Griswold Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 I'm Active Duty in the military. One of my duties is that I counsel personnel who have gotten in to trouble, or are on their way to trouble. I have to counsel them on the implications of their chosen behaviors. Implications include confinement, pay grade bust, discharge etc. It's a bittersweet duty: many of these kids (most are young) will flame out no matter what we do... but once in a while we break through to a kid and he/she will turn out great and proceed to achieve their goals. Even if I can salvage one person for every three or four losers, I feel good. That's a rewarding part of the job. The big problem I notice is this: No one is intimidated by a discharge outside Honorable. Try telling the MTV slacker 20 year old that a General Discharge will haunt them down the road, and you'll experience my futility. Try telling a 19 year old kid who wants to get drunk & laid at a Rave party that a VA mortgage will be important someday.. you know what I mean? Question for you all: What impact do you know of for not getting an Honorable Discharge? The impact of a General Discharge is what I'm most interested in. Do any of you have good stories to tell? I know it varies by state, and the discharge type, things that come to mind: VA mortgage access, Fed Employment, Any employment, Loss of Security Clearance (important to some), Loss of GI Bill, etc. etc. Help me help some wayward kid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick in* england Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 I'm sorry - but my late night dyslexia has reared its ugly head again and I read the title of this post as "Vegetarians: I need your help, Need your knowledge of Discharges" Can you IMAGINE what I thought this post was about??? :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griswold Posted December 10, 2004 Author Share Posted December 10, 2004 I'm sorry - but my late night dyslexia has reared its ugly head again and I read the title of this post as "Vegetarians: I need your help, Need your knowledge of Discharges" Can you IMAGINE what I thought this post was about??? :blink: 154287[/snapback] SMEGMA!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John from Riverside Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 Sorry Gris.....I just assumed that anyone who didn't get a honorable discharge was going straight to hell when I was in the military.... I know this....that VA mortage I received was an absolute friggen lifesavor..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 Veteran Loses Benefits I can tell you that no company I've worked for would ever hire anyone with anything other than an honorable discharge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tux of Borg Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 Getting a dishonorable discharge means nothing now days. My old chain of command knew this, and developed a unique way of punishing soliders. I recall one guy who was 14 months out from ETSing. Our COC gave him one article 15 after another, until he was about one month out from his ETS. They would then put in the paperwork to kick him out with a dishonorable discharge. It sent a strong message. We're going to make you stay the rest of your enlistment. We're going to give you a dishonorable discharge and make sure you don't get any benefits. Finally, while you are here, we're not going to pay you (other this Basic allowance). They made examples out of a few guys and the rest of us took notice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 I'm Active Duty in the military. One of my duties is that I counsel personnel who have gotten in to trouble, or are on their way to trouble. I have to counsel them on the implications of their chosen behaviors. Implications include confinement, pay grade bust, discharge etc. It's a bittersweet duty: many of these kids (most are young) will flame out no matter what we do... but once in a while we break through to a kid and he/she will turn out great and proceed to achieve their goals. Even if I can salvage one person for every three or four losers, I feel good. That's a rewarding part of the job. The big problem I notice is this: No one is intimidated by a discharge outside Honorable. Try telling the MTV slacker 20 year old that a General Discharge will haunt them down the road, and you'll experience my futility. Try telling a 19 year old kid who wants to get drunk & laid at a Rave party that a VA mortgage will be important someday.. you know what I mean? Question for you all: What impact do you know of for not getting an Honorable Discharge? The impact of a General Discharge is what I'm most interested in. Do any of you have good stories to tell? I know it varies by state, and the discharge type, things that come to mind: VA mortgage access, Fed Employment, Any employment, Loss of Security Clearance (important to some), Loss of GI Bill, etc. etc. Help me help some wayward kid! 154281[/snapback] I know two people with General Discharges. Neither have suffered anything for it. One is a contract security officer for the new LPD they just built for the Marines, so she certainly didn't suffer anything on her clearance for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Max in Tampa Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 I'm Active Duty in the military. One of my duties is that I counsel personnel who have gotten in to trouble, or are on their way to trouble. I have to counsel them on the implications of their chosen behaviors. Implications include confinement, pay grade bust, discharge etc. It's a bittersweet duty: many of these kids (most are young) will flame out no matter what we do... but once in a while we break through to a kid and he/she will turn out great and proceed to achieve their goals. Even if I can salvage one person for every three or four losers, I feel good. That's a rewarding part of the job. The big problem I notice is this: No one is intimidated by a discharge outside Honorable. Try telling the MTV slacker 20 year old that a General Discharge will haunt them down the road, and you'll experience my futility. Try telling a 19 year old kid who wants to get drunk & laid at a Rave party that a VA mortgage will be important someday.. you know what I mean? Question for you all: What impact do you know of for not getting an Honorable Discharge? The impact of a General Discharge is what I'm most interested in. Do any of you have good stories to tell? I know it varies by state, and the discharge type, things that come to mind: VA mortgage access, Fed Employment, Any employment, Loss of Security Clearance (important to some), Loss of GI Bill, etc. etc. Help me help some wayward kid! 154281[/snapback] Most people these days are so ignorant of the military that they simply don't know the difference between discharge types, the only one that stands out in any way is a dishonorable. Hell, 90% of the population barely knows what the four branches of the armed services are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 Hell, 90% of the population barely knows what the four branches of the armed services are. 154416[/snapback] Army, Navy, Smurfs, and Marines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Max in Tampa Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 Army, Navy, Smurfs, and Marines. 