conduct discharges, and 157 (0.08%) dishonorable discharges.

When do you get a dishonorable discharge in the military?

Dishonorable discharges are handed down for what the military considers the most reprehensible conduct. This type of discharge may be rendered only by conviction at a general court-martial for serious offenses (e.g., desertion, sexual assault]

What are the different types of military discharges?

Another type of military discharge you may hear about is what’s known as a General Discharge. A general discharge may or may not mean that the service member did something wrong. It is not punitive but does mean that some particular condition or circumstance warranted the member’s separation from the military.

In the U.S., discharge or separation is not military retirement. Enlisting in the US military generally entails an eight year commitment, served with a combination of active and reserve service.

What are the discharge forms for the military?

For discharge upgrades, if the discharge was less than 15 years ago, the veteran should complete DD Form 293 (https://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/forms/eforms/dd0293.pdf) and send it to their service’s DRB (the address is on the form).

When is it possible to upgrade your military discharge?

When and How to Apply for an Upgrade. Under the law, you must make your application for discharge upgrade within 15 years of discharge. If your discharge is older than 15 years, you must apply for a change to your military records.

According to one source, about 207,000 military members were discharged in the last fiscal year, nearly 9 percent of them under conditions that didn’t meet the standard for “honorable discharge.” According to data from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the discharges from the 2014-2015 fiscal year break down as: