Posted on 06/04/2024 5:48:26 PM PDT by ducttape45
Good evening Freepers. I got a question that I would love to find an answer to.
My father was a Korean War veteran. He served back in the 1940/50's. I have copies of two discharge forms, one is dated 1948 - 1953, the second one dated 1953 - 1956. The first one is an honorable discharge, but the second one is a dishonorable discharge.
I am confused as to how or why two 214's can be issued like that. I am also looking for an avenue to try and get the dishonorable one thrown out. Unfortunately the fire that took place in St. Louis destroyed all of the military records that would explain the reasoning, though one of my sisters thinks he decked an officer. LOL. If that happened, the officer probably deserved it.
The reason why I'd like to get the one tossed is because my mother can't get VA medical assistance because of it. If it can be tossed, it would help our family get her medical covered, maybe even find a better nursing home.
If there is someone out there who can help me I'd be much obliged. Thank you.
Call your Congressman’s office. They have staff paid to handle stuff like this (I used to run a Congressional office.)
Is your father still alive? If not, there’s probably no turning back the clock on this.
Have you been to your local Veterans Administration office?
He passed away back in 2017.
I hate to say it, but the local VA office is a waste of time.
EGD has your best first step. Contact a Veteran Service Officer at your local American Legion would be a good concurrent step. VA will probably be necessary but they’re a bureaucratic PITA for actual results.
Your county clerk may have a copy of it. They had mine.
They helped my WW2 and Korean War vet father plenty of times where he lived.
Thanks all
I was in the Korean War. It ended in 1953 and I returned and discharged from active duty along with thousands of others. I stayed on in the Reserves until 1960 and resigned because of job requirements. I received a second discharge at time of discharge.
I was in the Korean War. It ended in 1953 and I returned and discharged from active duty along with thousands of others. I stayed on in the Reserves until 1960 and resigned because of job requirements. I received a second discharge at time of discharge.
The VA rep here locally is practically worthless. I was told that the VA reps in extreme northern Indiana, are the best ones to contact for any VA assistance, but I’m pretty far away from them.
Both of the forms say “Regular Army”
The reason there are two DD-214s, he apparently re-enlisted in 1953. It’s merely a formality, he was discharged (on paper) for a second or two. And then a new enlistment started.
The one that counts, is the dishonorable discharge. I’m surprised they pay attention to any of that stuff any longer.
Contact your nearest American Legion or VFW. They usually have a few experts in their group as well as contacts to get things moving.
Mine were in the St. Louis fire too. Before I went to the county clerk I made a request to the VA for my records, but that would take weeks and I needed them sooner and lucked out with the CC. I did get the records form DC (I think it was) several weeks later however. Low quality, but apparently they made duplicates.
I just shot off an email to his office. Guess we’ll see what happens.
I guess it’s weird, to me at least, cuz I only got one DD214 and that was at the end of my 10 years, and I relisted twice. So to see two like that made me wonder why.
Calling will be the most effective.
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