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NAVY | DRB | 2008_Navy | ND0801285
Original file (ND0801285.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-MA3, USNR
Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request
Application Received: 20080528
Characterization of Service Received:
Narrative Reason for Discharge: DRUG ABUSE
Authority for Discharge: MILPERSMAN

Applicant’s Request: Characterization change to:
                  Narrative Reason change to:

Summary of Service

Prior Service:
Inactive: US N R (DEP) 20040914 - 20050104                 Active:

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Enlistment: 20050105     Period of E nlistment : Years Extension          Date of Discharge: 20070810
Length of Service : Y ear s M onth s 06 D a ys      Education Level:        Age at Enlistment:      AFQT: 70
Highest Rank /Rate :       MA3       Evaluation M arks: Performance:    3.0 ( 2 )   Behavior: 2.5 ( 2 )        OTA: 2.85
Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214): NDSM GWOTSM

NJP : S CM : SPCM: C C :

Retention Warnings:
- 20070511 : For urinalysis report on 20070509, you had a positive urinalysis for the illegal use of a prescription drug .

Types of Documents Submitted/reviewed

 Related to Military Service:     
DD 214:         Service/ Medical Record:                  Other Records:

Related to Post-Service Period:  
         Employment:                        Finances:                          Education /Training :     
         Health/Medical Records:           Substance Abuse:                           Criminal Records:       
         Family/Personal Status:           Community Service:                References:              
Additional Statements :
 From Applicant:        From Representat ion :    From Congress m ember :

Other Documentation (Describe) :

Pertinent Regulation/Law

 A . The Naval Military Personnel Manual, (NAVPERS 15560C), Change 11, effective 29 April 2005 until Present, 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.




DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
NAVAL DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD (NDRB)
DISCHARGE REVIEW DECISIONAL DOCUMENT

Applicant’s Issues

 1. Considering reenlisting.
 2. Marital p roblems contributed to his misconduct .
3 . Not coherent at time of discharge. Drinking too much and attended substance abuse rehab.
4. Isolated incident.

Decision

Date : 20 08 1113             Location: Washington D.C .        R epresentation :

By a vote of the Characterization shall .
 By a vote of the Narrative Reason shall MISCONDUCT (DRUG ABUSE) .
Discussion

 : 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 , specifically the paragraph concerning s , regarding .

: ( ) . The Applicant states his misconduct w as a result of martial problems. 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. The Applicant claims his wife had an affair so he took her prescription drugs as a suicide gesture because he was depressed. On 12 June 2007, his Commanding Officer recommended he be administratively separated from the U. S. Navy for drug abuse because he had a positive urinalysis for Codeine and Morphine. The Applicant was informed of his rights on 11 June 2007 and initialed or signed all necessary notification blocks in the Administrative Separation Processing Notice, NAVPERS 1910/31.

The Applicant states he did not know what he was doing at the time of his discharge since he was overwhelmed with his personal life and drinking too much alcohol. While the Applicant may have struggled with issues that impacted his decision making ability, he provides no evidence from a competent Mental Health Professional that determined he was not responsible for his actions when he made the choice to take the prescription drugs . Additionally, he provid ed no evidence or statements from witness es which confirm his allegations he was not coherent or responsive to his leadership at that time . C onsidering the Applicant provided no documentation to support his claims, the Board de termined an upgrade w ould be inappropriate.

Issue 4 : ( ) . The Applicant claims this was on e isolated incident in an otherwise flawless 2 - ½ years of service. D espite a service member’s prior record of se rvice, certain serious offenses, even though isolate d, warrant separation from the n aval service in order to maintain proper order and discipline. In accordance with U . S . Navy policy, all Sailors (regardless of pay grade) are processed for administrative separation by reason of misconduct, due to dr ug abuse on the first offense. Illegal drug use cannot be tolerated by any member of the U . S . Navy regardless of grade or time in service and is a chargeable offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) as a violation of Article 112a (Drug use) . V iolation of UCMJ Article 112a is considered a serious offense punishable by a bad conduct or d ishonorable discharge and up five years imprisonment if adjudicated as part of the sentence upon conviction by a special or general court-martial. The Applicant’s willful f ailure to uphold the standards of conduct of the U. S. Navy is demonstrated by his use of illegal drugs. The Board determined an upgrade or change would be inappropriate
After a thorough review of the available evidence, to include the Applicant’s Summary of Service, Record Entries, Discharge Process and evidence submitted by the Applicant, the Board found


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 or is referred to a court martial 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 other medical related reasons. 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 special 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. The NDRB does not have the jurisdictional authority to review a discharge or dismissal resulting from a general court-martial.

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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