DoD and VA Release Online Tool to Assist Veterans with
Discharge Upgrade Process
The Department of Defense, through a joint initiative with
the Department of Veterans Affairs, is pleased to announce the launch of a
web-based tool that will provide customized guidance to veterans who desire to
upgrade or change the conditions of their military discharge. “We are thrilled
to have partnered with the Department of Veterans Affairs in developing this
wonderful and easily-accessible tool,” said Mr. Robert Wilkie, Under Secretary
of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. “We support our veterans, whether they
served recently or long ago, and we are excited to introduce a tool that will
individualize the guidance for those who desire an upgrade or change in their
military discharge,” he said.
Over the years, some veterans have criticized the review
process as daunting or difficult to understand. The issuance of supplemental
guidance over the past few years, while helpful to many, has the side effect of
creating multiple guidance documents that can be confusing to some. Furthermore,
some veterans suffer from mental health or other conditions that make tasks
like these more difficult for them than for others.
This innovative tool simplifies and customizes the guidance.
By answering a few short questions, veterans will know which board they need to
go to, what form to fill out, any special guidance applicable to their case,
where to send their application, and some helpful tips for appealing their
discharge. Any veterans who believe their discharge was unjust, erroneous, or
warrants an upgrade are encouraged to use this tool and then apply for review.
This tool can be found on Vets.gov at:
https://www.vets.gov/discharge-upgrade-instructions. The link is also available
on Military OneSource (http://www.militaryonesource.mil/) and each of the
review board’s websites (listed below). The link has also been forwarded to a
number of Veterans Service Organizations and Military Service Organizations in
order to spread the news to as many Veterans as possible.
This initiative was one of many in recent years aimed at
improving the review process and guidance available to veterans who believe
they may have been unfairly discharged or received an unfair discharge
characterization. The Department issued special guidance in 2011 for veterans
discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” or its predecessor policies. Also, the
Department issued guidance related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and
traumatic brain injury (TBI) in 2014.
Most recently, in February 2016, the Department redoubled its efforts to
ensure veterans received the benefit of the latest guidance and statutes of
limitations were liberally waived in such cases. Subsequently, in December 2016, the
Department launched an internal review of its policies and procedures. That
review disclosed some gaps and confusion in the previous guidance. In August 2017, the Department issued
significant guidance clarifying how review boards will consider cases involving
mental health conditions, including PTSD, TBI, sexual assault, or sexual
harassment.
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