Honorable Discharge and Burial Benefits by Discharge Type

A veteran with an honorable or general discharge generally qualifies for burial in a VA national cemetery, a government headstone, the burial flag and military funeral honors. Arlington National Cemetery is stricter and requires an honorable discharge. For an other than honorable, bad conduct or undesirable discharge, a VA regional office decides, and a dishonorable discharge bars VA burial benefits. A discharge can be reviewed and upgraded, including after the veteran has died.

What are the discharge types?

A veteran's discharge is recorded as the "character of service" on the DD Form 214. The ones that matter for burial benefits are:

• Honorable.
• General (under honorable conditions).
• Other than honorable (OTH). An older term for a similar status is "undesirable."
• Bad conduct.
• Dishonorable.

The VA says that, to receive its benefits and services, a veteran's character of discharge or service generally must be under other than dishonorable conditions, giving honorable, under honorable conditions and general as examples. It adds that people with undesirable, bad conduct and other than honorable discharges may still qualify, depending on a determination the VA makes. That determination affects VA benefits only. It does not change the military's record of the discharge.

Which burial benefits depend on discharge?

Each program words the rule a little differently. This table uses the wording each source gives.

Read our guides to national cemetery eligibility, Arlington eligibility, VA headstones and markers, the VA burial allowance and the Presidential Memorial Certificate. For honors, see military funeral honors. If honors depend on an other than honorable discharge, ask your funeral director to check with the service branch.

How does the VA decide when the discharge isn't honorable?

The VA applies 38 CFR 3.12. Under it, benefits are not payable if the discharge falls into one of the "statutory bars." These include:

• discharge as a conscientious objector who refused to perform military duty, wear the uniform or comply with lawful orders;
• discharge by reason of the sentence of a general court-martial;
• resignation by an officer for the good of the service;
• discharge as a deserter;
• an other than honorable discharge issued after absence without leave (AWOL) for a continuous period of at least 180 days.

The regulation also lists "regulatory bars." Two have no exception: accepting an other than honorable discharge in lieu of trial by general court-martial, and mutiny or spying. Two others can be excused: an offense involving moral turpitude (generally a felony conviction) and willful and persistent misconduct.

Since June 25, 2024, the VA has a "compelling circumstances exception" for prolonged AWOL and for those two kinds of misconduct. It looks at the length and character of the service apart from the misconduct, and at the reasons for it. The factors include mental or cognitive impairment (such as PTSD, depression or substance use disorder), physical health, combat-related or overseas hardship, sexual abuse or assault, duress, family obligations, and age, education and maturity. The same rule removed the bar for "homosexual acts involving aggravating circumstances." It also let people who were denied before to reapply.

The VA says it encourages former service members with other than honorable and bad conduct discharges to apply. If the veteran was insane when committing the offense behind a dishonorable discharge, the regulation also provides an exception.

Who is barred whatever the discharge?

The VA says these two groups are not eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery, and also don't qualify for a Presidential Memorial Certificate, burial flag, headstone or marker:

• People convicted of a federal or state capital crime and whose conviction is final, or who were shown to have committed one but avoided conviction through death or flight.
• People convicted of a Tier III sex offense and sentenced to a minimum of life imprisonment, with a final conviction.

Separately, federal law (38 U.S.C. 6105) says people convicted of certain subversive offenses after September 1, 1959 lose the right to burial in a national cemetery unless pardoned by the President, and no one else can claim benefits through them. Former spouses of a veteran, and people who were drafted but never entered service, are also ineligible. Our national cemetery eligibility guide lists who else qualifies and who does not.

Can the discharge be upgraded after the veteran has died?

Yes, in some cases. The National Archives describes two routes, depending on how long ago the discharge was.

• Discharge review board. A request can be made by the veteran or, if the veteran is dead, a surviving spouse, next of kin or legal representative. It must be made within 15 years after the discharge (10 U.S.C. 1553), and it uses DD Form 293. These boards do not review discharges imposed by a general court-martial sentence.
• Board for correction of military records. This board uses DD Form 149. Under 10 U.S.C. 1552, a request generally must be filed within three years after discovering the error or injustice by the claimant, or the claimant's heir or legal representative. The board can excuse a late filing in the interest of justice. The National Archives says that for a discharge more than 15 years ago, the route is the correction board.

How much an upgrade helps with the VA depends on the board. Under 38 CFR 3.12, an honorable or general discharge issued by a correction board is final and conclusive on the VA and sets aside any bar. A discharge review board upgrade sets aside the regulatory bars but not the statutory ones, if the review meets certain conditions. If a board corrects the discharge to one other than dishonorable, a burial allowance claim must be filed within two years of the correction (38 CFR 3.1703).

A veterans service officer from an organization such as the DAV or VFW, or an accredited attorney, can help with the paperwork.

What if you are not sure of the discharge?

Look at the DD214. The National Archives says it records separation information, including the character of service. If you can't find it, the VA's page on getting military service records explains how to ask. The VA also says to ask for help when you call to schedule a burial, though it may take several days to check eligibility without discharge documents.

At the time of death, call the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117 and send the DD214. Tell them the type of discharge, so the VA regional office can review it. A veteran who is still living can ask for a pre-need eligibility determination, which the VA says confirms eligibility but does not reserve a gravesite. If eligibility is uncertain, that can answer the question in advance. Arlington does not give pre-need determinations.

What about other VA benefits?

This guide covers burial. VA health care, disability compensation, education and loan benefits each have their own rules, and they also turn on the character of discharge. The VA says the same general principle applies, and that people with other than honorable discharges may qualify after a determination. Check the VA's own pages and speak to a veterans service officer for those. Our overview of veterans burial benefits shows how the burial pieces fit together.

What to do next

1. Find the DD214 and read the character of service.
2. If it is honorable or general, call 800-535-1117 for a VA national cemetery, or Arlington's 877-907-8585 if the discharge is honorable and Arlington is an option.
3. If it is other than honorable, bad conduct or undesirable, tell the scheduling office and ask for a character-of-discharge determination. Talk to a veterans service officer about an upgrade.
4. Keep the funeral receipts, because the VA burial allowance can reimburse some costs.