Military discharge


A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from their obligation to serve. Each country's military has different types of discharge. They are generally based on whether the persons completed their training and then fully and satisfactorily completed their term of service. Other types of discharge are based on factors such as the quality of their service, whether their service had to be ended prematurely due to humanitarian or medical reasons, whether they had been found to have drug or alcohol dependency issues and whether they were complying with treatment and counseling, and whether they had demerits or punishments for infractions or were convicted of any crimes. These factors affect whether they will be asked or allowed to re-enlist and whether they qualify for benefits after their discharge.

United Kingdom

There are several reasons why someone may be discharged from the military, including expiration of enlistment, disability, dependency and hardship.
Members of the British Armed Forces are to complete their service obligations before they may be considered for discharge. Service personnel who attempt to leave before completing their length of service, without going through the appropriate channels, may be subject to a criminal conviction.
At the end of service in the Regular Forces, personnel normally have a compulsory reserve liability. The length of this liability depends on the Service, rank and type of commission or engagement in which they entered and whether they are subject to the Reserve Forces Act 1980 or Reserve Forces Act 1996.

British Army

;Types of discharge
  • Normal Service Leaver: personnel who A) are leaving on completion of engagement; B) have been given notice to leave, or C) been given notice of discharge under redundancy.
  • Early Service Leaver: personnel who have been discharged either A) compulsorily from the trained or untrained strength, or B) at their own request from the trained strength or untrained strength having completed less than 4 years of service.
  • Medical Discharge / Retirement: service is being terminated on medical grounds. Personnel would have attended a Medical Board that recommended the person's services be terminated on medical grounds.
Army officers and other ranks must be interviewed by at least one of the following:
  • Unit Welfare Officer
  • Regimental Career Management Officer
  • Regimental Sergeant Major
  • Regimental Administrative Officer
  • Commanding Officer
  • Unit Resettlement Information Staff

    Naval Service

Individuals in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines who are not due for compulsory retirement but who wish to leave the Service, for whatever reason, before reaching the end of their Commission/Career/Engagement may apply for Early Termination, provided the conditions outlined in Chapter 54 of BR 3 - Naval Personnel Management are met. Within the Naval Service, the term "retirement" applies to officers who complete the period of service required by their respective commissions. For officers of the trained strength, recommendations for termination of a commission must generally be reviewed by the Admiralty Board.
  • Early Termination: Officers may apply to leave up to their Premature Termination of Career Training point, which is generally before the day they pass out of Britannia Royal Naval College, and also depends on their specialty. Ratings and Other Ranks have a "statutory right of discharge" after six months' service or after they turn 18.
  • Invaliding: Personnel may be "invalided out" if they are found "permanently unfit for full naval service" by the Naval Service Medical Board of Survey.
  • Resignation: This is a common civilian term used to refer to the termination of one's commission but in the Naval Service, the term "resignation" has a "special meaning". Despite common usage of the term, officers do not legally have the right to resign their commission. However, they may be permitted to do so under extenuating circumstances, at the discretion of their CO and with permission from the Admiralty Board. Resignation is appropriate when an officer wishes to sever all connection with the Service. Circumstances that would warrant resignation rather than the other types of discharge are where an individual holds actions or beliefs/attitudes that fundamentally conflict with the concept of military service. The primary consideration of the Admiralty Board's acceptance of resignation is the best interests of the Service. Officers who resign their commissions are not liable to serve in the Reserves but certain benefits such as retired pay and resettlement grant may be affected.
Other types of discharges include:
  • Compulsory Withdrawal from Training : When an officer's performance – whether professional, character or leadership – falls below the standard required, even after all appropriate warnings have been applied, this type of discharge may be invoked. Young Officers at the Britannia Royal Naval College or Commando Training Centre Royal Marines and Officer Candidates promoted from the Lower Deck who fail to complete initial training can also be subjected to a CWFT. Pilots undergoing professional training would be suspended from flying duties.
  • Administrative Discharge: Officers whose performance or conduct falls below the standard required may be discharged from the Active List.
  • *Incapacity Due to Causes beyond the Officer's Control
  • *Unsuitability Due to Causes within the Officer's Control: service personnel may be discharged on grounds of "temperamental unsuitability". The RN BR3 handbook defines TU as "a persistent and obvious failure by the individual to adapt to the basic, but unique demands of Service life".
  • *Misconduct
  • Dismissal: Officers charged with offences under the Military Discipline Legislation. In exceptional cases, officers may be "dismissed with disgrace".
  • Compassionate discharge: There are several types of compassionate discharges. Such a discharge is granted for Ratings who seek a discharge due to extenuating personal circumstances.

