Don't you have to have a DD214 to PROVE you were honorably discharged?

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

Am I wrong on this? I thought the only document that really verifies the condition of your discharge is your DD214. Not even the discharge certificate is really the last word on this matter.

I know we've never seen a DD 214 for bush. Can someone else who knows more about this fill me in? How in the hell do we know he's been honorably discharged?

(Disclaimer: I figure he probably HAS. But if it takes a DD214 to prove it, I don't understand why anyone just ACCEPTS that he has, short of that.)

[CatWoman]

1. You are correct

and if you are not available to sign it, it was be noted as such.

the DD214 is a very important document -- it lists all your tours, awards, training, etc.

Day entered active duty, and day discharged.

When I got out, I was heavily advised to have it notorzied -- which I did.

[Nlighten1]

2. I think it was called something different back then.

Someone has posted copies of it here before.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. You get the DD214 on separation from active duty.

The discharge form is a separate piece of paper. In my case, for example, I was drafted in 1967, separated from active duty in 1969 & the DD-214 was out in my hand on the day I separated. I got my discharge in 1973, 6 years after entering service. The intervening 4 years I had been in the Inactive Reserve, which incdluded no service obligations & only meant that I could be reactivated if necessary.

[cheshire]

4. H D's were not hard to get. They got rid of troublemakers that way.