Causes

• A dishonorable discharge from the military is reserved for those who have committed grave offenses, such as murder, rape, desertion or robbery. The general court martial determines whether actions are seen as worthy of a dishonorable discharge, and if it is deemed so, a trial is carried out and the discharge is only given after a conviction.
  
  

Professional Repercussions

• After a dishonorable discharge you will not be eligible for service in any other branch of the military, and because the discharge is permanently part of your employment history, you will likely find difficulty in finding employment as a civilian.
  
  

Personal Repercussions

• Personal relationships after any punitive conviction will almost inevitably become more difficult. After you get a dishonorable discharge from the military, you will also have to contend with restrictions of your personal rights, such as the right to own a firearm. But getting a dishonorable discharge will also affect you further into the future; after you are dishonorably discharged you will forfeit all rights to your veteran benefits, even those from "honorable" service periods.
  
  

Appeals and Upgrades

• Those convicted of a dishonorable discharge are given an appeal as a matter of right. You may appeal your case with an appointed military appellate defense counsel, or hire a civilian counsel. Even if your appeal fails, however, you may still be able to get your dishonorable discharge "upgraded" to other-than-honorable status, which may ease the trouble of finding work or even restore your veteran benefits. It is generally advised that you wait a few years and maintain exemplary behavior as a citizen before attempting to obtain an upgrade.