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USMC | DRB | 2007_Marine | MD0700402
Original file (MD0700402.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied
ex-, USMC
MD07-00402
Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request
Application Received: 20070206                     Characterization Received:
Narrative Reason: COURT-MARTIAL                   Authority: MARCORSEPMAN 1105

 Applicant’s Request:      Characterization change to:
                           Narrative Reason change to: AWOL
Applicant’s Issues:       1. Clemency due to offense not warranting discharge and good post-service conduct

Decision

 By a vote of the Characterization shall DISCHARGE .
 By a vote of the Narrative Reason shall COURT-MARTIAL.

Date: 20 071018                    Location: Washington D.C.

Discussion

 Issue 1 (Clemency). In response to the Applicant’s issue, relevant and material facts stated in a court-martial specification are presumed by the NDRB to be established facts. With respect to a discharge adjudged by a court-martial case, the action of the NDRB is restricted to upgrades based on clemency. Clemency is an act of leniency that reduces the severity of the punishment imposed. The Applicant is correct in asserting that a bad conduct discharge should not be awarded as punishment merely because a servicemember requests it. The law does not allow it . A bad conduct discharge may only be adjudged when warranted by the offense. The Applicant’s conduct, as succinctly described by the trial counsel at his court-martial, was indeed bad conduct.

In reviewing discharges, the Board presumes regularity in the conduct of Government affairs unless there is substantial credible evidence to rebut the presumption, to include evidence submitted by the Applicant. After a thorough review of the available evidence, to include the Applicant’s Summary of Service, Medical and Service Record Entries, Discharge Process and evidence submitted by the Applicant, t he Board found that

.

Summary of Service

Prior Service:
 Inactive: USMCR (DEP)     20001025 - 20010722              Active:         
Period of Service Under Review:
 Date of Enlistment: 20010723               Years Contracted : ; Extension:   Date of Discharge: 20031008
Length of Service : 02 Yrs 02 Mths 16 D ys          Lost Time : Days UA: 75 Days Confine d : 36
Education Level:         Age at Enlistment:       AFQT: 55          MOS: 0300                 Highest Rank:
Proficiency/Conduct marks: 2.1/1.6 Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214): RIFLE EXPERT BADGE




Medical/Service Record Entries Related to Characterization of Service or Basis for Discharge

 None.

Discharge Process

 Charge(s) and Specification(s): Article 86 , Absence without leave 20011103 - 20020123 /apprehended .
Preferred: 20020129                Court-martial: 20020221                     Findings: Guilty of Article(s) 86
Sentence: BCD; Conf 60 days ; FOP $737.00 x 2 ; Other: NONE                CA action: 20021009
NC&PB Action: NONE FOUND IN RECORD                                  Appellate Review Complete: 20030908      
BCD ordered executed: 20030912 SSPCMCO No. 03-1698                         Applicant Discharged: 20031008

Types of Documents Submitted by Applicant and Considered By Board

 Related to Military Service:      Service and/or Medical Record:            Other Records:

Related to Post-Service Period:         
         Employment:                        Finances:                          Education:               
         Health/Medical Records:                   Substance Abuse:                           Criminal Records:       
         Family/Personal Status:                   Community Service:                References:              
        
Additional Statements From Applicant:    From Representative:             Other Documentation (Describe)      

Pertinent Regulation/Law

 A. Marine Corps Separation and Retirement Manual (MCO P1900.16F), Paragraph 1105, DISCHARGE ADJUDGED BY SENTENCE OF COURT-MARTIAL, effective 01 September 2001 until Present.

B. Secretary of the Navy Instruction 5420.174D of 22 December 2004, Naval Discharge Review Board (NDRB) Procedures and Standards, Part IV, Para 403m(7)(a), Presumption Concerning Court-Martial Specifications .


