The Mayer Law Blog

Sexual Assault Discharge Upgrades

Posted September 16th, 2019 in Military Discharge Upgrades

Sexual assault in the military is a topic that has been getting more attention in recent years. Previously, people who were sexually assaulted in the military did not report their incidences out of shame or for fear of backlash. Other times, people reported the sexual assault but did not receive help.

The trauma from sexual assault in the military often becomes too much to bear, and many victims turn to drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism. Other victims go AWOL because they can’t face returning to the environment they were raped in.

These members of the military are frequently discharged less-than-honorably. The less-than-honorable discharge then affects the veteran’s ability to obtain the medical and psychiatric care they might require to heal from these traumas.

As people have learned more about the connection between sexual assault and PTSD, veterans with less than honorable discharges have started to try to get their discharges upgraded. The Seattle Times recently reported on veterans who were sexually assaulted in the military. One veteran shares his story of how when we was given Christmas leave, he ended up not returning to the National Guard:

“When he was given leave for Christmas, he decided not to return. He hid out at his sister’s house for a month before the National Guard found him. He was taken back to boot camp and eventually discharged for misconduct. He was later able to upgrade his discharge to honorable,” the Seattle Times reported.

These stories are similar to ones our discharge upgrade lawyers hear every day from clients and prospective clients. We are grateful that we have been able to successfully gain upgrades in many cases like these for veterans whose discharges were caused by PTSD as a result of sexual assault.

If you have been discharged less than honorably and would like to consult with a discharge upgrade attorney about your case, you can sign up for a consultation online.



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