Denied
The appellant's character of discharge from service, which was under other than honorable conditions due to willful and persistent misconduct, constitutes a bar to the receipt of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, exclusive of health care benefits under Chapter 17.
The deciding factor: The appellant's numerous AWOL offenses over a short period of time indicate clear willfulness and persistent misconduct, which is considered a regulatory bar to 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 23, 2025
- Citation
- A25053972
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.