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NAVY | DRB | 2007_Navy | ND0700436

Original file (ND0700436.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-ENC, USN
ND07-00436

Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request

Application Received: 20070222 Characterization Received:
Narrative Reason: MISCONDUCT Authority: MILPERSMAN 1910-146

Applicant’s Request:      Characterization change to:
                           Narrative Reason change to:
Applicant’s Issues:       1. VA Benefits
                           2. Discharge inequitable based on one isolated incident
                           3. Service performance
                           4. Post Service

Decision

By a vote of the Characterization shall .
By a vote of the Narrative Reason shall MISCONDUCT .

Date: 20 071101                                     Location: Washington D.C.

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 s 2 & 3: ( ). The Applicant contends his discharge was inequitable based on one isolated incident. When a Sailor ’s service has been honest and faithful, it is appropriate to characterize that service under honorable conditions. A general ( under 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. The Applicant’s conduct during the current period of service, which forms the primary basis for determining the character of his service was marred by the award of one nonjudicial punishment (NJP) for violation of the Uniform Code of M ilitary Justice (UCMJ), Article 112a (Wrongful use of a controlled substance). Violation of UCMJ Article 112a is considered a serious offense for which a punitive discharge is authorized if adjudged by a Special or General Courts Martial. An upgrade to honorable would be inappropriate.

Issue 4: ( ). 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 provide d a business license and one character reference letter. The Applicant's efforts need to be more encompassing. For example, the Applicant could have produced evidence of continuing educational pursuits, documentation of community service, evidence of drug free existence, 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.

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, the Board found that

Administrative Corrections to the Applicant’s DD 214

The NDRB did note administrative error(s) on the original DD Form 214 :

         Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized, should read: “ NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION W/BRONZE STAR, HUMANITARIAN SERVICE MEDAL W/BRONZE STAR, NAVY EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL W/BRONZE STAR, ARME FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL W/2 BRONZE STARS, COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, ENLISTED SURFACE WARFARE, NAVY ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL, SEA SERVICE DEPLOYMENT RIBBON ”
         “ CONTINUOUS HONORABLE ACTIVE SERVICE FROM 870323 UNTIL 970714 ”

The NDRB will recommend to the C ommander, Navy Personnel Command , that the DD 214 be corrected as appropriate.

Summary of Service

Prior Service:
Inactive: US N R (DEP)      19781205 - 19790925              Active:          19790926 - 19870322
         19870323 - 19921126               19921127 - 19970714
Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Enlistment: 19970715               Years Contracted :                Date of Discharge: 19981015
Length of Service : 01 Yrs 03 Mths 01 D ys          Lost Time : Days UA: Days Confine d :
Education Level:         Age at Enlistment:       AFQT: 42          Highest Rank /Rate : ENC
Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214): NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION W/BRONZE STAR, HUMANITARIAN SERVICE MEDAL W/BRONZE STAR, NAVY EXPITIONARY MEDAL W/BRONZE STAR, ARME FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL W/2 BRONZE STARS, COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, ENLISTED SURFACE WARFARE, NAVY ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL, SEA SERVICE DEPLOYMENT RIBBON

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

19980128 :         NAVDRUGLAB, Jacksonville, FL, reported Applicant’s urine sample, received 19980116 , tested positive for amphetamine/methamphetamine.

Discharge Process

Date Notified:                                       NOT FOUND IN RECORD
Reason for Discharge:
Least Favorable Characterization:

Date Applicant Responded to Notification:                  NOT FOUND IN RECORD
Rights Elected at Notification:
         Consult with Counsel
         Obtain Copies of Documents
         Submit Statement(s) (date)
         Administrative Board
         GCMCA review

Administrative Board Date :       19980610 [EXTRACTED FROM COMMANDING OFFICER’S LETTER ]
Findings, by preponderance of the evidence:     BY - .
         BY SEPARATION WARRANTED.
Recommendation on Separation: BY
Recommendation on Characterization:     BY

Commanding Officer Recommendation (date):        ( 19980626 )
Separation Authority (date):     CNO WASHINGTON DC ( 19980820 )
Reason for discharge directed: -
Characterization directed:
Date Applicant Discharged:       19981015

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) Applicant's voter regrister card
Applicant's drivers llicense
Applicant's marriage license
Applicant's business license

Pertinent Regulation/Law

A. The Naval Military Personnel Manual, (NAVPERS 15560C), Change 18, effective 12 Dec ember 19 97 to 19 May 99, Article 1910-146, Separation by Reason of Misconduct - Drug Abuse.

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 112a.

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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NAVY | DRB | 2007_Navy | ND0700436

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