Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 4/19/2010

Question
I was discharged from the Army almost two years ago. After being refused medical attention and being sexually harassed by my sergeant, I went AWOL. I had a gull bladder attack, while I was AWOL, had surgery and after recovering, I surrendered myself and was given a General Discharge with an RE4.
I contacted a few months later to provide information to assist in an investigation of my sergeant. He had been making the same advances on other females.

I have had a baby since my discharge but would like to continue my career as a soldier. Can you advise me how to go about getting my discharge and reentry level changed?

Answer
Dear Brianna --

It will be difficult for you to get your discharge characterization and re-entry code changed, since as you admit, you went AWOL.

However, you may petition the Board for Correction of Military records and request a change to your discharge status or a re-instatement of your military status, if you can prove to them you should not have been discharged to begin with, or that you were treated more harshly than other Soldiers with similar transgressions.

There are time limits on when you can petition the Board.  The clock starts at the time you received relevant information to your case.  Such as when you learned of corroborating evidence that you worked for a sergeant that habitually harassed or took advantage of female Soldiers.

To learn more about the review process, and the steps you must take to have your records revised, please go to this web site: http://arba.army.pentagon.mil/  

Both the Discharge Review Board, and the Army Board for Correction of Military Records might be able to review your case.  Read each section carefully to determine where you will likely have the best success.

Good luck to you.