
However, the standard types of discharge from service are: United States Military branches have several terms for military discharges, some of them unique to each service and either formal or informal. What are the 5 types of military discharges? This means that you are a veteran if you were not dishonorably discharged from service and because a DD 256 Certificate process this, receiving it means you are a veteran. According to Title 38 of the Code of Federal Regulations, a veteran is any individual that has served a branch of the military service and been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

Generally, it consists of the following elements: The DD Form 256 is a formal certificate and doesn’t contain as much information as other military documents. DD Form 256 “Honorable Discharge Certificate” Getting this certificate requires that you specify your situation in the application. It is important to know that when you request your military records – by filing a Standard Form 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records – you won’t get the option of asking for your DD Form 256. So all you have to do is send in a request through the eVetRecs System available at the National Archives website or reach out to your service branch’s headquarters. Generally, all branches of the service keep personnel records for 5 to 10 years before forwarding them to the National Archives.

You can also be awarded a DD Form 257 General Discharge Certificate as an alternative.

You receive a DD Form 256 when you officially separate from active duty. In some cases, a lender may request it when processing an application from a veteran. It is awarded to show that the service member was honest, reliable, and conducted well during service.

What Is a DD Form 256 “Honorable Discharge Certificate”?Ī DD Form 256 Honorable Discharge Certificate is a formal certificate issued to a service member with a satisfactory military record by the military service or Department of Defense.
