scope:

Purpose

This regulation prescribes policies and standards to ensure the readiness and competency of the force while providing for the orderly administrative separation of Soldiers for a variety of reasons. It prescribes the policies, procedures, and authority for separation of Soldiers upon expiration term of service (ETS) or fulfillment of active duty obligation, and the general provisions governing the separation of Soldiers before ETS or fulfillment of active duty obligation to meet the needs of the Army and its Soldiers. The regulation implements laws and policies governing voluntary retirement of Soldiers for length of service, and criteria governing uncharacterized separations and the issuance of honorable, general, and under other than honorable conditions discharges within the Department of the Army (DA).