Final answer:
The question relates to Navy personnel separation at EAOS without a specific period of service, historically resulting in a 'separation' rather than a discharge. This was prominent post-WWII when gay and lesbian service members were separated under a blue discharge, leading to benefits disqualification and employment discrimination.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of your question concerns military discharges, specifically in relation to the U.S. Navy and the historical handling of discharges for gay and lesbian service members after their End of Active Obligated Service (EAOS). Historically, if personnel separated from the Navy at their EAOS without having completed a certain period of service, they did not receive a discharge but were separated from active naval service. This was especially significant during the post-war era when many gay and lesbian service members were separated under a blue discharge, which was not dishonorable but did disqualify them from benefits and often led to discrimination in future employment. The practice of issuing blue discharges ended in 1947, with the Veterans Administration replacing them with an undesirable discharge category, which also negatively impacted gay and lesbian service members.