I am currently on my second glass of champagne at 3:48 PM on a Monday.
This, obviously, is not typical behavior for me. First, champagne is incredibly expensive — soon to be even more so with upcoming tariffs. Second, I tend to avoid day drinking. Plenty of bad experiences over the years have led me to swear it off, for the most part.
So, the question is: why is Dylan breaking one of their own rules and day drinking expensive French fizz? The answer is, I'm celebrating.
This morning, as I was checking my inbox to get the details of a medical appointment I had scheduled, I found something entirely different waiting for me. Two emails from the Air Force Discharge Review Board — one containing password instructions, the other with a series of documents I had been awaiting for quite some time.
If you were unaware, my initial characterization of discharge from the Air Force was "General, under honorable conditions." This basically meant that I qualified for most VA benefits, save for the one I'd enlisted for in the first place: the GI Bill.
After my enlistment ended with the aforementioned characterization, I immediately applied to have it upgraded to "Honorable." I had received character letters from some of the wonderful people I worked with over the years. I laid out my case clearly and concisely. I was denied. So, I'd basically given up on the idea of attending university.
However, there was something occurring in the background that I had no knowledge of. A nationwide class action lawsuit against the Air Force Discharge Review Board was filed in 2021, alleging the DRB had violated the rights of many former Airmen who received discharges rated as less-than Honorable — discounting outlying factors of Major Depressive Disorder, PTSD, and other mental health conditions. In June of 2024, I received an email from the DRB stating that my application was undergoing an automatic review as a result of the judge's decision supporting the plaintiffs.
Fast forward to today, at 3:48 PM on a Monday, toasting with my Dad with too-expensive alcohol the fact that my discharge was upgraded to Honorable. I finally have access to the GI Bill seven years after my date of separation.
I'm overwhelmed and overjoyed. I have no idea what the next step is. That, however, is for the Dylan of tomorrow to figure out — albeit with a bit of a hangover.
What better way to start planning the next steps of my higher education?