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USMC | DRB | 2009_Marine | MD0902463
Original file (MD0902463.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-, USMC
Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request
Application Received: 20090908
Characterization of Service Received:
Narrative Reason for Discharge:
Authority for Discharge: MARCORSEPMAN

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

Summary of Service

Prior Service:
Inactive:         USMCR (DEP)       20041015 - 20041128     Active:  

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Current Enlistment: 20041129     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Months
Date of Discharge: 20080519      H ighest Rank:
Length of Service : Y ea r ( s ) M on th ( s ) 21 D a y ( s )
Education Level:        AFQT: 36
MOS: 0621
Proficiency/Conduct M arks (# of occasions): ( ) / ( )    Fitness R eports:

Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):      Rifle CoC

Periods of UA :

NJP:

SCM:

- 20070712 :       Art icle (Drugs), 3 specifications
         Specification 1: Wrongfully use marijuana.
         Specification 2: Wrongfully use methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)
         Specification 3: Wrongfully use methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA)
          Sentence : (20070712-20070804, 24 days)

SPCM:

CC:

Retention Warning Counseling :

- 20070327 :       For my positive urinalysis of THC and Ecstacy identified by Naval Drug Lab San Diego. The date the sample was collected was 20070305. The date reported positive was 20070314.

Administrative Corrections to the Applicant’s DD 214

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

          “ UNDER OTHER THAN HONORABLE CONDITIONS ”

The NDRB will recommend to the Commandant of the Marine Corps that the DD 214 be corrected as appropriate.
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 member :    

         Other Documentation :     

Pertinent Regulation/Law

 A. The Marine Corps Separation and Retirement Manual, (MCO P1900.16F), effective 1 September 2001 until Present,
Paragraph 6210, MISCONDUCT .

 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 .



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

Applicant’s Issues
1. The Applicant contends his characterization of service should be upgraded to Honorable because the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ( VA ) found his service to be honorable for the purposes of establishing VA benefits.

Decision
Date: 20 10 0722            Location: Washington D.C .         R epresentation :

By a vote of the Characterization shall .
By a vote of the Narrative Reason shall .
Discussion
The NDRB, under its responsibility to examine the propriety and equity of an Applicant’s discharge, is authorized to change the character of service and the reason for discharge if such change is warranted. In reviewing discharges, the Board presumes regularity in the conduct of g overnment al a ffairs unless there is substantial credible evidence to rebut the presumption, to include evidence submitted by the Applicant. The Applicant’s record of service included 6105 counseling warning and for of the UCMJ: Article (Wrongful use, possession, etc of a controlled substance , : marijuana 52 ng/ml, ecstasy 42,475 ng/ml , and MDMA 3432 ng/ml ). The Applicant a pre-service drug waiver for using marijuana prior to entering the Marine Corps. Evidence that the Applicant acknowledged his complete understanding of the Marine Corps Policy Con cerning Illegal Use of Drugs was not found in the record . Based on the Article 112a violation , processing for administ rative separation is mandatory. When notified of a dministrative separation processing , the Applicant rights to consult with a qualified coun sel, submit a written statement , and request an administrative board. The Applicant provided documentation from the VA regional office in Oakland, CA substantiating his claim that the VA found his service to be honorable for VA purposes. The Applicant did not provide any other documentation to support a post-service conduct review.

: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends his characterization of service should be upgraded to Honorable , because the VA found his service to be honorable for the purposes of establishing VA benefits. The VA decision to treat the Applicant’s service as honorable is specifically for the purposes of the VA. Title 38 Code of Federal Regulations , Part 3.12(d)(4) pertains to the Department of Veterans Affairs, not the Department of Defense (DoD) , and the N aval Discharge Review Board (N DRB ) is in no way bound by VA decisions. The record shows the Applicant pled guilty at summary court-martial and waived his right to an administrative board as part of a pre-trial agreement to avoid trial by special court-martial. This decision was made with the advice of legal counsel and with the full knowledge of the Applicant. Following the completion of confinement, the Applicant was administratively separated with an Under Other Than Honorabl e characterization of service. While the Applicant had excellent service prior to his misconduct, certain serious offenses, even though isolated, warrant separation from the in order to maintain proper order and discipline. Violation of Article 112a is one such offense mandated by D oD regulations that require m andatory processing for administrative separation regardless of grade or time in service. This usually results in an unfavorable characterization of discharge to include a punitive discharge if adjudicated at a special court-martial. However, his command did not pursue a punitive di scharge but opted instead for the more lenient administrative discharge. The NDRB determined an upgrade would be inappropriate.

The NDRB noted the Applicant was screened for Post - Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Jan uary 2008 and displayed signs of the disorder. In April 2008, the Applicant declined further treatment for his PTSD. Based on the available documentation, the NDRB found PTSD was not a mitigating factor in the Applicant’s misconduct.

Summary: After a thorough review of the available evidence, to include the Applicant’s summary of service, record entries and discharge process, the Board found Therefore, the awarded characterization of service shall and the narrative reason for separation shall remain .
The Applicant remains eligible for a personal appearance hearing for a period of fifteen years from the date of discharge. The Applicant is directed to the Addendum, specifically the paragraphs titled Additional Reviews, Automatic Upgrades, and Post-Service Conduct .

ADDENDUM: Information for the Applicant

 Complaint Procedures : If you believe 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 : After a document review has been conducted, former members are eligible for a personal appearance hearing, provided the application is received at the NDRB within 15 years of the Applicant’s 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. There are veterans organizations such as the American Legion and the Disable d American Veterans that are willing to provide guidance to former service members in their efforts to obtain a discharge upgrade. If a former member has been discharged for more than 15 years, has already been granted a personal appearance hearing or has otherwise exhausted their 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 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) determines eligibility for post-service benefits, not the NDRB. 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.
Employment/Educational Opportunities : The NDRB has no authority to upgrade a discharge for the sole purpose of enhancing employment or educational opportunities. Regulations limit the NDRB’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 BCNR can make changes to reenlistment codes. Additionally, the NDRB 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 is processed subsequently for an administrative involuntary separation or is referred to a court martial for misconduct, the disability evaluation is suspended pending the outcome of the non-disability proceedings. If the action includes either a punitive or administrative discharge for misconduct or for any basis wherein an Other Than Honorable discharge is authorized, 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 BCNR can grant this type of narrative reason change.

 Automatic Upgrades - There is no law or regulation that provides for an unfavorable discharge to be upgraded based solely on the passage of time or good conduct subsequent to leaving naval service.
Post-Service Conduct : The NDRB is authorized to consider post-service factors in the recharacterization of a discharge. Outstanding post-service conduct, 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, is considered during Board reviews. Documentation to support a post-service conduct upgrade includes, but is not limited to: a verifiable continuous employment record; marriage and children’s birth certificates (if applicable); character witness statements; documentation of community or church service; certification of non-involvement with civil authorities; evidence of financial stability or letters of good standing from banks, credit card companies, or other financial institutions; attendance at or completion of higher education (official transcripts); and documentation of a drug-free lifestyle. The Applicant is advised that completion of these items alone does not guarantee the upgrade of an unfavorable discharge, as each discharge is reviewed by the Board on a case-by-case basis to determine if post-service accomplishments help demonstrate in-service misconduct was an aberration and not indicative of the member’s overall character.

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 NDRB 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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