Denied
The Board denied the appellant's claim as his discharge from service was under other than honorable conditions due to multiple periods of absence without leave (AWOL) lasting over 180 days. The Board found no compelling circumstances justifying these absences and concluded that the appellant did not present a valid legal defense for his actions.
The deciding factor: The appellant's prolonged AWOL periods, combined with other misconduct, resulted in a discharge under other than honorable conditions which bars 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
- June 21, 2019
- Citation
- 19148875
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
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.