We get clients that call and ask us about the different types of discharges you can receive in the military. Discharges can involve a separation board or a court martial. You can only get a dishonorable discharge at a court martial because it is a legal proceeding. You can also get a bad conduct discharge if you are an enlisted service member. If you are an officer, the worst outcome you can get at a court martial is a dismissal. Those are all legal, punitive discharges.
Those are very different than the administrative discharges. There are three types of these discharges. You can get an honorable discharge which allows you to keep all your benefits, a general under honorable condition – not the best outcome, but not disastrous. The worst outcome is other than honorable. What’s worse on your record? A punitive discharge you can get at a court martial or an administrative discharge you can get at a separation hearing? Without a doubt, the punitive discharge is far worse. You lose everything. All your benefits. It’s going to be stamped on your DD214 “Bad Conduct Discharge” and on any background investigation it will come up.
If you have any questions about the type of discharge that may be available in your case, contact Shewmaker & Lewis.