What is the discharge type given to service members with less than 180 days in the Coast Guard?

The correct answer is uncharacterized discharge. When a service member serves less than 180 days in the Coast Guard, their discharge is typically noted as uncharacterized. This designation is used because there is insufficient service time to assess the member’s performance or behavior, leading to a neutral classification instead of one that reflects whether the service was honorable, dishonorable, or other than honorable.

An uncharacterized discharge can indicate that the member did not complete enough time in service for their performance to be evaluated in the same way as those with longer service periods. This is particularly relevant when the individual is released from service for reasons such as medical issues, administrative actions, or personal circumstances, without a clear record of conduct.

While honorable, dishonorable, and other than honorable discharges carry specific implications regarding a service member’s conduct and completion of service, the uncharacterized discharge exists specifically to acknowledge cases where categorical judgment is not applicable due to the brevity of service.