154420[/snapback] Let me guess; either a squid, jarhead, or groundpounder. Not one iota of smarts in the group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 Army, Navy, Smurfs, and Marines. 154420[/snapback] :I starred in Brokeback Mountain: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VABills Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 Gentlemen how dare we forget our honorable brothers from the Coast Guard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 Gentlemen how dare we forget our honorable brothers from the Coast Guard. 154431[/snapback] The Coasties are no longer part of the DoD. They're part of the fatherland security group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VABills Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 The Coasties are no longer part of the DoD. They're part of the fatherland security group. 154435[/snapback] They are still considered to be one of the brothers in arms. And are part of most ceremonies when dealing with DOD. Actually the Coast Guard was part of Dept of Transportation, not DOD. Read IRS regs on who is a member of the armed forces. Army, Navy, Smurfs, Marines and coasties. No Merchant Marines or Red Cross. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 They are still considered to be one of the brothers in arms. And are part of most ceremonies when dealing with DOD. Actually the Coast Guard was part of Dept of Transportation, not DOD. Read IRS regs on who is a member of the armed forces. Army, Navy, Smurfs, Marines and coasties. No Merchant Marines or Red Cross. 154436[/snapback] I didn't "forget" the Coast Guard. But technically (and historically), they're a police force run by Commerce, and not part of the military until they're taken under the Navy's command in time of war. Nowadays, with DHS co-opting everyone's police forces and the line between military and non-military being blurred in the interest of national defense...who the hell can really say? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VABills Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 I didn't "forget" the Coast Guard. But technically (and historically), they're a police force run by Commerce, and not part of the military until they're taken under the Navy's command in time of war. Nowadays, with DHS co-opting everyone's police forces and the line between military and non-military being blurred in the interest of national defense...who the hell can really say? 154446[/snapback] Sir, again you are wrong. The Coast is now DHS. But was Transportation before that and Treasury prior to that. At some time during WWII I belive they reported through the US Navy command structure. But they have never ever been part of Commerce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 Sir, again you are wrong. The Coast is now DHS. But was Transportation before that and Treasury prior to that. At some time during WWII I belive they reported through the US Navy command structure. But they have never ever been part of Commerce. 154447[/snapback] You're right, I was wrong...but what do you mean "again"? In WWII, they were placed under Navy command...but not actually "part" of the Navy. Given back to Treasury/Transportation shortly after the war, I believe. Their large cutter design was one of the best ASW designs for the North Atlantic, too - very seaworthy in heavy seas, high endurance, suffcient speed, well-armed. Ernest King, in his infinite wisdom...refused to order any. One of the best ship designs of the war, and the US Navy was stuck with three of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawnboy1977 Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 From what I know, a general discharge isn't the worst thing in the world, but it's also not the best. I was active duty air force for 4 years, did my time honorable and got out with all the benefits, GI Bill, VA home loan, etc. I know at least one guy who did his time in, but was kicked out after 2 years. everytime I ask him about why he got kicked out, he tells me another stupid story. I know it had something to do with him hanging around with a bunch of cocaine freaks or something. somehow he managed to work it into a general discharge because he was lucky he didnt get an article 15. now he has a home which he paid way too much for and a bogus education from ITT which he paid too much for and he works for his dad's insurance company. but he's such a jackass that he think getting kicked out was a good thing. anyway, my current job is a Military admissions counselor for the University of Phoenix. So not only did I use my military experience to land a good job out here in arizona, but I now will have my school paid for my y job plus being able to collect the Gi BIll on top of it. I speak with military people from all over the place everyday. the ones who i feel bad for are those guys who got out early and have no benefits. they have no way of paying for school, are usually working some stevestojantty job, and live with their parents. hey, I know I joined the military to get away from that, and eventually it paid off. so my point I guess is that people who get general discharges lose out on a lot of benefits, but it doesnt totally screw em. but why join the military and not take advantage of the benefits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griswold Posted December 10, 2004 Author Share Posted December 10, 2004 Thanks all for the replies. Regarding Coast Guard.. 10 USC it is an Armed Force. ..and PHS and NOAA are "uniformed services." Now I know the authority for the Surgeon General's uniform! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark VI Posted December 10, 2004 Share Posted December 10, 2004 My DD214 says Honorable and it's something that has been asked on both applications and orally during a face to face interview. Employers take that very seriously in the character evaluation. You must drill this fact into their heads and advise them of this practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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