Posted on Sep 2, 2015
Make sure you get a discharge from each period of service
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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.
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.
Discharge
Benefits
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 11
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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.
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CDR Terry Boles
MAJ Fred Nace
Well stated! Any savvy SM knows you receive a DD-214 after separation or retirement, not between re-enlistments.
I personally have 3 DD-214s, each after a separation. Two separations from the Navy; one after my initial tour of duty with a 5-year break of service, the second when I commissioned into the AF. The third DD-214 when I commissioned into the PHS. Both commissions were unbroken service, but were separations. My DD-214 history is not uncommon for SMs who change branchs of service, but to simply think one can obtain a DD-214 at every re-enlistment is well...simply not true.
Well stated! Any savvy SM knows you receive a DD-214 after separation or retirement, not between re-enlistments.
I personally have 3 DD-214s, each after a separation. Two separations from the Navy; one after my initial tour of duty with a 5-year break of service, the second when I commissioned into the AF. The third DD-214 when I commissioned into the PHS. Both commissions were unbroken service, but were separations. My DD-214 history is not uncommon for SMs who change branchs of service, but to simply think one can obtain a DD-214 at every re-enlistment is well...simply not true.
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Maj Mike Sciales
You are correct. The regulation says that. However, again, if you complete the terms of your enlistment contract and obtain your GI Bill Benefits they cannot be taken away if you later get a BCD. Remember, an enlistment is a contract and a DD Form 214 when generated, is documentation of performance of the contract terms. Don't get confused over the character of the discharge, I'm addressing the ability to execute a new contract and secure all the benefits of that contract and not sign what amounts to a ratification of extension of the contract. It's a straight contract law analysis. I'm waiting for a DoD opinion and I'll post it.
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Good Point. Did 21 years I think I have 3 DD214 2 from Re-enlistments and 1 that covers all 21 years.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
CPO Joe Smo - I Probably Do To But Finding them All is a Bit of a Challenge. Most are Quite Boring Actually until the Last though. LOL! Most of My Medals, Ribbons are Reflected on the Last, More Dynamic Times and What I was Doing wasn't completely classified.
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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.
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Maj Mike Sciales
i understand, but I am talking about the term of service of 4 years which is what most people sign up for. Let's say you do your first 4 with no problem, but at year 7 you get drunk and punch out an NCO. You earned your first discharge at 4 years, if you took your DD Form 214 that cannot be amended or withdrawn. Now, you get kicked out for hitting the NCO and get bad paper for the second enlistment and that's fair, but it isn't fair to deny a troop their benefits because of an error later in life.
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SGT David T.
Maj Mike Sciales - I respectfully disagree. Using the example you cited, I would expect to see that behavior more so in an initial enlistment. If it is a subsequent enlistment there is no doubt that the offender knew better. Look at it from this point of view. You go to work for a company in one position. You do great things and then move to a different position and totally screw up. Does it matter what you did in the first position, or are they simply going to get rid of you?
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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?
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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?
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Maj Mike Sciales
The 214 is a record of your service during that period. The reason obtaining an honorable discharge, even if you intend to re-enlist, is to secure your education benefits under whatever program is available to you. The paper route is through the Board of Correction of Military Records, but I'd tell you to visit the DAV officer near you. Those guys are very dedicated and are there to help the Vet, not the case with VA case workers or anybody else. I can't give you a better answer without more detail, and this isn't the forum. Good luck.
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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.
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MSgt Ted C Hall
A DD is a federal felony... combat or not you've lost your 2nd Amendment rights, any job requiring a background investigation or security clearance, and any government assistance including those VA benefits.
A felon is no longer one of "their peers"
A felon is no longer one of "their peers"
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CPO Joe Smo
SN Lawrence Kelly - Nope, HONORABLE service, a theif, murderer or drug dealer should get nothing.
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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.
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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.
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Maj Mike Sciales
I think the confusion is that each enlistment is like a contract. When you fulfill your end of the bargain you get pay, vacation, medical, dental and at the end, the GI Bill. Once you've completed your service and get a DD Form 214 that completes the contract. When you re-enlist you enter a new contract period. A BCD only characterizes the covered period of service, it cannot do anything else. Again, I caution members to get a DD 214 generated and a new contract executed. Bad things happen to nice people.Secure those benefits.
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PO2 Gerry Dallas Douma Jr.
Maj Mike Sciales - i have dd214 from army and a ngb22 from guard duty i also have dd214 from navy i have honorable discharges from all but my last was a oth. i was still able to file and recieve benefits under my honorable discharges just had to forfit the last 2 years. this is not mentioned alot but the va and govt does accept prior dd214s and discharges its in the va handbook they cannot take away that which was already completed and earned. and they cannot penalize you for using prior dd214s either they were earned. so all of you that disagree withbn this to bad its the way it is. got my benny's from va vgli and vet preference cant discount 15 good years of service prior to a dumb mistake that cost me 2 years of benny's
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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.
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I agree with MAJ (Join to see), 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.
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Maj Mike Sciales
Let me clear this up. The DD 214 characterizes the term of service completed. Once you have an honorable, your GI Bill benefits are secured and cannot be cancelled by a BCD down the road. That's the point. First termers should have a break, even for 24 hours to get the DD Form 214 generated. It cannot be undone.
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