How a dishonorable discharge can ruin your life - Michael Waddington
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Will a Dishonorable Discharge Ruin My Life?
Court Martial Defense Attorney, Michael Waddington, discusses whether a dishonorable discharge in a military court-martial will ruin your life. A dishonorable discharge is, plainly, something nobody serving wants to get. It comes with a lot of adverse consequences that will follow you long into your civilian life, and it’ll also cost you any service-related benefits you may have acquired, including a military funeral, VA loans for a house, and medical care from the VA. If that wasn’t enough, you also lose out on the right to keep and bear arms.What is a Dishonorable Discharge?
Dishonorable Discharge is the same as a felony conviction that is rare and reserved for the most reprehensible conduct while in uniform. However, unlike the civilian world, the person convicted took an oath. That means an expectation of trust, honor, and an obligation to uphold military principles and practices was broken. That carries a significant stigma of unworthiness that the DD recipient will have to live with the rest of his life. Long term consequences of a Dishonorable Discharge include:- Loss of all veteran and government benefits
- Loss of disability and unemployment benefits
- Loss of voting rights.
- Loss of the ability to legally own or possess firearms.
- Inability to qualify for bank loans or college financial aid.
- Difficulty in obtaining meaningful employment.
- A criminal record that will remain in all law enforcement data banks.