{"id":353827,"date":"2016-04-04T10:47:11","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:47:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/military\/administrative-issues-benefits\/how-do-i-get-a-discharge-upgrade.html"},"modified":"2016-06-20T20:25:06","modified_gmt":"2016-06-21T01:25:06","slug":"how-do-i-get-a-discharge-upgrade","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/military\/administrative-issues-benefits\/how-do-i-get-a-discharge-upgrade.html","title":{"rendered":"How Do I Get a Discharge Upgrade?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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How Do I Get a Discharge Upgrade?<\/h1>\n
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Created by FindLaw’s team<\/a> of legal writers and editors<\/i><\/p>\n\n | Last updated\n

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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n

Military service members are discharged for many reasons, including disability and as punishment for bad conduct. Discharges can saddle veterans with the stigma of having served dishonorably and even strip them of their benefits. But did you know that you can challenge your discharge status? <\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n

All branches of the U.S. Armed Forces allow veterans access to a review board<\/a> with authority to issue a "discharge upgrade," although such upgrades are not very common.<\/p>\r\n

For example, an Army veteran who received a "general" discharge (meaning the service member failed to meet the Army’s expectations) believes his commanding officer was biased and should have given him an "honorable" discharge (good or excellent ratings). The veteran must prove to the Army Discharge Review Board that it reached its decision in error in order to obtain a discharge upgrade.<\/p>\r\n

This article covers the basics of how to pursue a discharge upgrade, with links to the appropriate military websites and information about the role of a civilian lawyer. See FindLaw’s Military Law<\/a> section for additional resources.<\/p>\r\n

Reasons to Pursue a Discharge Upgrade<\/h2>\r\n

A veteran may want to pursue a discharge upgrade in order to clean his or her record or to access certain veterans’ benefits. But in order to prevail, a veteran must prove that the discharge status is based on an "error, injustice, or inequity." In this sense, it is similar to the criteria for appealing a civilian court ruling<\/a>. Some valid reasons to go before a review board include (but are not limited to):<\/p>\r\n