And as I think of it, being pardoned of a crime doesn’t mean a person can’t receive a dishonorable discharge and conceivably lose their pension as a result.
Jagusafr, I’m pinging you so you can correct me if I’m mistaken.
A pardon will prevent or negate a dishonorable discharge. And note that a General Court Martial can impose a sentence of dismissal for an officer, not a dishonorable discharge. It amounts to the same thing. As to losing pay and allowances, a full pardon would negate that as well. The officer would then receive a grade determination as to the highest grade/rank at which he/she honorably served and would receive retired pay for that grade. I know of two USAF JAGs who retired several grades below the highest rank at which they served: MG Fiscus, who retired as a Colonel, and Colonel Mike Murphy, who retired as a First Lieutenant.
Colonel, USAF JAGC (Ret)