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USMC | DRB | 2010_Marine | MD1000502

Original file (MD1000502.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-, USMC

Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request

Application Received: 20091130

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)       20070618 - 20070701     Active:

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Current Enlistment: 20070702     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Months
Date of Discharge: 20090323      H ighest Rank:
Length of Service : Y ea r ( s ) M on th ( s ) 22 D a y ( s )
Education Level:        AFQT: 66
MOS: 7051
Proficiency/Conduct M arks (# of occasions): ( ) / ( )    Fitness R eports:

Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):      LoA

Periods of CONF :

NJP:
- 20080929 :      Article (U nauthorized absence )
         Awarded: Suspended: Vacate suspension 20081118

- 20081121 :      Article ( Failure to obey an order or regulation forf ailing to maintain a proper uniform and shave)
         Article (Break restriction - 2 specifications )
         Specification 1: Going to seven day store without permission
         Specification 2: Purchasing beer
         Awarded: Suspended:

SCM: SPCM: CC:

Retention Warning Counseling :
- 20080825 :       For misplacing military ID Card.
- 20080827 :       For failure to obey an order or regulation. Having been identified as a potential Marine at risk , you were given specific instructions , which you failed to follow by violating MCAF policy letter 01-08. Blatant disregard of local policy and Marine Corps safety regulations will not be tolerated.
- 20080828 :       For repeated unauthorized absences. In lieu of repeated counseling from your SNOIC you have failed to demonstrate any corrective action and continue to report late for duty on a daily basis.
- 20080929 :       For your nonjudicial punishment on 20080929 in which you were found guilty of violating Article 86.
- 20081027 :       For failed responsibilities in developing a family care plan IAW MCO 1740.13A and MARADMIN 461/08. It has been 91 days since SNM checked into the command and he has refused to produce or even consider a family care plan due to trust issues which has resulted in his inability to work within his primary MOS.
- 20081121 :       For nonjudicial punishment on 20081121 in which you were found guilty of violating Article 92 and 134 breaking restriction x 2 .

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:          Rehabilitation/Treatment:                  Criminal Records:
         Personal Documentation :          Community Service:                References:
         Department of VA letter:                  Oth er Documentation:
                  Additional Statements :
         From Applicant:          From /To Representation:          From /To Congress m ember :

Pertinent Regulation/Law

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

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 discharge is inequitable , because he should have been discharged due to parental hardship.

Decision

Date : 20110304 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 governmental affairs unless there is substantial credible evidence to rebut the presumption, to include evidence submitted by the Applicant. The Board did complete a thorough review of the circumstances that led to discharge and the discharge process to ensure discharge met the pertinent standards of equity and propriety. The Applicant’s record of service included 6105 counseling warnings and for o f the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ): Article (Unauthorized absence from appointed place of duty), Article (Failure to obey an order or regulation for failing to maintain a proper uniform and shave) , and Article (Break restriction - 2 specifications). Based on the offenses committed by the Applicant, command administratively processed for separation. When notified of administrative separation processing using the procedure, the Applicant exercised rights to co nsult with a qualified counsel and to request an administrative board, but waived his rights to submit a written statement for consideration by the separating authority . The Applicant appeared before the administrative separation board (ASB) on 6 January 2009. The ASB determined by a unanimous vote, 3-0, that the preponderance of the evidence supported the notification for separation, and that the ASB recommended that the Applicant should be separated from the Marine Corps , but by a 2-1 vote, his discharge should be characterized as Under Other Than Honorable Conditions. The command and separating authority approved the ASB’s recommendations and discharged him accordingly.

: (Decisional) ( ) PARTIAL . The Applicant contends his discharge is inequitable , because he should have been discharged due to parental hardship. The NDRB reviews the propriety and equity of an Applicant’s discharge individually on a case-by-case basis. If such a review reveals an impropriety or inequity, relief is in order. The Applicant was unable to comply with the requirements of a family ca re plan to enable him to be able to deploy throughout the world on short notice and to be able to fully execute his military duties. The NDRB found no documentation supporting the fact that the Applicant was actively trying to be discharged due to parenthood issues . Also, the Applicant’s misconduct was not related to his inability to care for his children. However, reflecting on the ASB’s findings, the NDRB sided with the minority report on the characterization of service received. Based on the minor infractions and the circumstances at the time , the NDRB discerned no impropriety in the discharge action but did discern an inequity in the characterization of the Applicant’s service. Therefore, the NDRB determined that an upgrade to General (Under Honorable Conditions) would be appropriate , but that the narrative reason will remain as issued upon discharge. Full relief to Honorable was not granted because of the documented misconduct by the Applicant. Partial r elief granted.

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 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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USMC | DRB | 2010_Marine | MD1000502

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