    Standing for election

The House of Commons Disqualification Acts prevent members of the regular forces from serving as MPs in the UK House of Commons. Until 1963, a service member standing for election was automatically granted an honourable discharge during peacetime. The custom originally applied only to officers, since only members of the nobility or gentry met the property qualification for election. In June 1962, an enlisted man, who had been refused a discharge to enrol at university, stood in the Middlesbrough West by-election, securing his discharge for the price of his electoral deposit. That November, eight more servicemen availed of the same loophole at by-elections in Chippenham, South Dorset, Central Norfolk, and South Northamptonshire. Amid public controversy over these cases it emerged that merely applying for nomination papers would secure a discharge, with no need to submit the papers, pay the deposit, or appear on the ballot paper. In March 1963, there were 174 such applications for the Colne Valley by-election and 493 for the Rotherham by-election. Military regulations were then changed so that, before an applicant is granted a discharge, a screening committee appointed by the Home Secretary, comprising two King's Counsel and six former MPs, must agree they are a bona fide political aspirant with some chance of success.

United States

Most often, when someone leaves the US military, they are separated, not discharged. Enlisting in the US military generally entails an eight-year commitment, served with a combination of active and reserve service. Individuals who voluntarily separate from active duty with fewer than eight years normally fulfill the balance of their term in the Individual Ready Reserve. In the U.S., discharge or separation is not military retirement; personnel who serve for 20 years or longer are retired, and are transferred to the Retired Reserve. Members who are seriously disabled are also retired rather than discharged.
Typical reasons for discharge :
  • Expiration of Term of Service
  • Failure to meet physical fitness standards
  • Reaching the maximum age limit
  • High Year Tenure
  • Disability, dependency, or hardship
  • Pregnancy/parenthood
  • Personality disorder
  • Medical conditions not considered disabilities
  • Physical or mental conditions that interfere with military service, resulting in placement on the Temporary or Permanent Disability Retirement Lists
  • Medical standards disqualification — Failure to meet medical retention or accession standards for physical or mental health conditions, including current or history of gender dysphoria or gender transition under the 2025 transgender military ban
  • Convenience of the Government/Secretarial Authority
  • Unsuitability for military service
  • Misconduct – Minor disciplinary infractions
  • Misconduct – Drug use, possession, or distribution
  • Misconduct – Commission of a serious offense
  • Entry-level performance and conduct
  • Resignation
  • Reduction in Force
  • Entry Level Separation. Uncharacterized if discharged within the first 180 days of service and no misconduct is found in the service member's record
  • Punitive Discharges
  • * Bad Conduct Discharge issued by either Special Court Martial or General Court Martial only.
  • * Dishonorable Discharge issued by a General Court Martial only
If discharged administratively for any of the above reasons, the service member normally receives an Honorable discharge, a General discharge, or an Under Other Than Honorable Conditions discharge service characterization.
To receive an honorable discharge, a service member must have received a rating from good to excellent for their service. Service members who meet or exceed the required standards of duty performance and personal conduct, and who complete their tours of duty, normally receive honorable discharges. A dishonorable discharge is a punitive discharge that can only be handed down at a general court-martial after conviction of serious offenses by a military judge or panel.
Career U.S. military members who retire are not separated or discharged. Upon retirement, officers and enlisted personnel are transferred to the Retired Reserve. For Active Duty personnel, until they reach a cumulative 30 years of service, active plus retired reserve combined, they are subject to recall to active duty by order of the president. In addition, a military member who becomes disabled due to an injury or illness is medically retired if: 1) The member is determined to be unfit "… to perform duties of the member's office, grade, rank or rating..."; 2) Whose disability is determined to be permanent and stable; 3) Is either rated at a minimum of 30% disabled, or the member has 20 years of military service. Medical retirees are transferred to the Retired Reserve with the same retired pay and benefits as 20+ year retirees. Medically retired personnel are not subject to recall to active duty.