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Navigating the myriad of VA benefits can feel overwhelming, especially when your discharge status plays a critical role in determining what you’re eligible for.
Your discharge characterization directly impacts your access to benefits like VA health care, disability compensation, education, and more.
In this article, we’ve simplified the eligibility requirements for VA benefits based on your military discharge status, giving you a clear, easy-to-understand overview of what you may qualify for.
Whether you’re a veteran seeking disability compensation, health care, or educational assistance, understanding your eligibility is the first step toward getting the benefits you’ve earned.
Table of Contents
Eligibility Matrix Legend
- E = Eligible for Benefits
- NE = Not Eligible for Benefits
- A = Eligible for Benefits only if the administering agency determines that the discharge was not under dishonorable conditions.
VA Benefits Eligibility by Discharge Type
| Benefit | DD (Dishonorable Discharge) | BCD GCM (Bad-Conduct Discharge – General Court-Martial) | BCD SPCM (Bad-Conduct Discharge – Special Court-Martial) | OTH (Other than Honorable) | GEN (General, under honorable conditions) | HON (Honorable Discharge) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VA disability compensation | NE | A | A | A | E | E |
| VA health care to include dental care | NE | A | A | A | E | E |
| Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) to survivors | NE | A | A | A | E | E |
| GI Bill® | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | E |
| Pensions to widows and children | NE | NE | A | A | E | E |
| Hospital and domiciliary care | NE | A | A | A | E | E |
| Prosthetic appliances | NE | A | A | A | E | E |
| Seeing-eye dogs, mechanical and electronic aids | NE | A | A | A | E | E |
| Burial benefits (flag, national cemeteries, expenses) | NE | A | A | A | E | E |
| Special housing | NE | NE | A | A | E | E |
| Vocational rehabilitation | NE | A | A | A | E | E |
| Survivor’s educational assistance | NE | A | A | A | E | E |
| Autos for disabled veterans | NE | NE | A | A | E | E |
| Inductees reenlistment rights | NE | NE | A | A | E | E |
Military Benefits Eligibility by Discharge Type
| Benefit | DD (Dishonorable Discharge) | BCD GCM (Bad-Conduct Discharge – General Court-Martial) | BCD SPCM (Bad-Conduct Discharge – Special Court-Martial) | OTH (Other than Honorable) | GEN (General, under honorable conditions) | HON (Honorable Discharge) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mileage | NE | NE | NE | NE | E | E |
| Payment for accrued leave | NE | NE | NE | NE | E | E |
| Transportation for dependents & household goods | E | E | E | E | E | E |
| Retain and wear uniform home | NE | NE | NE | NE | E | E |
| Notice to employer of discharge | NE | NE | NE | NE | E | E |
| Award of medals, crosses, and bars | NE | NE | NE | NE | E | E |
| Admission to Naval Home | NE | NE | NE | NE | E | E |
| Board for Correction of Naval Records | E | E | E | E | E | E |
| Death gratuity | NE | NE | A | A | A | E |
| Use of wartime title and wearing of uniform | NE | NE | NE | NE | E | E |
| Naval Discharge Review Board | NE | NE | E | E | E | E |
Other Veteran Benefits Eligibility by Discharge Type
| Benefit | DD (Dishonorable Discharge) | BCD GCM (Bad-Conduct Discharge – General Court-Martial) | BCD SPCM (Bad-Conduct Discharge – Special Court-Martial) | OTH (Other than Honorable) | GEN (General, under honorable conditions) | HON (Honorable Discharge) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homestead preference | NE | NE | NE | NE | E | E |
| Civil Service employment preference | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | E |
| Credit for retirement benefits | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | E |
| Naturalization benefits | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | E |
| Employment as District Court bailiffs | NE | NE | NE | NE | E | E |
| D.C. police, fireman, & teacher retirement credit | NE | NE | NE | NE | E | E |
| Housing for distressed families of veterans | NE | NE | A | A | E | E |
| Farm loans and farm housing loans | NE | NE | A | A | A | E |
| Jobs counseling, training, placement | NE | NE | A | A | E | E |
| Social Security wage credits for WW-II service | NE | NE | A | A | A | E |
| Preference in purchasing defense housing | NE | NE | A | A | A | E |
About the Author
Brian Reese
Brian Reese is a world-renowned VA disability benefits expert and the #1 bestselling author of VA Claim Secrets and You Deserve It. Motivated by his own frustration with the VA claim process, Brian founded VA Claims Insider to help disabled veterans secure their VA disability compensation faster, regardless of their past struggles with the VA. Since 2013, he has positively impacted the lives of over 10 million military, veterans, and their families.
A former active-duty Air Force officer, Brian has extensive experience leading diverse teams in challenging international environments, including a combat tour in Afghanistan in 2011 supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
Brian is a Distinguished Graduate of Management from the United States Air Force Academy and earned his MBA from Oklahoma State University’s Spears School of Business, where he was a National Honor Scholar, ranking in the top 1% of his class.
