Each branch of the military has its own regulations for each type of discharge and each situation. Although the regulations for the branches follow the guidelines established by the Department of Defense, there is some variation between the branches. Therefore, it is essential that you refer to the regulations for your specific branch as well as for your specific situation.

First, please check the the table on the main regulations page; if you need a regulation that is not linked to on the page for your branch and situation, you can visit the website of all the regulations of the Dept. of Defense or the one for your branch:

Sometimes the policies of each branch may be more lenient than the regulations. On the other hand, you may sometimes need the assistance of a counselor, lawyer, or member of Congress to pressure your command to follow the regulations.

The military revises its regulations from time to time. You should always check the date next to the regulation number in the “Selected text” area on the page of this site and compare that with the date in the actual document to be sure that the selected text and comments are up-to-date. And, please, if you find something that is out of date on this site, send an email to the administrator.

This page is based on information from the GI Rights Hotline, 877-447-4487 or girights@girightshotline.org