Question for our vets here who would be in the know about this. How would someone get themselves a general discharge as opposed to an honorable one? Is it usually the result of bad behavior, or can one just get one for not being a good fit? What are some hypothetical scenarios or ones you observed that would lead to either a general under honorable conditions or other than honorable?
I ask because I’m writing a book and the main character is going to have been discharged with a general under honorable conditions.
I believe, but I may be wrong here, there a lot of ways this can happen.
If you have had a record of UCMJ actions and get another one just as you’re going out the door, well there you go.
DUI is another one, so is a hot piss test, so is adultery.
Usually they will just bar you from reenlistment in most cases and forget to wave goodbye as you exit the front gate, but there is some elastic there.
It can be rather subjective sometimes, Commanders have a lot of power in such cases.
I was in a bar fight as an E-4, someone grabbed me from behind and I spun and punched him in the face. My bad it was a Staff Sergeant from another Company who was pulling Courtesy Patrol that night. I actually really liked the guy.
In my defense, we were all feeling pretty damned salty, we had been in the field for 90 days, my friend was on his back taking the beating of his young life and I was trying to extract him when I was grabbed from behind. When you’re twenty years old stuff like that happens, but my Commander barred me from reenlistment and threatened a general discharge after taking my rank, my money and extra duty. There may have been some Strippers involved.
The next Company Commander and Battalion Commander lifted the bar and I made E-5 eighteen months later.
Honorable: appropriate when the quality of the soldier’s service generally has met the standards of acceptable conduct and performance of duty for Army personnel.
General (under honorable conditions): issued to a soldier whose military record is satisfactory but not sufficiently meritorious to warrant an honorable discharge.
Other than honorable: authorized under certain chapters for a pattern of behavior, or one or more acts that constitutes a significant departure from the conduct expected of a soldier.
Dishonorable/bad conduct can only be done through an actual court martial.
Unofficially:
Dishonorable typically means they did some very illegal stuff. Often it all comes down to how fast you can get someone out, depending on the level of severity of their infractions.
Not sure how much that answers your question, it can be fairly complicated, especially now with our new, softer army.
I don’t know the exact details but there was a guy on my ship who was dismissed after a string of incidents from his incompetence. He wasn’t a bad guy, never got in trouble but he could have been masted (Navy for Article 15) several times for messing things up. Things like procedural violations and general fumble bucking dumb mistakes. Being a small guy he could disappear into nooks and crevices on the ship, and was never around unless he had a specific requirement to stand watch or attend training. We found him sleeping when he should be working, every day. He was invited to speak to the XO about his career, the future, etc. He was soon off the ship and processed for separation on a mutually agreeable ASAP date. He was basically deemed incompatible for further service and was released from his contract when he had around a year left of service.
Every enlisted sailor has a re-enlistment code assigned based upon performance evaluations. The RE-4 code means one is deemed ineligible for further re-enlistment for a specific reason. I’m not sure if this particular guy was separated under RE-4 but that code would be on his next eval, meaning he would be denied if he requested re-enlistment.
This might help: https://www.navycs.com/military-re-codes.html
Homosexual conduct (in the past) drug use, alchoholism, minor discipline problems (not warranting an other than honorable discharge), fail physical fitness tests, failure to adapt to military service.
Unless things have changed dramatically, you have to work really hard at not getting an Honorable Discharge. Simple NJP should not exclude you.
I served with one individual who was both a performance and disciplinary problem who received a General Discharge. It was done by agreement to avoid a trial.
Two men I served with left the military with an Honorable Discharge after 8 years and neither earned a Good Conduct ribbon.
All good info here everyone. Thank you! I’ll definitely have more questions as time goes on. My next question: GD isn’t something that one could get blindsided by is it? That is, you’re in the service for maybe a few years, you’ve had a couple minor screw ups that you’ve had minor punishment for (write ups, maybe some extra duty) but other than that, everything seems ok and you think you’re going to get out with an honorable discharge. Then the day comes to leave and you’re informed you’re only getting general under honorable conditions because, due to a combination of your minor issues and the fact that you were average at best all the other times, so this is the best they can do.
You’ll see it coming at you and it won’t be a surprise, usually when you’re read your ART-15 you’ll be told it’s a great possibility.
You’re not going to get it for some minor infraction either, it’s always been in my experience something that might have been in lieu of a Courts Martial offense. You take the ART-15 and they’re going to tell you straight up you’re getting Chaptered out of the Army and a General Discharge is recommended.
Even a less than stellar performer who shows up to formation sober, in uniform and ready, willing and able is going to get an Honorable Discharge.
The Army has been through some changes so maybe some younger guys should speak up.
When I gave Soldiers Article-15’s for substance abuse, the final statement on the document told them that they were beginning the Chapter process and if separated, they would be separated with a General Discharge - Under Honorable Conditions.
Most Lower Enlisted are allowed to come up “hot” on a UA more than once before they are actually kicked out.
When I was in (see sigline) if you were E-4 and below you got a second chance; E-5 and above were processed for discharge. “General Under Honorable” was supposedly what it was at that point.
Actually a lot of Joes get saved if the arresting officer is willing to work with them on DUIs. Unofficially speaking they better have in writing they are under orders to get dependence counseling.
If there is a wreck or injury, F’ em.
Caught before they can do damage, work with them if they are worth it.
Again JMO and totally unofficial, hypothetical, academic ‘what if’
Everyone makes mistakes but at the same time you should know better.
I should have clarified that I was talking about piss tests. A DUI was probably dealt with the same if memory serves.
There was a guy from the 101st who, when they got back from the invasion of Iraq, got pulled over for a DUI. The arresting cop (Clarksville PD) cut him some slack since the unit had just got back from a year-long combat tour. He made the soldier lock up his vehicle and leave it by the side of the road, then took him onto base to his barracks. The friggin’ idiot went in and got a buddy to drive him to his vehicle, and subsequently got pulled over again by the same cop!. Cop was like “Now you’re getting a DUI.” Oh well, dude cut you some slack and you looked a gift horse in the mouth…pay the piper.