ADDENDUM: Information for the Applicant

 Complaint Procedures : If you believe that the decision in your case is unclear, not responsive to the issues you raised, or does not otherwise comport with the decisional document requirements of DoD Instruction 1332.28, you may submit a complaint in accordance with Enclosure (5) of that Instruction to the Joint Service Review Activity, OUSD (P&R) PI-LP, The Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-4000 . You should read Enclosure (5) of the Instruction before submitting such a complaint. The complaint procedure does not permit a challenge of the merits of the decision; it is designed solely to ensure that the decisional documents meet applicable requirements for clarity and responsiveness. You may view DoD Instruction 1332.28 and other Decisional Documents by going online at “ http://Boards.law.af.mil . ”

Additional Reviews : Subsequent to a document review, former members are eligible for a personal appearance hearing, provi ded the application is received at the NDRB within 15 years from the date of discharge. The Applicant can provide documentation to support any claims of post-service accomplishments or any additional evidence related to this discharge. Representation at a personal appearance hearing is recommended but not required. If a former member has been discharged for more than 15 years , has already been grante d a personal appearance hearing or has otherwise exhausted his opportunities before the NDRB, the Applicant may petition the Board for Correction of Naval Records (BCNR), 2 Navy Annex, Washington, DC 20370-5100 for further review.

 Service Benefits: The Veterans Administration determines eligibility for post-service benefits, not the Naval Discharge Review Board. There is no requirement or law that grants recharacterization solely on the issue of obtaining Veterans' benefits and this issue does not serve to provide a foundation upon which the Board can grant relief.
Employmen t / Educational Opportunities : The Board has no authority to upgrade a discharge for the sole purpose of enhancing employment or educational opportunities. Regulations limit the Board’s review to a determination of the propriety and equity of the discharge.

Reenlistment/RE-code: Since the NDRB has no jurisdiction over reenlistment, reentry, or reinstatement into the Navy, Marine Corps, or any other of the Armed Forces, the NDRB is not authorized to change a reenlistment code. Only the Board for Correction of Naval Records (BCNR) can make changes to reenlistment codes. Additionally, the Board has no authority to upgrade a discharge for the sole purpose of enhancing reenlistment opportunities. An unfavorable “RE” code is, in itself, not a bar to reenlistment. A request for a waiver can be submitted during the processing of a formal application for reenlistment through a recruiter.
Medical Conditions and Misconduct : DoD disability regulations do not preclude a disciplinary separation. Appropriate regulations stipulate that separations for misconduct take precedence over potential separations for other reasons. Whenever a member is being processed through the Physical Evaluation Board, and subsequently is processed for an administrative involuntary separation for misconduct, the disability evaluation is suspended. The Physical Evaluation Board case remains in suspense pending the outcome of the non-disability proceedings. If the action includes either a punitive or administrative discharge for misconduct, the medical board report is filed in the member’s terminated health record. Additionally, the NDRB does not have the authority to change a narrative reason for separation to one indicating a medical disability or “PTSD . ” Only the Board for Correction of Naval Records can grant this type of narrative reason change.

Automatic Upgrades - There is no law or regulation, which provides that an unfavorable discharge may be upgraded based solely on the passage of time or good conduct in civilian life subsequent to leaving Naval service. The NDRB is authorized to consider post-service factors in the recharacterization of a discharge to the extent such matters provide a basis for a more thorough understanding of the Applicant’s performance and conduct during the period of service under review. Examples of documentation that may be provided to the Board include proof of educational pursuits, verifiable employment records, documentation of community service, credible evidence of a substance free lifestyle and certification of non-involvement with civil authorities.

Issues Concerning Bad-Conduct Discharges (BCD ) – Because relevant and material facts stated in a court-martial specification are presumed by the NDRB to be established facts, issues relating to the Applicant’s innocence of charges for which he was found guilty cannot form a basis for relief. With respect to a discharge adjudged by a court-martial, the action of the NDRB is restricted to upgrades based on clemency. Clemency is an act of leniency that reduces the severity of the punishment imposed.

Board Membership: The names and votes of the members of the Board are recorded on the original of this document and may be obtained from the service records by writing to:

 Secretary of the Navy Council of Review Boards
 Attn: Naval Discharge Review Board
 720 Kennon Street SE Rm 309
Washington Navy Yard DC 20374-5023

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