A bad conduct discharge from the military is often considered to be a felony in many states. This means that the individual has not just been dishonorably discharged, but instead convicted of a crime, effectively rendering them legally guilty of an offense similar to the civilian judicial system.
As a result, the person afflicted with this type of discharge is at risk of losing many of their constitutional rights and privileges, including voting and carrying firearms. Where legal statutes exist on the matter, they generally state servicemembers are subject to criminal charges if they are dishonorably discharged with intent or malice aforethought of any kind.