My ex-wife received a general discharge. She was in the air force in New Hampshire at the Dover air base. As I look back on those years, she was a useless airman. She pretty much refused to work, as she did for the remainder of her life to this day.
Her discharge came after about 2.5 years in...she got really drunk and had to go to sick call instead of her work the next day. That was all they were waiting on - they wrote her up and discharged her, because they could.
There are five characterizations of discharges;
1. Honorable
2. General under honorable - you screwed up a few times
3. General - you screwed up a lot
4. Bad Conduct Discharge- you committed some actual crimes (but not felonies) and/or screwed up a whole bunch.
5. Dishonorable Discharge- you committed crimes that are considered felonies in the civilian world or military crimes that are considered equivalent to felonies.
This is recorded on block 19 b.of the dd form 2-14. Block 19 a. Records the type of separation; Discharge, transfer to the inactive ready reserve, etc.). And block 28 gives you the reason for separation; completion of active service, pt/weight control failure, good of the service etc.