Can you seek VA Disability and a Discharge Upgrade at the same time?
Can you seek VA Disability and a Discharge Upgrade at the same time?
I received an Other than Honorable (OTH) discharge after my 4 years of service and I'm currently going through compensation claim. Can I qualify for compensation if the evaluator said I had an adjustment disorder rather than PTSD?
I am also trying to upgrade my discharge. Am I wasting my time going through the claims process while trying to upgrade a discharge? I only accepted my discharge to prevent going to trial. I was also dealing with a medical condition and couldn't deal with both at the same time.
It is definitely possible to get VA benefits for any disability the VA finds to be service connected, even with an OTH. However, it is not a slam dunk because the VA has to do a Character of Discharge (COD) review to determine if your discharge is "honorable for VA purposes."
I encourage you to apply for both VA benefits and a discharge upgrade to see which shakes out first. There is no harm in trying to get a discharge upgrade- the process can never make your discharge worse. However, it is very difficult to get a discharge upgrade from the Dept. of Defense Board because they presume the military did everything right in giving you the OTH discharge. You can find more information about the recent changes to the COD regulations as well as the discharge upgrade process at TVC's website.
Best of luck to you!