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NAVY | DRB | 2009_Navy | ND0900734
Original file (ND0900734.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-QM3, USN
Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request
Application Received: 20090210
Characterization of Service Received:
Narrative Reason for Discharge:
Authority for Discharge: MILPERSMAN

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

Summary of Service

Prior Service:
Inactive:         US N R (DEP)        19921208 - 19931014 Med disqualified    Active:  
20020209 -2002031 1 COG  

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Enlistment: 20020312     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Extension
Date of Discharge: 20040227      Highest Rank/Rate: E-4
Length of Service : Y ear ( s ) M onth ( s ) 16 D a y ( s )
Education Level:        AFQT: 85
Evaluation M arks:         Performance: 4.67 ( 3   )     Behavior: 2.67 ( 3 )       OTA: 3.57

Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):     

Periods of UA /C ONF :     NJP : NFIR         S CM : NFIR        SPCM: NFIR        C C :

Retention Warning Counseling :

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 :

Oth er Documentation :
* DD214 Army – Honorable discharge

PERTINENT REGULATION/LAW

 A. Navy Military Personnel Manual, (NAVPERS 15560C), re-issued October 2002, effective 22 August 2002 until 28 April 2005, Article 1910-152, SEPARATION BY REASON OF ALCOHOL ABUSE REHABILITATION

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. Seeking to reenlist in Navy and need s his reentry (RE) c ode changed .
2. Incident for which I was discharged was a singular incident involving alcohol .
3. Post- service conduct.
Decision

Date: 20 0 9 0810             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 discharg e if such change is warranted. 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’s Chronological Record of Medical Care of 20 August 2003 , reflects the Applicant was referred to a Substance Abuse Counseling Center in Iwakuni, Japan , for evaluation after he reported to physical training smelling like alcohol. The Applicant was determined to be a substance abuser and recommended for outpatient treatment. Per the Multidisciplinary Treatment Team Discharge Note of 28 October 2003, the Applicant completed an ele ven- day outpatient treatment program and was provided several recommendations, which included the following: “ Members who incur an alcohol incident, any time in their careers, after having received treatment… will be processed for administrative separation, unless a waiver is obtained.” Per the Chronological Record of Medical Care of 24 December 2003 , the Applicant was involved in a fight resulting in a scalp laceration, facial/orbital ecchymosis and pain in his right knee; he appeared intoxicated and was not able to give a coherent account of events. Per the Chronological Record of Medical Care of 20 February 2004, the Applicant was examined at Branch Medical Clinic, Bangor, Washington , and was deemed an alcohol abuse treatment failure. Subsequently, t he Applicant was administratively separated due to Alcohol Rehabilitation Failure with a General (Under Honorable Conditions) characterization of service as noted in the Commanding Officer’s (Transient Personnel Unit Puget Sound) l etter of 23 February 2004.

The Applicant submitted a DD214 issued by the Department of the Army which ind icates he was awarded a n Air Force Meritorious Service Medal . The Board question ed the legitimacy of this award taking into consideration the criteria for r eceiving such an award and the rank and length of service of the Applicant. Accordingly , the Board contacted the Department of the Army and recommended a review and correction of this matter as warranted . A Missouri National Guard representative verified that it should be an Air Force Reserve Meritorious Service Medal .

: (Nondecisional) The Applicant is seeking to have his RE code change d to reenlist in the Navy. This is an issue that 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 , for additional information .

: (Decisional) ( ) . In seeking an upgrade the Applicant contends the misconduct resulting in his discharge was an isolated incident involving alcohol and was not indicative of his service . As noted above, the Applicant was properly diagnosed as an alcohol rehabilitation failure and subject to administrative separation processing. The Board found no evidence the Applicant’s command requested a waiver to retain him. However, a fter a thorough review of the records, supporting documents, facts, and circumstances unique to this case, NDRB discerned no impropriety in the discharge action but did discern an inequity in the characterization of the Applicant ’ s service . Based on hi s overall in-service record, including no evidence of disciplinar y action during this enlistment and overall trait average, the Board voted unanimously to upgrade the characterization of service, but his narrative reason for separation shall remain as issued.

Issue 3 : (Decisional) ( ) The NDRB did review this issue, but since the NDRB granted full relief based on the previous issue, no further response is required.
Summary: After a thorough review of the available evidence, to include the Applicant’s s ummary of s ervice, medical and r ecord e ntries, and d ischarge p rocess, the Board found the discharge was proper but not equitable . Therefore, the awarded characterization of service shall change to , but the narrative reason for separation shall remain ALCOHOL REHABILITATION FAILURE.


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 Association of Service Disable 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 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 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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