VA Discharge Upgrade / Character of Discharge — COD
A discharge upgrade or VA character of discharge determination can open VA benefits to veterans who left service with a less-than-honorable discharge.
Official source: va.gov
If you left the military with a less-than-honorable discharge, you may still be able to get VA benefits. You can either upgrade your discharge through the military, or ask the VA to make its own determination that your service qualifies for benefits. Hundreds of thousands of veterans were given bad discharges because of PTSD, TBI, military sexual trauma, or discriminatory policies. Many are now eligible for benefits they were previously denied.
Why your discharge type matters: most VA benefits, including disability pay, health care, education, and home loans, require a discharge that is honorable, general (under honorable conditions), or other than honorable. A bad conduct or dishonorable discharge typically blocks access. Three routes exist for fixing or working around a problematic discharge.
Route 1 is the military Discharge Review Board (DRB). You apply within 15 years of leaving the military. The board reviews whether your discharge was fair and can change the characterization on your record. This is the faster path for recent veterans. Route 2 is the Board for Correction of Military Records (BCMR or BCNR). There is no time limit, and this board has broader authority. It is the better route when your discharge was tied to PTSD, TBI, MST, or a mental health condition that was not properly considered at the time. Route 3 is the VA's own character of discharge determination. The VA can decide on its own that your service qualifies you for specific benefits even without a military upgrade. This does not change your DD-214; it just opens the door to VA care and compensation.
A major VA rule update effective June 2024 removed several barriers. It eliminated old restrictions against veterans discharged for being LGBTQ and created new exceptions for veterans whose misconduct was connected to mental health, combat trauma, MST, age, or other circumstances. The VA's online tool at va.gov/discharge-upgrade-instructions walks you through your specific situation and tells you which steps to take.
In real life
- A veteran with a 1980s general discharge tied to undiagnosed PTSD applies through the BCMR and qualifies for VA mental health care.
Also known as
Frequently asked questions about VA Discharge Upgrade / Character of Discharge
Can I get VA benefits with an other than honorable discharge?+
Often yes. The VA can issue a character of discharge determination that allows specific benefits, and a successful upgrade through the DRB or BCMR can fully restore eligibility for all VA benefits.
What is the difference between the DRB and the BCMR?+
The Discharge Review Board handles applications within 15 years of separation and is faster. The Board for Correction of Military Records has no time limit and broader authority, making it the right choice for older or more complex cases.
Does PTSD count as a reason to upgrade a discharge?+
Yes. Federal guidance directs review boards to give liberal consideration to discharges connected to PTSD, TBI, military sexual trauma, or other mental health conditions that were not properly evaluated at the time of separation.
What did the 2024 VA discharge rule change?+
Effective June 2024, the VA removed barriers for veterans discharged for being LGBTQ and added new exceptions for misconduct tied to mental health, combat trauma, MST, age, and other circumstances, expanding access to benefits.
Does a VA character of discharge determination change my DD-214?+
No. Only a military discharge upgrade through the DRB or BCMR changes the DD-214. A VA determination simply opens VA benefits without altering the official military record.
Source: va.gov