The Board determined that the character of the appellant's discharge for his military service from October 1966 to April 1970 is a bar to status as a veteran, thus preventing him from receiving VA benefits.
The deciding factor: The appellant had multiple periods of absence without official leave (AWOL) totaling over four hundred days and was convicted under court-martial for AWOL offenses. The Board found that these factors constitute a bar to his character being upgraded to honorable or general discharge.
- Claimed conditions
- Not specified in this decision
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 25, 2011
- Citation
- 1120308
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1120308.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
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).
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