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NAVY | DRB | 2009_Navy | ND0901760
Original file (ND0901760.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-MMFR, USN
Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request
Application Received: 20090609
Characterization of Service Received:
Narrative Reason for Discharge:
Authority for Discharge: MILPERSMAN 3630300

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

Summary of Service

Prior Service:
 Inactive:         US N R (DEP)        19941025 - 19941109     Active:  

Period of Service Under Review:
 Date of Current Enlistment: 19941110     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Extension
Date of Discharge: 19970709      Highest Rank/Rate: MMFA
Length of Service : Y ear ( s ) M onth ( s ) 30 D a y ( s )
Education Level:        AFQT: 41
Evaluation M arks:         Performance: 2.3 ( 4 )      Behavior: 1.8 ( 4 )        OTA: 2.46
Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):      (2)

Periods of UA /C ONF :

NJP :

- 19960423:      Article (Larceny)
         Awarded: Suspended:

- 19970108 :      Article (Assault )
         Awarded: Suspended:

S CM : SPCM: C C :

Retention Warning Counseling:

- 19960425 :      For substandard performance, violation of UCMJ article 121 (Larceny), awarded NJP on 19960423.

- 19960619 :      For counseling and understanding of the ramif ications of an alcohol incident.

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 :   


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

Applicant’s Issues

 1. Wants to reenter the military.
2. Was young and immature at the time of discharge.
3 . Post-service conduct warrants consideration.

Decision

Date: 20 10 0331             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 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 two NAVPERS 1070/613 (Page 13) warnings, and two nonjudicial punishments (NJPs) for violations o f the Uniform Code of Mil itary Justice (UCMJ): Article 121 ( Larceny, 1 specification against a shipmate ) and A rticle 128 ( Assault, 1 specification against a shipmate ). Based on the offenses committed by the Applicant, his command administratively processed him for separation. When notified of administrative separation processing using the procedure, the Applicant waived rights to consult with a qualified counsel, submit a written statement, and request a General Court-Martial Convening Authority (GCMA) review.

Issue 1 : (Nondecisional) The Applicant wants to reenlist in the military. T he NDRB has no jurisdiction over reenlistment, reentry, or reinstatement into the Navy, Marine Corps, or any oth er of the Armed Forces, and is not aut horized to change a reentry code. The NDRB notes the Applicant provided a DD Form 214 for four years of service in the Marine Corps and a NGB Form 22 for serving almost three years seven months in the Air National Guard of Michigan after his discharge from the Navy.

Issue 2: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends he was young and immature at the time of discharge. The NDRB recognizes that many of our servicemembers are young at the time they enlist for service but still manage to serve honorably. While we understand some members may be less mature than others, the NDRB does not view a member’s claim of youth and immaturity to be a mitigating factor or a sufficient reason for misconduct. Due to the severity of the charges against him, the Board determined relief was not warranted.

Issues 3: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends his service in the Navy should be upgraded based on his post-Navy service awards and decorations, Honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, and for being a model citizen since discharge, including completion of his college education. The NDRB considers post-service conduct to determine if the misconduct committed during active duty was indicative of the Applicant's character or an aberration. The Applicant’s post-service conduct included additional military service in both the Marine Corps and Air National Guard of Michigan. The Applicant stated he had received a Good Conduct Service award and an Air Reserves Forces Meritorious Medal. The Applicant also provided letters of reference, unofficial college transcripts, two certificates of recognition for perfect attendance from the ITT Technical Institute, a certificate of appreciation from Joint Task Forc e ZIA, and a criminal background check. The NDRB could not verify the Applicant’s Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal (GCM) . The NDRB found the Applicant had one NJP on 16 January 2001, which would have made him ineligible to receive a GCM. While the NDRB recognizes the Applicant has mature d , the NDRB determined the evidence of post-service conduct was not sufficient enough to form a basis of relief. The Applicant's efforts need to be more encompassing. The Applicant should provide documentation which could include but not limited to: letters of personal references and verifiable employment record /letter of recommendation from his employers; evidence of a alcohol free life style (completion of rehab/proof he attended Narcotics Anonymous or AA meetings); and certification of non-involvement with civil authorities , evidence of financial stability (home ownership/home rental history, credit card payments); official college transcripts; documentation of community /church service and if married, a marriage certificate. The Applicant should be aware completion of these items alone does not guarantee an upgrade from an unfavorable discharge as each discharge is reviewed by the Board on a case by case basis to determine if post service conduct mitigates the reason for the characterization of discharge.

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 .

Pertinent Regulation/Law

 A. Naval Military Personnel Manual, (NAVPERS 15560C, Change 14, effective 3 October 1996 until
11 December 1997), Article 3630600, SEPARATION OF ENLISTED PERSONNEL BY REASON OF MISCONDUCT - A PATTERN OF 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 .


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 Disabled 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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