The character of the appellant's discharge from service is a bar to VA benefits.
The deciding factor: The evidence supports that the appellant was AWOL for over 180 days and accepted an undesirable discharge in lieu of trial by general court-martial, which are conditions under which his discharge is considered dishonorable and bars him from VA benefits.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 25, 2008
- Citation
- 0813753
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.