was under . Restrictions for Public Health Service (PHS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) enlistments This discharge cannot be authorized by the PHS and NOAA as only officers serve in those branches. Disability Discharge This discharge is for those individuals who are discharged or released from active duty for a disability determined to be SC without presumptive provisions of law, or at the time of discharge, had such an SC disability shown by official records which, in medical judgment, would have justified a discharge for disability. Compensable SC Disability This discharge applies to individuals with a compensable SC disability. Discharge from Reserve Status for Disability This discharge is issued to an individual who incurred an SC disability from an inactive duty training injury and is subsequently discharged or released from Reserve status for that disability. The individual should be considered to have been discharged or released from active service. d. Entitlement to Benefits Before Enactment of 38 U.S.C. 5303A Entitlement to any benefit legally provided prior to the date of enactment of , October 1, 1981, based on minimum active duty service requirements in effect at that time, is not affected. Example: An individual issued a certificate of eligibility for a VA home loan guaranty prior to October 1, 1981, continues to be eligible for that benefit even though his/her active duty service no longer qualifies him/her under . 5. General Information Regarding Verification of Service and Character of Discharge
U.S. Public Health Service the original (copy 1) NOAA Form 56-16, Report of Transfer or Discharge this information is furnished by NOAA. the original NGB Form 22, National Guard Report of Separation and Record of Service this information is furnished by the ARNG-HRH. the original (copy 1) report of separation document that includes the Veteran’s name, rank, service number, dates and character of service, and the Veteran’s signature report of separation documents were issued prior to the implementation of DD Form 214. any carbon copy (copy 2 through 8) original DD Form 214 (any edition) or other report of separation document authorized employees of the Veterans Service Center (VSC) can authenticate photocopies of DD Form 214. Note: For more information on this topic, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart ii, 6.6.d. a digitally signed copy DD Form 214, or DD Form 215, Correction to DD Form 214, issued by the Department of Defense (DoD), a military service branch, or a State Adjutant General a digitally signed form contains a 10-digit number that follows the certifying official’s name and it is acceptable in place of a certifying official’s signature if the form appears genuine and unaltered, and the Veteran was discharged on or after August 1, 2008, under other than dishonorable conditions. a copy or abstract DD Form 214 or equivalent certified by a local or state government official the copy or abstract was certified by a local or state government official whose office recorded the Veteran’s original service DD Form 214 or equivalent. Note: A copy or abstract of the Veteran’s original (copy 1) of the DD Form 214 dated July 1, 1979 or later is not acceptable. Reference: For information on accepting copies of DD Form 214 from the Records Management Center (RMC) as verification of service, see M21-1, Part III, Subpart iii, 2.A.8.d.