Can a Bad Discharge cost me VA Benefits from an Earlier Term of Service?
Once you earn it, its yours.
Do you know your rights? Call 1-877-447-4487 to get help!
Are you in the military or thinking about joining? Are you unsure of where to get reliable answers? Call the GI Rights Hotline at 1-877-447-4487.
- Call for yourself or someone you care about
- Free and confidential
- One hotline for a nationwide network of counseling centers
CALLING FROM KOREA and other overseas locations: We are having difficulty reaching some numbers in Korea at this time. PLEASE KEEP TRYING to reach us by phone, or include your email address when you leave a message.
MAGIC JACK CUSTOMERS: We are often unable to return messages from Magic Jack lines through our toll free number. Please keep trying until you reach a live counselor or call one of our offices directly.
The GI Rights Hotline provides accurate, helpful counseling and information on military discharges, AWOL and UA, and GI Rights:
Why should I call 1-877-447-4487?
The GI Rights Network is a private, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that answers thousands of calls from military personnel and their families. There are many reasons for these calls. You can call us for help with any of the following issues:
- DEP Discharges (Delayed Entry Program)
- Entry Level Separation
- Dependency or Hardship Discharges
- Medical or Disability Discharges
- ODPMC or Psychological Discharges
- Conscientious Objection Discharges
- Reservist Unsatisfactory Participation
- AWOL or UA
- Reservist Mobilization
- Article 138 Complaints
- Harassment or Discrimination
What will happen when I call?
- You will be helped by a trained GI counselor.
- If a counselor is unavailable, you may leave a voice message, or contact the Hotline by eMail or text message.
Our trained civilian counselors are ready to help you sort out your options.
Call now — the call and the service are free and confidential.
Newsfeed
Double Standards
We’ve seen a surge in calls about conscientious objection since the conflict with Iran began.
Many service members are already navigating the application process, and a familiar pattern keeps emerging: when someone applies for conscientious objector status—especially if deployment is on the horizon—investigators question how recently they came to their beliefs.
“How long have you felt this way?”
“Can this change really be sincere?”
But here’s the question nobody seems to ask:
How much thought went into the decision to enlist?
When someone wants to leave, their sincerity is scrutinized. When someone wants to join, it rarely is.
Most applicants tell us they spent far more time wrestling with their conscientious objection than they ever did deciding to enlist. Yet only one of those decisions is treated with suspicion? Hmmm.
Know Your Rights
US MILITARY KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
The way military members view their role in war is a constantly evolving story. Often during their military careers, people start to question or doubt the missions they once signed on to carry out. Some feel asked to carry out orders they never imagined. As citizens themselves, some military members want to use their free speech rights to speak out against injustices they see. Some even find themselves in situations where their conscience won’t allow them to carry out orders they believe to be immoral. And in the rigid military discipline system, people are often curious about their rights in these situations and nervous about possible consequences for acting on their inclinations. There is a long, powerful legacy of military personnel taking courageous action to ensure public visibility and/or accountability for unlawful, unethical and unjust situations carried out by the US military.
There is a common misconception that members of the military are not allowed to be “political” or involved in any form of activism. This guide is designed to give you an idea of what current regulations say about some of your rights to free speech. It will also explore options and consequences for resisting legal and illegal orders, filing complaints, and getting out of the military altogether. This guide is a starting place but it is not legal advice or a replacement for speaking with a GI Rights counselor or lawyer about your situation.