Discharge upgrade requests are not processed by the VA — they go through your branch of service's Discharge Review Board (DRB) or, for older or more complex cases, the Board for Correction of Military/Naval Records (BCMR/BCNR). For Army veterans, this means the Army Discharge Review Board (ADRB) or the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR), depending on how long ago you were discharged and what kind of change you are requesting.
Processing times for these boards vary considerably and are not publicly guaranteed. Cases can take many months to well over a year, and there is no fixed statutory timeline the board must meet, unlike some VA disability claims deadlines. Factors that affect how long a case takes include the current caseload at the board, whether your packet is complete, whether supporting documentation (service medical records, buddy statements, character references, post-service evidence of hardship or mitigating circumstances) needs to be requested or clarified, and whether your case requires a personal appearance hearing versus a records-only review.
Official 2026 VA monthly compensation, including the 2.8% COLA increase.
Dependent add-ons start at a 30% rating. Child-only and dependent-parent rates: see the full 2026 pay chart.
| Rating | Monthly (2026, incl. 2.8% COLA) |
|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
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Analyze my claim free →An acknowledgment email saying your submission was received is just confirmation that your case is in the queue — it does not indicate how close you are to a decision. Boards generally work cases in the order received, but complex cases (for example, those involving PTSD, military sexual trauma, or other mitigating factors under the Kurta Memo or related guidance) may take additional time because reviewers must evaluate liberal consideration standards.
While waiting, you can generally check on status by contacting the board directly (for Army cases, the Army Review Boards Agency, ARBA) rather than the VA, since the VA has no visibility into or control over discharge review timelines. Some veterans also use their congressional representative's casework office to request a status inquiry, which sometimes prompts a response, though it does not change your place in line.
It is also worth knowing that a discharge upgrade and a VA disability claim are separate processes. You do not need to wait for the discharge upgrade to resolve before filing or continuing a VA disability claim if your discharge status does not currently bar you from VA benefits; in some cases, VA can make a Character of Discharge determination independently.
The concrete next step is to contact the Army Review Boards Agency directly for a status update on your case number, since they — not the VA — control the discharge upgrade timeline.
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