Is there a difference between "honorable discharge" and "discharge with honorable conditions"?

Question

If an honorable discharge requires "completion of one's contracted term of service" (as one person said), then how was I given an honorable discharge when I didn't finish out my six years?

I just checked again to make sure....and I was definitely given an honorable discharge w/out finishing out all six years.

FYI...my discharge was voluntary when I found out I was pregnant, and my job was definitely a necessary one (in response to whoever answered seventh)...I was a medic.

Answer 1

The benefits you are eligible to receive from the VA. You have to check with them to see what benefits (if any) you are limited from.

http://www.va.gov

Answer 2

I was "HONORABLY DISCHARGED" from the military 3 years and 4 months ago; Serving a grand total of exactly 9 months. I enlisted for 6 years. I know everyone is saying to get the Honorable Discharge you HAVE to serve your term, YOU DON'T. I ended up leaving with 2 other people. One being a guy that was in a few months longer than myself (on a 6 year stint as well) and he received General Discharge with Honorable Conditions. Your record has something to do with it and you obviously showed you were better than average and because you had to leave, they reward you for your effort in things you did while you were in by giving you the best type of discharge you can get and I am sure when you go up to any employer and they ask past job experiences and you say military but you had to leave for certain reasons and they see that you were Honorably Discharged, THEY WON'T FROWN UPON THAT ;)

TedEx, GREAT SOURCE! You couldn't be more right :)

Answer 3

There is one major difference between an "honorable discharge" and a "general discharge under honorable conditions".
The General Discharge under Honorable Conditions is an administrative discharge given before completion of one's contracted term of service. It's done for a variety of reasons, including having a medical condition which should have disqualified you in the first place, being an admitted homosexual or having engaged in repeated acts of misconduct. The Honorable Discharge is awarded after completion of your entire period of contracted service.

Answer 4

.Honorable. The Honorable characterization is appropriate when the quality of the member's service generally has met the standards of acceptable conduct and performance of duty for military personnel, or is otherwise so meritorious that any other characterization would be clearly inappropriate. (For example, a Medal of Honor recipient would almost always receive an Honorable Discharge, unless he/she was involved in the most serious of misconduct). In the case of an Honorable Discharge, an Honorable Discharge Certificate (DD Form 256) is awarded and a notation is made on the appropriate copies of The DD Form 214/5.

General (Under Honorable Conditions). If a member's service has been honest and faithful, it is appropriate to characterize that service under honorable conditions. Characterization of service as General (under honorable conditions) is warranted when significant negative aspects of the member's conduct or performance of duty outweigh positive aspects of the member's military conduct or performance of duty outweigh positive aspects of the record. A General (under honorable conditions) characterization of discharge may jeopardize a member's ability to benefit from the Montgomery G.I. Bill if they, in fact, had contributed. Moreover, the member will not normally be allowed to reenlist or enter a different military service.

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Basically,
""under honorable conditions'"" means, the military is better off without you.

Answer 5

Yes, a "honorable discharge" means you fulfilled your contract with getting in any trouble. Discharge with honorable conditions could be an early discharge under medical, but having served what time you did honorably( not getting in trouble). Maybe a hardship. Your VA benefits often hinge more on your re-enlistment code listed on your DD-214.

Answer 6

Yes there is. An "honorable" discharge is just that, honorable. Discharge with honorable conditions is a general discharge.

Answer 7

desertvi and jrhd97 are absolutely correct. There is a big difference between the two.

Chief Petty Officer
U.S. Navy, Retired

Answer 8

No there is no difference between the 2.

Answer 9

It may have been for medical reasons or you may have been in a position that became unnecessary.