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NAVY | DRB | 2007_Navy | ND0700151
Original file (ND0700151.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied
ex-AN, USN
ND07-00151
Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request
Application Received: 20061114   Characterization Received: OTHER THAN HONORABLE
Narrative Reason: IN LIEU OF TRIAL BY COURT MARTIAL Authority: MILPERSMAN 3630650

 Applicant’s Request:      Characterization change to:
                           Narrative Reason change to:
Applicant’s Issues:       1. Change reenlistment code
                           2. Immature at time of service
                           3. Post service

Decision

 By a vote of the Characterization shall .     
By a vote of the Narrative Reason shall IN LIEU OF TRIAL BY COURT MARTIAL .

Date: 20 070913       Location: Washington D.C. The Board found that

Discussion

 Issue 1: either which the Board cannot form the basis of relief for the Applicant, or the Board does not have the authority to grant the relief for which the Applicant petitioned. The Applicant is directed to the Addendum regarding .

Issue 2: ( ). T he Applicant contends that h is problems were attributed to immaturity. While he may feel that this was the underlying cause of misconduct, the record clearly reflects willful misconduct and demonstrated he was unfit for further service. T he evidence of record does not demonstrate that the Applicant was not responsible for h is conduct or that he should not be held accountable for h is actions. When a Sailor ’s service has been honest and faithful, it is appropriate to characterize that service under honorable conditions. A under other than honorable conditions discharge is warranted when significant negative aspects of a member’s conduct or performance of duty outweigh the positive aspects of the member’s military record. C ertain serious offenses, even though isolated, warrant separation from the Naval service in order to maintain proper order and discipline. The Applicant’s service was marred by one nonjudicial punishment for violates the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), Article 86 [Unauthorized Absence (two specifications)] , Article 91 (Failure to obey lawful order), and Article 134 (Alter public Record). Additionally, the record reflects the Applicant violated the UCMJ , Article 86 [Unauthorized Absence (more than three, not more than 30 days)] and Article 87 (Missing movement) . A v iolation of Article 87 is considered a serious offense for which a punitive discharge is authorized if adjudged by a Special or General Courts Martial . The record reflects that the Applicant requested an administrative separation to preclude actions that could have been taken by a Special or General Courts Martial. An upgrade to honorable would be inappropriate .
Issue 3 : ( ). The NDRB is authorized to consider post-service factors in the recharacterization of a discharge. However, 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 the civilian life subsequent to leaving the service. Normally, to permit relief, a procedural impropriety or inequity must have been found to have existed during the period of enlistment in question. Outstanding post-service conduct, to the extent that such matters provide a basis for a more thorough understanding of the Applicant’s performance and conduct during the period of service under review, is considered. The Applicant provided his own character statement as documentation of post-service accomplishments. The Applicant's efforts need to be more encompassing. For example, the Applicant could have produced evidence of a verifiable employment record, documentation of community service, educational pursuits, and certification of non-involvement with civil authorities. The Board determined that the documentation provided by the Applicant did not mitigate the misconduct that resulted in the characterization of discharge.


Summary of Service

Prior Service:
 Inactive: US N R (DEP)      19940728 - 19941004              Active:         
Period of Service Under Review:
 Date of Enlistment: 19941005               Years Contracted : ; Extension:          Date of Discharge: 19970115
Length of Service : 02 Yrs 03 Mths 11 D ys          Lost Time : Days UA: 37 Days Confine d :
Education Level:         Age at Enlistment:       AFQT: 33          Highest Rank /Rate : AN
Evaluation marks (# of occasions):       Performance: N/A          Behavior: N/A     OTA: N/A
Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214): NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, SEA SERVICE DEPLOYMENT RIBBON, SOUTHWEST ASIA SERVICE MEDAL

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

19960204 :        Applicant to unauthorized absence at 0730 on 19960204 .

 19960209 :        Applicant from unauthorized absence at 0030 on 19960209 ( 5 days/surrendered).
19960329 :        Applicant to unauthorized absence at 0730 on 19960329 .

 19960401 :        Applicant from unauthorized absence at 0730 on 19960401 ( 2 days/surrendered).
19960605 :        CO's NJP -- Viol UCMJ Art. 86 – (2 specs), Unauthorized a bsence ; viol UCMJ Art. 91 – Failure to obey lawful order; viol UCMJ Art. 134 – Alter public record . Awarded - FOP ( $437.00 ) for ( 2 months) 1 month suspended for 6 months ; RIR ( E-1 ); Restr for ( 45 days) 15 days suspended for 6 months ; Extra duties ( 45 days) 15 days suspended for 6 months .

19961015 :        Applicant to unauthorized absence at 0 730 on 19961015 .

19961015:        Applicant missed ship’s movement.

19961112:        Applicant declared a deserter.
19961114 :        Applicant from unauthorized absence at 1320 on 19961114 ( 30 days/surrendered).
19961203 :        Forfeiture of pay , reduction in pay grade and restriction awarded at NJP on 199960605 vacated due to continued misconduct.

Discharge Process

 Charge(s) Preferred: date                                    NOT FOUND IN RECORD
Charge(s) and Specification(s):
         Article       :                                NOT FOUND IN RECORD
        
Date Applicant Submitted SILT request:            19961218 (Referenced in CMDR NFJ Ad Sep Approval Ltr)
         Consulted with or Waived Counsel:                
         Acknowledged Understanding Elements:    
         Acknowledged Guilt to:                     Article(s) NOT FOUND IN RECORD
                  BCD/DD authorized for offense(s)        
         Acknowledged Consequences of OTH:       
         Type of Characterization Requested:      NOT FOUND IN RECORD

Commanding Officer Recommendation (date):       
Separation Authority (date):                       COMMANDER, U.S. NAVAL FORCES, JAPAN ( 19961226 )
         Reason for Discharge directed:           
         Characterization directed:                        
Date Applicant Discharged :                         19970115


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. Naval Military Personnel Manual, (NAVPERS 15560C), Change 14, effective
03 Oct 96 until 11 Dec 97, Article 3630650, PROCEDURES FOR PROCESSING ENLISTED PERSONNEL FOR SEPARATION IN LIEU OF TRIAL BY COURT-MARTIAL.

B. Secretary of the Navy Instruction 5420.174D of 22 December 2004, Naval Discharge Review Board (NDRB) Procedures and Standards, Part II, Para 211, Regularity of Government Affairs , Part V, Para 502, Propriety and Para 503, Equity .

C. The Manual for Courts-Martial authorizes the award of a punitive discharge if adjudged as part of the sentence upon conviction by a special or general court-martial for violation of the UCMJ, Article 87 .

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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