U.S. military discharges fall on a spectrum from honorable to punitive. The five primary types are characterized by the circumstances of separation and have profoundly different impacts on veterans’ benefits and civilian life.

The Five Primary Discharge Types:

Honorable Discharge: Granted for satisfactory service. This is the highest type of discharge and qualifies the veteran for all Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits, including the GI Bill, home loans, and healthcare.
General Discharge (Under Honorable Conditions): Issued when service is satisfactory but may be marked by minor disciplinary issues or failure to meet performance standards. It qualifies for most VA benefits but can limit certain federal employment opportunities and may be viewed negatively by civilian employers.
Other Than Honorable (OTH) Conditions Discharge: A severe administrative discharge often resulting from a pattern of misconduct (e.g., drug abuse, fighting, security violations). It blocks almost all VA benefits and can severely hinder civilian employment.
Bad Conduct Discharge (BCD): A punitive discharge resulting from a court-martial conviction, typically for serious offenses. It is imposed at the rank of E-1 and results in the loss of all veterans’ benefits.
Dishonorable Discharge: The most severe punitive discharge, handed down by a general court-martial for the most serious crimes (e.g., murder, treason, desertion in combat). Like a BCD, it results in the total forfeiture of veterans’ benefits and is legally equivalent to a felony conviction, restricting gun ownership and voting rights in many states.

For related information on conditions that can affect a service member’s career entry, you can read about Does anxiety disqualify you from the military?.

For an official, detailed external resource on discharge types and their implications, visit the VA’s Guide to Character of Discharge.