from the Navy. If you separate from the Navy at your
EAOS but before completing 8 years of service, you will
not receive a discharge but will be “separated” from
active naval service. The Navy gives five types of
discharge. Each type of discharge has a specific
meaning and affects you in a way different from any of
the others. The type of discharge you receive depends
on the reason for your discharge.
REASONS FOR DISCHARGE
You may receive a discharge for many reasons.
Under almost all conditions, whenever and however you
leave the Navy, you will receive a discharge. Some of
the reasons for receiving a discharge are as follows:
Expiration of enlistment
Disability, dependency, or hardship
Fulfillment of service obligation
Convenience of the government
Unsuitability
If discharged for any of the above reasons, you will
receive an honorable or a general discharge.
TYPES OF DISCHARGE
The five types of discharge are as follows:
1. Honorable
2. General (under honorable conditions)
3. Other than honorable
4. Bad conduct
5. Dishonorable
Some personnel think because a general discharge
is given under honorable conditions, it is as good as the
honorable discharge itself. However, that assumption is
not true. A general discharge indicates satisfactory
service but not to the established standard of the Navy.
Honorable Discharge
To receive an honorable discharge, you must have
received a rating from good to excellent for your service
to the Navy. Even though you only qualify for a general
discharge, you may receive an honorable discharge
under two circumstances.
1. When you are being separated because of a
disability incurred in the line of duty
2. When you receive any awards for gallantry in
action, heroism, or other meritorious service
General Discharge
You receive a general discharge when you separate
from the service, under honorable conditions, without a
sufficiently meritorious military record to deserve an
honorable discharge.
Other Than Honorable Discharge
You receive an other than honorable discharge for
misconduct or security reasons.
Bad Conduct Discharge
You receive a bad conduct discharge (BCD) when
you separate from the service under conditions other
than honorable. You receive a bad conduct discharge
only by an approved sentence of a general or a special
court-martial.
Dishonorable Discharge
You receive a dishonorable discharge (DD) when
you separate from the service under dishonorable
conditions. You may receive a dishonorable discharge
only by a general court-martial and as appropriate for
serious offenses calling for dishonorable separation as
part of the punishment.
EFFECTS OF THE TYPE OF DISCHARGE
Some people will try to convince you (or
themselves) that the type of discharge they receive will
make no difference in their civilian lives. Others will tell
you that a discharge under less than honorable
conditions can be upgraded if they show themselves to
have been good citizens for a time. How wrong they are!
Although some discharges have been upgraded by the
Board for Correction of Naval Records, the percentage
16-31
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