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NAVY | DRB | 2009_Navy | ND0901144
Original file (ND0901144.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-OSSN, USN
Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request
Application Received: 20090330
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)        20001208 - 20010705     Active:  

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Current Enlistment: 20010706     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Extension
Date of Discharge: 20041112      Highest Rank/Rate: OS3
Length of Service : Y ear ( s ) M onth ( s ) 07 D a y ( s )
Education Level:        AFQT: 84
Evaluation M arks:         Performance: 3.5 ( 4 )      Behavior: 2.8 ( 4 )        OTA: 3.08

Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):     

Periods of UA : 20030715 – 20030716 (1 day)

NJP :
- 20031025 :       Art icle 86 (UA - failure to go to appointed place of duty )
         Awarded : Susp ended :

- 20041013 :       Article 121 ( Larceny )
         Awarded: Suspended:

S CM :    SPCM:    C C :

Retention Warning Counseling :

- 20031025 :       For failure to go to appointed place of duty.

- 20040930 :       For 301.9 Personality Disorder NOS with Schizotypal and Narcissistic features.
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 /To Representat ion :            From /To Congress m ember :         
Oth er Documentation :   

Pertinent Regulation/Law

 A. Naval Military Personnel Manual, (NAVPERS 15560C), re-issued October 2002, effective 22 August 2002 until 19 June 2005, Article 1910-122, Separation By Reason of Convenience of the Government - Personality Disorder(s).
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 obtain educational benefits .
2.       His discharge should be upgraded to Honorable as his Art icle 86 and 21 violations were closed prior to his commanding officer’s decision to discharge him for 1910-122 ( Personality Disorder ) .

Decision

Date: 20 0 9 1022             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 g overnment al affairs unless there is substantial credible evidence to rebut the presumption, to include evidence submitted by the Applicant.

The Applicant’s record of service included NAVPERS 1070/613 (Page 13) warnings and nonjudicial punishments (NJPs) for o f the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) , Article 86 ( Unauthorized absence –failure to go to appointed place of duty ) and Article 121 (Larceny of property valued at less than $20.65). Per his medical record s , the Applicant underwent a psychological evaluation (initial visit) on 12 May 2004, while on board the USS RONAL D REAGAN (CVN- 76), a fter being referr ed by his chain of command due to “ their concerns about his level of anxiety and j oking comments about jumping off the ship . ” The Applicant acknowledged during the evaluation that he ha d been very anxious and had very poor relationships with the people in his work space. He was diagnosed as having an a djustment d isorder with a nxiety and recommended for cognitive behavioral psychotherapy. O n 30 September 2004 , the Applicant was evaluat ed again by the ship’s psychologist on board the USS RONALD REAGAN , d iagnosed as having a p ersonality d isorder with s chizoty pal and n arcissistic features , and recom mended for administrative separation .

Based on the offenses committed by the Applicant and the recommendation of the ship’s psychologist , command administratively processed for separation due to a p ersonality d isorder and a p attern of m isconduct. When notified of a dministrative s eparation p rocessing, the Applicant waived right to consult with qualified counsel , submit a written statement, and request a Convening Authority Review and was separated due to Personality with a General (Under Honorable Conditions) characterization .

: (Nondecisional) The Applicant is requesting an upgrade in the characterization of service for educational benefits.
However, 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.
Issue 2 : (Decisional) ( ) . In support of the request to upgrade the characterization of his discharge to honorable , t he Applicant contends his Article 86 and Article 121 infractions were closed prior to his commanding officer’s decision to discharge him for Personality Disorder. Pursuant to Naval Military Personnel Manual (MILPERSMAN) 1910-122, members may be processed for separation based on a mental health professional's clinical diagnosis of a personality disorder when the disorder is so severe that one's ability to function effectively and perform their duties is significantly impaired, and /or the individual poses a threat to safety or well being of themselves or others. However, s eparation for p ersonality d isorder is not appropriate when separation is warranted for any other reason (e.g., member meets minimum criteria for misconduct processing ) . After reviewing the evidence of record and matters presented by the Applicant, the NDRB determined there was sufficient evidence to support administrative separation processing for personality disorder and a pattern of misconduct and that his commanding officer (CO) acted properly in administratively separating the Applicant after the disciplinary matters were resolved . Furthermore, t here is no regulation that prohibits the CO from administratively separating an individual once he or she has been subjected to disciplinary action at NJP. To the contrary, such disciplinary actions usually serve as the basis for separating a member from the military . A ccordingly, the Applicant’s CO dual processed him for separation by reason of misconduct due to a pattern of misconduct and convenience of the government due to a diagnosed personality disorder as noted supra . However, after taking into consideration the factors unique to this case, the Applicant’s commanding officer elected to separate him for Personality Disorder despite the d ocumented evidence of a pattern of misconduct, which , i n the NDRB ’s opinion , is viewed less favorably than personality disorder .

Summary: After a thorough review of the available evidence, to include the Applicant’s s ummary of s ervice, r ecord e ntries, and d ischarge p rocess, 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 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.
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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