vendredi 14 février 2014

Procedure For Getting A Military Discharge Upgrade

By Krystal Branch


Boards of the Armed Forces do not have authority to conduct any recall to duty on behalf of the military for anyone who before has been on active service. For dismissals done through special Court-Martial process, they get reviewed only when clemency warrants this to be done. Otherwise, one is required under the law to make an application for discharge upgrade when the period after having been released has not exceeded 15 years. In case you have spent more than this time-period, you can then seek for changes to be done on your service record.

If you attained honorable release from service, you get to enjoy all the benefits awarded to other veterans. However, if below this, you will not be able to obtain other kinds of benefits. You still could apply for upgrading of your release certificate.

First, you would need to obtain then complete DD Form 293, which deals with Application for Review of Discharge or Dismissal from United States Armed Forces. After completing the form, do mail it together with any supporting documents to this board that is concerned.

You can have it by logging online to the information center and downloading it. If you want to be accorded personal hearing, check the right box indicating this point. It thereafter lies squarely on what this board decides in terms of timing and scheduling for your hearing.

Hearings in general are held in the national capital, but may at times be conducted at regional centers. This lies largely within the discretion of each board. Do not expect being reimbursed on expenses incurred for the time of your stay while going through the entire process.

If for some reason you are unable to attend hearing, make sure to request for postponement in good time to avoid inconveniences to all parties involved. In absence of appropriate request, a board would normally consider your upgrade application in your absence. It however implies not getting another hearing grant unless you are able to demonstrate that failure to appear was forced by circumstances which were unavoidable.

The board in general is constituted of 5 active duty military officers. You have to present your case before them and should be ready to offer testimony while under oath in support of the application you make. You also retain the right not to speak at the hearing if concerned about incriminating yourself.

Once the board hears your application, it deliberates on it afterwards. You just need to wait for the decision it reaches which should take between 6 and 8 weeks. It may grant your request for grade adjustment in which case you will get it via mail together with the new release certificate showing this authority, DD Form 214 and the accompanying decisions document to this effect.

If the application gets denied, a Board then mails the decision document that includes specific concerns for denial. It normally will thereafter advise you on any further possibility of appeal applicable to your situation. It could take some time gathering statements plus records in support of your request. You may therefore wish to delay submitting your discharge upgrade application until completing this process.




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