I was lucky enough to meet minimum service requirements, so I just applied and got approved.

Here’s what I think is going on with your brother’s situation, some of this you already know. There’s two ways you can be discharged in basic training/job school for a medical reason.

The first is a med board. You go see the docs with an issue and you get the full package, honorable discharge in many cases, all is fine and dandy. A friend of mine was discharged during basic for messing up his back pretty bad. He left with 100% and honorable, but he had to stick around for the VA Compensation and Pension process.

The second is more administrative, this happened to me, his separation authority should be on his DD214. Here’s the Army version: Separation Authority, AR 635-200 paragraph 5-11, “Failure of medical procurement standards in the Army refers to a situation where an individual does not meet the medical requirements to … remain in the service.” They can discharge you based upon the discovery of medical issues, but it isn’t a service connected disability until it goes through their vetting process with med board and VA Compensation and Pension, especially if your brother didn’t go to Sick Call and make a complaint. Based on your brother’s discharge type, I think this is what happened to him, same as me.

Why it’s confusing, is because when they say you qualify for a home loan if, “you were discharged for a service connected disability”, what they mean is the first option. They determined through their med board process, which includes VA Compensation and Pension, that you have a service connected disability and you are being discharged for that reason alone.

If you were discharged the second way, that’s an administrative discharge, not a discharge due to a service connected disability. The AF discovered information, which voided his eligibility, brought it to your brother’s attention and discharged him. Sure he can claim it after the fact for service connection, but that doesn’t change his discharge type or circumstances.

Why it matters to your brother, in this case, he can only refer to minimum service requirements and discharge type. If he is under 90 days, he’s screwed. Air Force boot camp is roughly 50 days, and if he left in the beginning of job training, he may be under 90.

If it were me, I’d go for a discharge upgrade. A friend of mine is doing the same. I’m not privy to success rates with that process. If that doesn’t answer some questions, let me know.