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USMC | DRB | 2010_Marine | MD1002118
Original file (MD1002118.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-, USMC
Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request
Application Received: 20100824
Characterization of Service Received:
Narrative Reason for Discharge:
Authority for Discharge: MARCORSEPMAN

Applicant’s Request:      Characterization change to:
         Narrative Reason change to: MENTAL CONDITION/PERSONALITY DISORDER

Summary of Service
Prior Service:
Inactive:         USMCR (DEP)       20050819 - 20051010     Active:  

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Current Enlistment: 20051011     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Months
Date of Discharge: 20100113      H ighest Rank:
Length of Service : Y ea r ( s ) M on th ( s ) 03 D a y ( s )
Education Level:        AFQT: 74
MOS: 6314
Proficiency/Conduct M arks (# of occasions): ( ) / ( )    Fitness R eports:

Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):      Rifle (2) CoC LoA

Periods of UA / CONF :

NJP:

- 20090604 :       Article (Failure to obey a lawful order)
         Article 107 (False official statement)
         Awarded : Susp ended:

- 20090626 :       Article (Admit to CID agent that he had used marijuana on several occasions while on leave)
         Article (Failure to obey order, not to consume alcohol)
         Article 91 ( Insubordinate conduct, sent a disrespectful text message to an NCO)
         Awarded : Susp ended:

- 20090911 :       Article (Positive urinalysis for THC 237ng)
         Awarded : Susp ended:

SCM:     SPCM:    CC:

Retention Warning Counseling :

- 20090605 :       For NJP conducted on 20090604 for violation of A rticle s 92 and 107 of the UCMJ.

- 20090701 :       For your diagnoses of Personality Disorder as described on Axis II of the multiaxial classification in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manu a l.

- 20090727 :       For failing to pass a PFT.

- 20 0 90811 :       For violation of A rticle 91 when you disrespected a SNCO by disrespectfully stating “what ever” after being counseled by his SNCOIC.

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



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

Applicant’s Issues

 1.       The Applicant seeks an upgrade for service benefits and seeks to change his separation code from GKK1.
 2 .       The Applicant contends his discharge is inequitable , because it was based on behavior that is symptom atic of Bor derline Personality Disorder.
3 .       The Applicant believes his discharge was inequitable , because it did not consider the prior 42 months of honorable service .
4 .       The Applicant believes his post-service conduct is worthy of consideration.
5 .       The Applicant requests to have his narrative reason changed from “M isconduct ” to “Mental Condition/P ersonality D isorder . ”

Decision

Date: 20 1 1 1013            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. T he 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 and propriety. The Applicant’s record of service included 6105 counseling warnings and for o f the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ): Article ( Insubordinate conduct ) , Article ( Failure to obey a lawful order , ) , Article 107 (False official statement) , and Article ( Wrongful use of a controlled substance , p ositive urinalysis for THC - 237 ng /ml ) . The Applicant a pre-service drug waiver for using marijuana ten times prior to entering the Marine Corps acknowledged complete understanding of the Marine Corps Policy Concerning Illegal Use of Drugs on 18 August 2005 . Based on the Article 112a violation , processing for administ rative separation is mandatory. When notified of a dministrative separation processing using the procedure, the Applicant rights to consult with a qualified coun sel and request an administrative board; however, he waived his rights to submit a written statement .

Issue 1 : (Nondecisional) The Applicant seeks an upgrade for service benefits and seeks to change his separation code from GKK1. T he 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. T he Applicant also request ed that his separation code be changed. The NDRB is not authorized to change separation codes. Only the Board for Correction of Naval Records can make changes to separation codes.

: ( D ecisional) (Equity) . The Applicant contends his discharge is inequitable , because it was based on behavior that is symptom atic of Borderline Personality Disorder. The Applicant states that the incident s that led to his discharge w ere prompted by his mental disorder and believes that it was unfair to penalize him for something that was out of his control. On 24 June 2009, the Applicant was diagnosed with a Personality Disorder. This diagnosis, however, does not mean that the Applicant had no control over his behavior, and it certainly does not excuse the multiple instances of serious misconduct carried out by the Applicant. There is nothing in the Applicant’s medical or service records that indicate that he was either not responsible for his actions or should not be held accountable for his misconduct. Violation of UCMJ Articles 91, 92, 107, and 112a are all considered serious offenses that warrant a punitive discharge after adjudication at a court-martial. The Applicant’s command, however, decided to take the more lenient route by administratively discharging him with a General (Under Honorable Conditions) characterization of service. Relief denied.



: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant believes his discharge was inequitable , because it did not consider the prior 42 months of honorable service. Despite a service member’s prior record of service, certain serious offenses warrant separation from the Marine Corps to maintain proper order and discipline. Violation of Article 112a of the UCMJ is one such offense requiring mandatory processing for administrative separation regardless of grade or time in service. This usually results in an unfavorable characterization of discharge or, at a maximum, a punitive discharge and possible confinement if adjudicated and awarded as part of a sentence by a special or general court-martial. The Applicant was found guilty of violation of Article 112a. However, his command did not pursue a punitive discharge but opted instead for the more lenient administrative discharge. Relief denied.

Issue 4 : (D ecisional) (Equity) . The Applicant believes his post-service conduct is worthy of consideration. The Applicant provided a student report card from an aviation maintenance technician program as documentation of post-service accomplishments. The NDRB considers 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. The Applicant could have provided documentation as detailed in the Post-Service Conduct paragraph in the Addendum with the recognition that 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 establishes that the in-service misconduct was an aberration. To warrant an upgrade, the Applicant’s post-service efforts need to be more encompassing. T he Board determined that the documentation submitted by the Applicant does not demonstrate if in-service misconduct was an aberration. The characterization of service received was appropriate considering the length of service and UCMJ violations. Relief denied.
Issue 5 : (Decisional) ( Propriety/ Equity) . The Applicant requests to have his narrative reason changed from “ M isconduct ” to “Mental Condition/ P ersonality D isorder. ” Appropriate regulations stipulate that separations for misconduct take precedence over potential separations for other reasons. The evidence reviewed did not persuade NDRB that th e administrative separation w as improper or inequitable. The Board determined no change is warranted. Relief denied.

Summary: After a thorough review of the available evidence, to include the Applicant’s summary of service, medical and service record entries and discharge process, the Board found 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 , more specifically , Service Benefits, Medical Conditions and Misconduct, 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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