Make sure you get a discharge from each period of service

Maj Mike Sciales — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 13:16:13 -0400

Training tip of the day: You need a Honorable Discharge to get a shot at a decent job. If you re-enlist and do not have a break in service, you will not get a DD Form 214 or Discharge Certificate AR 635-5 2-1 (b)(2). There have been good troops who completed an initial enlistment and re-enlisted without a break, then got jammed up a few years later and got a BCD and no benefits. If that troop had obtained the prior service Honorable, his GI bill benefits would have been secured.

Section I
DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty)
2–1. Preparing the DD Form 214
The DD Form 214 is a summary of a soldier’s most recent period of continuous active duty. It provides a brief, clear-
cut record of active duty service at the time of release from active duty, retirement, or discharge. The DD Form 214 is
not intended to have any legal effect on termination of a soldier’s service.
a. Except as provided in paragraph b below, a DD Form 214 will be prepared for each soldier as indicated:
(1) Active Army soldiers on termination of active duty by reason of administrative separation (including separation by reason of retirement or expiration term of service (ETS)), physical disability separation, or punitive discharge under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

b. A DD Form 214 will not be prepared for the following soldiers:

(2) Enlisted soldiers discharged for immediate reenlistment in the RA."

So work the deal, get the weekend off. Get the clear break and collect that honorable discharge certificate. It might save heartache down the road. Once you've earned it, you cannot have it taken away.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Sep 2 at 2015 1:23 PM

SCPO David Lockwood — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 13:23:47 -0400

Excellent advice Maj.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 2 at 2015 1:37 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 13:37:11 -0400

Only one DD-214 is valid after separation and it includes all of your service (including that BCD if applicable). Using a previously issued DD-21 is fraudulent. My DD-214 issued after retirement includes everything from previous one 15 years earlier when I separated to go to ROTC.

Response by CSM David Heidke made Sep 2 at 2015 1:54 PM

CSM David Heidke — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 13:54:34 -0400

I agree with MAJ Private RallyPoint Member, I don't think a previous honorable discharge counts if you get a BCD later. I have an Honorable from the National Guard and a DD 214 from the Army from basic training (and a few others too), but that wouldn't negate a BCD if I got one tomorrow.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Sep 2 at 2015 1:58 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 13:58:59 -0400

Agree on the most current DD-214 piece. Don't know about "fraudulent" as that has to meet the applicable legal standards which I'm not qualified to opine. However, using a "good" earlier one in lieu of a later cumulative "bad" one is certainly lying on your resume and usually results in immediate termination if they find out. Add to that the word that gets out in the employer community, it can get tougher all around. So if you want to stay clean on your job pursuits, you can politely decline to provide the information if asked. There're employers who don't ask for that stuff. It can be real painful for the previous SM who grew up after the BCD as it's a tough hole to dig out of. Unfortunately at the time they're being "bad", their future isn't on the radar.

Response by SGT David T. made Sep 2 at 2015 3:42 PM

SGT David T. — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 15:42:10 -0400

This may sound callous, but it really isn't that hard to avoid getting a BCD so the Soldier should simply do the right thing and accept the consequences of their actions should they do the wrong thing. If they get a BCD they do not deserve any benefits in my opinion.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Sep 2 at 2015 8:19 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 20:19:39 -0400

Good Point. Did 21 years I think I have 3 DD214 2 from Re-enlistments and 1 that covers all 21 years.

Response by MSG Floyd Williams made Sep 4 at 2015 3:45 PM

MSG Floyd Williams — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 15:45:15 -0400

I thought the most current DD Form 214 is the one that determines your status, if it is a BCD unfortunately the individual lost out.

Response by SGT Michael Glenn made Sep 4 at 2015 7:15 PM

SGT Michael Glenn — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 19:15:39 -0400

I didnt get my 2nd Honorable discharge and am still waiting for it. My DD-214 also doesnt show awards that I have orders for either.When I was going through my Medical chapter I found out not many people cared or wanted to give me the time of day which is sad.

Response by CPL Jeremy Perkins made Oct 1 at 2017 12:56 AM

CPL Jeremy Perkins — Sun, 01 Oct 2017 00:56:33 -0400

I think if a soldier did combat time no matter what their discharge is they should get their benefits. They still served at combat the same as their peers.

Response by SN Lawrence Kelly made Jan 24 at 2019 9:12 PM

SN Lawrence Kelly — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 21:12:45 -0500

What if you didn't get a clean break, re-enlisted and then got and OTH later? Example, I signed up 4-2. I extended for my 2yrs reserve. Completed my 6 yrs active and then re-enlisted for 4 more years and was about 3 months from reenlisting for an assignment again and was screwed . I was refused my benefits because they said I didn't have a 6 months break of service. What should I do?

Response by SN Lawrence Kelly made Jan 24 at 2019 9:14 PM

SN Lawrence Kelly — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 21:14:34 -0500

What if you didn't get a clean break, re-enlisted and then got and OTH later? Example, I signed up 4-2. I extended for my 2 yrs reserve. Completed my 6 yrs active and then re-enlisted for 4 more years and was about 3 months from reenlisting for an assignment again and was screwed . I was refused my benefits because they said I didn't have a 6 months break of service. What should I do?