Expert: Aaron Shifferly - 5/3/2010

Question
Hello Aaron:
I received a Bad Conduct discharge in 2005 for desertion. I went AWOL while in School of infantry. How does this affect me in my professional life? I'm currently in the process of getting my bachelors degree in liberal studies to become a teacher.
Will this is ruin my chances of landing a job like this? If so what can i do to upgrade my discharge to give my self a chance?

Answer
The BCD affects you if you ever apply for a government job; you won't get it. Also, many employers ask if you were ever in the military and what your discharge categorization was. That may not be quite as damaging, but it is still a pretty bad mark on your record. It is also a federal conviction which may or may not have to be disclosed depending on job application status. In short, it hasn't helped your chances of being hired. The link I'm including below has a pretty good summary of the steps you'll need to take to get your discharge upgraded. Unfortunately, it is a lengthy process and there is only minimal chance of success.  Try anyways and see how it goes.

http://www.carson.army.mil/LEGAL/TDS/Jag/Chapters.htm