The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim, allowing for a de novo review of the character of discharge. The appellant's bad conduct discharge was upgraded to under honorable conditions by an Army Discharge Review Board, setting aside his previous bad conduct discharge. Therefore, his character of discharge is not a bar to receiving VA benefits.
The deciding factor: The upgrade in the character of service from bad conduct to under honorable conditions set aside the prior bar to benefits imposed due to the appellant's bad conduct discharge.
- Claimed conditions
- character of discharge
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 9, 2002
- Citation
- 0204283
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0204283.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for further development and adjudication of the issues on appeal, including whether the appellant's spouse’s character of discharge is a bar to VA benefits and service connection for cause of death.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that further development is needed due to a failure by VA to comply with notice provisions, and the case is being returned for readjudication.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VCAA notice and failure to consider whether new and material evidence has been received to reopen the issue of whether the character of the appellant's discharge constitutes a bar to VA benefits.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to conflicting information on the character of discharge for the appellant's period of active duty from February 25, 1970, to January 17, 1972.
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