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USMC | DRB | 2010_Marine | MD1001393
Original file (MD1001393.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-, USMC
Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request
Application Received: 20100512
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)       1993092 7 - 19940103     Active:  

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Current Enlistment: 19940104     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Months
Date of Discharge: 19960823      H ighest Rank:
Length of Service : Y ea r ( s ) M on th ( s ) 20 D a y ( s )
Education Level:        AFQT: 43
MOS: 3531
Proficiency/Conduct M arks (# of occasions): ( ) / ( )    Fitness R eports:

Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):      Rifle

NJP:
- 19940924 :       Article (General article; at 15 Area MCX, o /o 199309 01, act in a manner which br ought discredit upon himself and the U . S . Armed Forces, to wit: wrongfully obtain a wallet insert)
         Awarded : Susp ended:

SCM:     CC:

SPCM:
- 19951013 :       Art icle (Absence without leave ) , 2 specifications
                  Specification 1: 0630, 199507 05 - 0 7 30, 199507 06 (1 day)
                  Specification 2: 0915, 2 8 July 1995 - 1110, 199507 2 8
         Art icle ( Drugs - cocaine) , o/o 19950706
         Art icle ( Drugs - amphetamine/methamphetamine) , o/o 19950805
         Sentence : CONF 90 days (19951013-19951225, 73 days) RIR ( to E-1)

Retention Warning Counseling :
- 19940915 :       For violation of Article 134 , wrongfully bringing discredit to himself and U . S . Armed Forces.

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 1105, DISCHARGE ADJUDGED BY SENTENCE OF COURT-MARTIAL , of the Marine Corps Separation and Retirement Manual, (MCO P1900.16E), effective 18 August 1995 until 31 August 2001.

 B. Secretary of the Navy Instruction 5420.174D of 22 December 2004, Naval Discharge Review Board (NDRB) Procedures and Standards, Part IV, Para 403m(7)(a), Presumption Concerning Court-Martial Specifications .



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

Applicant’s Issues

 1.       Applicant seeks consideration for discharge upgrade, contending his misconduct was an isolated incident.

Decision

Date: 20 1 1 0 804            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. With respect to a discharge adjudged by a court-martial case, 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. In response to the Applicant ’ s clemency request, relevant and material facts stated in a court-martial specification are presumed by the NDRB to be established facts. The Applicant ’ s case was considered under the pertinent standards of equity to determine if any factors in this particular case merited clemency. The Board complete d a thorough review of the circumstances that led to discharge and the discharge process to ensure discharge met the pertinent standards of equity. The Applicant’s record of service included one 6105 counseling retention warning (15 Sep 1994) , nonjudicial punishment (NJP) for o f the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ): Article ( General Article, o/o 1 Sep 1993, wrongfully obtained a wallet insert at MCX ), and for of the UCMJ: Article ( Absence without leave , 2 specifications: 06 30, 5 Jul 1995-0730, 6 Jul 1995 and 0915-1110, 28 Jul 1995 ) and Article 112a (Wrongful use, possession, etc of a controlled substance, 2 specifications: cocaine, o/o 6 Jul 1995 and amphetamine/methamphetamine, o/o 5 Aug 1995) . He signed acknowledged complete understanding of the Marine Corps Policy Concerning Illegal Use of Drugs on 23 September 1993. The Applicant a pre-service drug waiver prior to entering the Marine Corps, but was granted a waiver on his second day at boot camp for failing to disclose his prior use of marijuana in Dec 1993. Based on the Article 112a violation s for cocaine and methamphetamine use , the Applicant’s command referred him to trial by Special Court - Martial where he was convicted on 13 Oct 1995. After completion of appellate review by the Navy - Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals , the Applicant was separated from the Marine Corps on 23 Aug 1996 with a Bad Conduct Discharge.

: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant seeks consideration for discharge upgrade, contending his misconduct was an isolated incident. In response to the Applicant’s clemency request, relevant and material facts stated in a court-martial specification are presumed by the NDRB to be established facts. After a thorough review of the available evidence, to include the Applicant’s Summary of Service, Service Record Entries , Court-Martial proceedings, and the punitive d ischarge p rocess, the Board found clemency was not warranted , and the sentence awarded the Applicant at his court-martial was appropriate for the offenses he committed. Despite a service member’s prior record of se rvice, certain serious offenses, even though isolate d, warrant separation from the n aval ser vice in order to maintain good order and discipline ; violation s of Article 112a meet this standard . The Applicant signed the USMC Drug Policy on 23 Sep 1993 and was fully aware there is a zero - tolerance policy for drug abuse. Additionally, he was granted a fraudulent enlistment waiver at boot camp after revealing that he failed to disclose his prior use of marijuana in Dec 1993. Further, just one month after he initially tested positive for illegal use of cocaine, the Applicant chose to use illegal drugs once again and tested positive for amphetamine/methamphetamine. T he record clearly reflects his willful misconduct and demonstrated he was unfit for further service. The evidence of record does not demonstrate the Applicant was not responsible for his conduct or he should not be held accountable for his actions. The Applicant’s conduct, which resulted in a F ederal conviction and punitive discharge , reflects the Applicant’s willful failure to meet the requirements of conduct expected of all Marines . Relief denied.

S ummary: After a thorough review of the available evidence, to include the Applicant’s summary of service, record entries and the separation 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 for additional information.


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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