[bushisdamanin04]

No, no. You get the 214 when you leave active duty. A DD214 is not a discharge. A DD214 is proof of your service and an overview of what you did, but it is not a discharge. When I was enlisted, I had a 6 year commitment, 4 active, 2 whatever. I served my 4 years active and separated and I received my 214 at the time I separated, i.e., the 4 year point. I then went in the IRR for 2 years and did nothing. When my two years in IRR were up (i.e., my six year commitment) I received my Honorable Discharge in the mail. In other words, I received my 214 two years before I was discharged.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

I enlisted in the Navy for 3 years ('66-'69)
I went in when I was 17,
by law I was let out the day before my 21st birthday
Got my DD 214 when my 3 years were up
3 years later I got my Honorable Discharge by mail also.
I was in a inactive reserve status for 3 years.
I was an enlisted rate.

[cookcounty]

I was Army enlisted, so maybe that explains it. It says "Honorable" on my DD214, I assumed that was my Honorable Discharge.

Maybe I never got an honorable discharge! It is true that my last Top was the one I tangled with a quite a bit!

[glorgau]

There are also medical discharges. I got out on a disability ( <30%) and my discharge came when the disability was rated. That was about 1-1/2 - 2 years after the last day I spent in the service. It also canceled out the IRR time - my time was complete.

It could have been that Kerry, having worked all his medal paperwork through the Navy System, decided to work himself into a medical discharge for the three purple hearts. That would be an interesting combination. He never spent a day in the hospital for those but the paperwork was well established. And as service people know, the deadliest weapon in the military is the black pen. It has killed or made more careers than any other weapon.