from the Navy. If you separate from the Navy at yourEAOS but before completing 8 years of service, you willnot receive a discharge but will be “separated” fromactive naval service. The Navy gives five types ofdischarge. Each type of discharge has a specificmeaning and affects you in a way different from any ofthe others. The type of discharge you receive dependson the reason for your discharge.REASONS FOR DISCHARGEYou may receive a discharge for many reasons.Under almost all conditions, whenever and however youleave the Navy, you will receive a discharge. Some ofthe reasons for receiving a discharge are as follows:Expiration of enlistmentDisability, dependency, or hardshipFulfillment of service obligationConvenience of the governmentUnsuitabilityIf discharged for any of the above reasons, you willreceive an honorable or a general discharge.TYPES OF DISCHARGEThe five types of discharge are as follows:1. Honorable2. General (under honorable conditions)3. Other than honorable4. Bad conduct5. DishonorableSome personnel think because a general dischargeis given under honorable conditions, it is as good as thehonorable discharge itself. However, that assumption isnot true. A general discharge indicates satisfactoryservice but not to the established standard of the Navy.Honorable DischargeTo receive an honorable discharge, you must havereceived a rating from good to excellent for your serviceto the Navy. Even though you only qualify for a generaldischarge, you may receive an honorable dischargeunder two circumstances.1. When you are being separated because of adisability incurred in the line of duty2. When you receive any awards for gallantry inaction, heroism, or other meritorious serviceGeneral DischargeYou receive a general discharge when you separatefrom the service, under honorable conditions, without asufficiently meritorious military record to deserve anhonorable discharge.Other Than Honorable DischargeYou receive an other than honorable discharge formisconduct or security reasons.Bad Conduct DischargeYou receive a bad conduct discharge (BCD) whenyou separate from the service under conditions otherthan honorable. You receive a bad conduct dischargeonly by an approved sentence of a general or a specialcourt-martial.Dishonorable DischargeYou receive a dishonorable discharge (DD) whenyou separate from the service under dishonorableconditions. You may receive a dishonorable dischargeonly by a general court-martial and as appropriate forserious offenses calling for dishonorable separation aspart of the punishment.EFFECTS OF THE TYPE OF DISCHARGESome people will try to convince you (orthemselves) that the type of discharge they receive willmake no difference in their civilian lives. Others will tellyou that a discharge under less than honorableconditions can be upgraded if they show themselves tohave been good citizens for a time. How wrong they are!Although some discharges have been upgraded by theBoard for Correction of Naval Records, the percentage16-31Student Notes:
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