“Condition, Not a Disability” Discharge: When the Army Should Have Sent You to a Medical Board
If your DD-214 says you were separated for a “condition, not a disability,” you may have been steered away from a medical retirement you were entitled to pursue. On September 9, 2026, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims ruled for an Army veteran in exactly that position. The court held that the...
“Condition, Not a Disability” Discharge: When the Army Should Have Sent You to a Medical Board Continue reading…
Advisory Opinion Rebuttal: How to Answer the Board’s Own Expert
You filed your petition, waited months, and then a letter arrived. The board asked a service agency to review your case, and that agency recommended denial. This is the moment your case turns. An advisory opinion rebuttal is your written answer to that recommendation, and it is usually the last substantive document...
Advisory Opinion Rebuttal: How to Answer the Board’s Own Expert Continue reading…
EAJA Attorney Fees After a BCMR or BCNR Denial
A correction board denied your petition, and you are weighing a federal lawsuit. So you are probably asking a practical question: who pays for it? Under the Equal Access to Justice Act, a veteran who prevails against the government in federal court may recover EAJA attorney fees from the United States. On...
EAJA Attorney Fees After a BCMR or BCNR Denial Continue reading…
Discharge Upgrade Denied? What to Do Next
A discharge upgrade denied by a review board feels final, but it usually is not. The letter in your hand is one step in a layered system. Each layer applies a different standard and runs on a different clock. Some of those doors close quickly. Others stay open for years. This article...
Discharge Upgrade Denied? What to Do Next Continue reading…
Liberal Consideration for Medical Retirement: What Bee v. United States Means for Veterans
A new precedential decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Bee v. United States, confirms that liberal consideration reaches a veteran’s medical retirement fitness decision — not just the narrative reason printed on a DD-214. In plain terms: when you ask a correction board to change your record to...
Liberal Consideration for Medical Retirement: What Bee v. United States Means for Veterans Continue reading…
GOMOR Removal: How to Get a Reprimand Out of Your Army Record
A general officer memorandum of reprimand can end a career quietly, long before anyone tells you it has. GOMOR removal is possible, but the Army sets a high bar: you must show by clear and convincing evidence that the reprimand is untrue or unjust, in whole or in part. Most soldiers have...
GOMOR Removal: How to Get a Reprimand Out of Your Army Record Continue reading…
Fitness for Duty Determination: What Qoye v. United States Means for Denied Medical Retirements
On July 30, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit decided Qoye v. United States, a precedential ruling for veterans denied a medical disability retirement. The court held that a correction board cannot make a lawful fitness for duty determination without first identifying the actual duties of the veteran’s job...
Fitness for Duty Determination: What Qoye v. United States Means for Denied Medical Retirements Continue reading…
Why Winning Your Discharge Upgrade Doesn’t Guarantee Back Pay
By Kevin Courtney, Esq. | Former USMC Judge Advocate | California Attorney You fought for your discharge upgrade and won. The board changed your characterization to Honorable, fixed your narrative reason, and maybe even cleared you to re-enlist. So where is the money? Here is the honest...
Why Winning Your Discharge Upgrade Doesn’t Guarantee Back Pay Continue reading…
How to Remove Personality Disorder From Your DD-214
By Kevin Courtney, Esq. | Former USMC Judge Advocate | California Attorney If your DD-214 lists “personality disorder” as the reason you left the military, you are not stuck with it. You can petition to remove personality disorder from your DD-214 through one of two boards: your...
How to Remove Personality Disorder From Your DD-214 Continue reading…
Military Disability Retirement and the BCMR: What a 2026 Federal Court Case Means for Veterans
By Kevin Courtney, Esq. | Former USMC Judge Advocate | California Attorney If you are exploring military disability retirement through the BCMR, a January 2026 ruling from the United States Court of Federal Claims may significantly affect your case. In Meyer v. United States, No. 24-480 (Fed. Cl. Jan....
Military Disability Retirement and the BCMR: What a 2026 Federal Court Case Means for Veterans Continue reading…
Challenging a BCNR Decision in Federal Court: What Ford v. United States Teaches Veterans
By Kevin Courtney, Esq. | Former USMC Judge Advocate | California Attorney When the Board for Correction of Naval Records denies your petition, federal court may feel like the next logical step. But what does that challenge actually look like — and what does it take to...
Challenging a BCNR Decision in Federal Court: What Ford v. United States Teaches Veterans Continue reading…