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Can I Get the GI Bill if My General Discharge Is Changed to Honorable?

February 8th, 2010
by GIBillExpert
I saw that a discharge of “general under honorable conditions” will not be eligible for the GI Bill. But, what if it was successfully upgraded to an honorable discharge before submitting the GI bill form? — Leigh A.

There are a lot of circumstances under which a discharge is changed officially after a service-member is separated. One of the major reasons that a discharge is upgraded is to qualify for various veterans benefits. And, like any other benefits, the GI Bill (both the old Montgomery GI Bill and the new Post 9/11 GI Bill) only requires that you have an honorable discharge and be otherwise eligible. According to the law, it is as if the discharge were always honorable.

So, if your discharge is changed to honorable, you will be able to collect your GI Bill benefits. Of course, government paperwork being what it is, it may take some time for the change to make it into the Veterans Affairs department’s system, although generally they are very good about getting it done quickly. However, if there is any problem there, all you will have to do is supply the VA with your new discharge orders.

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Posted in Education, Montgomery G I Bill, New GI Bill, Veterans Education Benefits | 105 Comments »

105 Responses to “Can I Get the GI Bill if My General Discharge Is Changed to Honorable?”

  1. J.C. says:
    February 14, 2012 at 5:39 pm

    So an Upgrade from a general to honorable will let me use my GI bill again? right?

  2. May Daigle says:
    April 11, 2012 at 9:40 am

    Hoping to get some clarity on my husband’s situation. He was discharged with an OTH discharge way back in 1998 after serving 2 full years in the Army. He only recently inquired into having his discharge upgraded to honorable and was informed yesterday that he does now have an honorable discharge. Will he still be able to use his GI Bill even though it’s been 14 years since he was discharged or is there a time limit?? Thanks for your time.

  3. Ron Kness says:
    April 11, 2012 at 3:18 pm

    No there is a 10-year time limit, so his GI Bill benefits expired in 2008.

  4. Kessmine Flowers says:
    April 15, 2012 at 5:17 pm

    I have been out for about a year now of the Marine Corps and I had gotten discharged with a general under honorable conditions. The reason I had recieved the discharge was because I was an alcohol rehabilitation failure and I was wanting to know if it is possible if I can get my discharged upgraded to an honorable discharge. I was open and honest with CSAC stating that I was continuing the use of alcohol even while I was in the program. So I’m just wondering if I happen to have a chance of getting it upgraded?

  5. Ron Kness says:
    April 19, 2012 at 6:41 pm

    I can’t say if you have a chance or not, but I can tell you the process to request an upgrade. It starts with filling out and submitting DD Form 293 to the Marine Discharge Review Board. They will review your case and give you their findings. It can take up to a year to get a decision and an upgrade is not automatic, but it is the avenue you have to use for an appeal request. I don’t have Marine statistics, but for the Army only about 41% do get upgrades. You success will depend on how well you can convince the Board why you should get upgraded. They go in with the idea that your discharge was accurate – you have to convince them they are wrong.

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