<P> To receive an honorable discharge, a service member must have received a rating from good to excellent for his or her 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 (DD) is handed down for an offense the military considers the most reprehensible conduct . This type of discharge may be rendered only by conviction at a general court - martial for serious offenses (e.g., desertion, sexual assault, murder, etc .) that call for dishonorable discharge as part of the sentence . </P> <P> Career U.S. military members who retire are not separated or discharged . Upon retirement, officers and enlisted personnel are transferred to the Retired Reserve . Until they reach age 60, 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 . </P> <P> Entry level separations, or uncharacterized discharge, are given to individuals who separate prior to completing 180 days of military service, or when discharge action was initiated prior to 180 days of service . This type of discharge does not attempt to characterize service as good or bad . However, this type of discharge often attaches a "reason" such as pregnancy, performance in training or medical issues . </P> <P> To receive an honorable discharge, a service member must have received a rating from good to excellent for his or her 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 . However, one need not complete a term of service to receive an honorable discharge, provided the reason for involuntary discharge is not due to misconduct . For instance, service members rendered physically or psychologically incapable of performing assigned duties normally have their service characterized as honorable, regardless of whether they incurred the condition or disability in the line of duty, provided they otherwise met or exceeded standards . Similarly, service members selected for involuntary discharge due to a Reduction in Force (RIF) typically receive an honorable discharge, assuming their conduct while on active duty met or exceeded standards . </P>

What does a general discharge from the navy mean