Upgrade Your Military Discharge Status: Free Legal Assistance for Veterans
For civilians, the military's discharge status might seem like a hidden aspect, but for veterans, it's crucial as it determines whether they can access the full range of post-service benefits. While an honorable discharge ensures access to comprehensive Veteran Affairs hospital benefits, receiving anything less can leave retired servicemembers without support.
Many are familiar with honorable discharges, which guarantee veterans these benefits universally. However, for those with less-than-honorable discharges, the situation can be starkly different, leaving them to fend for themselves. Lindsey Geihsler, chief counsel with Koch Industries, highlights this disparity: "If you don’t get an honorable discharge, if you get other-than-honorable, you don’t get access to that."
To address this issue, Geihsler and a team of lawyers recently volunteered at the Georgia Pacific Center in Atlanta, offering pro bono assistance to veterans seeking to upgrade their discharge status. For many veterans, it's not just about accessing benefits but also about reclaiming pride and overcoming the stigma attached to their departure from service.
Less-than-honorable discharges aren't necessarily indicative of wrongdoing; they can stem from minor disciplinary issues, medical discharges, or former policies like Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Geihsler acknowledges the emotional toll such discharges can take: "Maybe they don’t have as much pride in their service because they have this less-than-honorable discharge."
However, upgrading a discharge is a challenging process that often requires legal assistance and significant time investment. Geihsler explains the complexity: "It’s a lengthy process, you have to go in front of military boards, it often takes a year or more." Despite its difficulty, Geihsler and her team remain committed to supporting veterans through this process.
For veterans unable to attend such events, Geihsler recommends reaching out to organizations like the Veteran’s Consortium, which offers free resources for discharge upgrades and other veteran support services.
Many are familiar with honorable discharges, which guarantee veterans these benefits universally. However, for those with less-than-honorable discharges, the situation can be starkly different, leaving them to fend for themselves. Lindsey Geihsler, chief counsel with Koch Industries, highlights this disparity: "If you don’t get an honorable discharge, if you get other-than-honorable, you don’t get access to that."
To address this issue, Geihsler and a team of lawyers recently volunteered at the Georgia Pacific Center in Atlanta, offering pro bono assistance to veterans seeking to upgrade their discharge status. For many veterans, it's not just about accessing benefits but also about reclaiming pride and overcoming the stigma attached to their departure from service.
Less-than-honorable discharges aren't necessarily indicative of wrongdoing; they can stem from minor disciplinary issues, medical discharges, or former policies like Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Geihsler acknowledges the emotional toll such discharges can take: "Maybe they don’t have as much pride in their service because they have this less-than-honorable discharge."
However, upgrading a discharge is a challenging process that often requires legal assistance and significant time investment. Geihsler explains the complexity: "It’s a lengthy process, you have to go in front of military boards, it often takes a year or more." Despite its difficulty, Geihsler and her team remain committed to supporting veterans through this process.
For veterans unable to attend such events, Geihsler recommends reaching out to organizations like the Veteran’s Consortium, which offers free resources for discharge upgrades and other veteran support services.
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