<P> Virtually all veterans' benefits are forfeited by a Bad Conduct Discharge; BCD recipients are not eligible for VA disability compensation in accordance with 38 CFR 3.12 . </P> <P> A dishonorable discharge (DD) can only be handed down to a military member by a general court - martial . Dishonorable discharges are handed down for what 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> With this characterization of service, all veterans' benefits are lost, regardless of any past honorable service, and this type of discharge is regarded as shameful in the military . In many states a dishonorable discharge is deemed the equivalent of a felony conviction, with attendant loss of civil rights . Additionally, US federal law prohibits possession of firearms by those who have been dishonorably discharged per the Gun Control Act of 1968, and being dishonorably discharged is as well a disqualifying question on the Form 4473, which must be completed and signed to purchase a firearm from a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) and will result in a denial by the Brady background check that must be performed and passed to allow a sale . </P> <P> According to the Department of Defense, out of 207,000 service members that were discharged in 2014, more than 18,000 (9%) were issued less - than - honorable paperwork, including 4,143 (2.0%) other - than - honorable discharges, 637 (0.31%) bad conduct discharges, and 157 (0.08%) dishonorable discharges . After 2000, 352,000 people were handed similar papers ranging from general discharge to bad conduct and dishonorable discharge . </P>

What happens if i get a dishonorable discharge
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