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NAVY | DRB | 2010_Navy | ND1000850
Original file (ND1000850.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-JOSN, USN
Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request
Application Received: 20100217
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)        19990823 - 19990920     Active:  

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Current Enlistment: 19990921     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Extension
Date of Discharge: 20020722      Highest Rank/Rate: JO3
Length of Service : Y ear ( s ) M onth ( s ) 02 D a y ( s )
Education Level:        AFQT: 94
Evaluation M arks:         Performance: 3.7 ( 3 )      Behavior: 2.0 ( 3 )        OTA: 2.71 (3)

Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):     

Periods of UA /C ONF :

NJP :

- 20020621 :       Article (Wrongful use, possession, etc of controlled substance , marijuana )
         Awarded : (to E-3) Susp ended:

S CM :             SPCM:

C C : (extracted from Feb-Jun 2002 Evaluation Report comments)

- NFIR :   Offense: DUI (2 offenses)
         Sentence : NFIR

Retention Warning Counseling :

- 20010727 :       For deficiency in your performance and or conduct: Unauthorized Absence, 0730, 2 Aug 2001 – 1030, 2 Aug 2001.

Administrative Corrections to the Applicant’s DD 214

The NDRB did note administrative error(s) on the original DD Form 214:

          Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations, and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized, should read: “ NAVY MARINE CORPS ACHIEVMENT MEDAL LETTER OF COMMENDATION ”
        
The NDRB will recommend to the Commander, Navy Personnel Command, that the DD 214 be corrected as appropriate.


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 Naval Military Personnel Manual, (NAVPERS 15560C), Change 33, effective 16 July 2001 until
21 August 2002, Article 1910-146, SEPARATION BY REASON OF MISCONDUCT - DRUG ABUSE.

 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.        Applicant seeks an upgrade to obtain VA benefits in order to attend college.
2.       Applicant contends post-service achievements are indicative of his true character and warrant consideration for upgrade.
Decision

Date : 20 1 1 03 10             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 identif ied one decisional issue for the Board ’s consideration . 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 proprie ty. The Applicant’s record of service included NAVPERS 1070/613 (Page 13) warning (27 Jul 2001) for Unauthorized absence and for o f the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ): Article 112a ( Wrongful use, possession, etc of controlled substance, marijuana, as a result of random urinalysis ) . The records also mentioned that the Applicant had twice been charged and convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) in 2001 , which he failed to reveal to his chain of command. Additionally, comments made in his last two evaluation reports mentioned his inability to “accept the inherent responsibilities and expectations demanded of Sailor , ” that he “consistently found it difficult to use, work within, and respect the chain of command , ” and “set a poor example for junior personnel by his disrespect for chain of command, lack of attention to counseling, and detrimental actions to good order and discipline . ”

The Applicant’s v iolation of Article 112a is considered a serious offense and is punishable by confinement up to two years and a Bad Conduct or Dishonorable Discharge if awarded at trial by punitive courts-martial (Special or General). The record revealed that the Applicant had a pre-service drug waiver for using marijuana 10 times prior to entering the Navy ; accordingly, he was well familiar with the Navy’s Zero Tolerance Policy on illegal drug use . B ased on the Article 112a violation, processing for administrative separation is mandatory per the U.S. Nav al Military Personnel Manual . When notified of administrative separation processing using the procedure on 24 Jun 2001 , the Applicant waived rights to consult with a qualified counsel, submit a written statement, and request an administrative separation board . On 10 Jul 2002, the Separation Authority (Commander, Navy Region North East) directed that the Applicant be given an opportunity to attend Level III in-patient substance abuse rehabilitation treatment prior to being discharged from the Navy for Misconduct (Drug Abuse) , with an Under Other Than Honorable Conditions character of service. The Applicant stated in his letter to the Board that he refused substance abuse rehabilitation treatment and was subsequently discharged as directed by the Separation Authority.

: (Nondecisional) The Applicant seeks an upgrade to obtain VA benefits in order to attend college. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs determines eligibility for post-service benefits, not the NDRB , as r egulations limit the NDRB’s review to a determination of the propriety and equity of the discharge. Additionally, t he NDRB has no authority to upgrade a discharge for the sole purpose of enhancing employment or educational opportunities solely on the issue of obtaining veterans benefits . Therefore, t his issue does not serve to provide a foundation upon which the Board can grant relief.
: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends post-service achievements are indicative of his true character and warrant consideration for upgrade. The Applicant submitted documentary evidence to include: Applicant letters to the Board (2), personal letters of reference (5), and completion certificate for a 12 - month faith-based substance abuse rehabilitation program. Though not submitted by the Applicant, documentation could have included: a verifiable employment record ; let ter s of recommendation from his employers; certification of non-involvement with civil authorities ; evidence of financial stability ; college or vocational school transcripts; and marri age/birth certificate s (as applicable) . The NDRB considers post-service conduct in order to determine if the misconduct committed during active duty was indicative of the Applicant's character or an aberration. However, there is no law or regulation that provides an unfavorable discharge may be upgraded based solely on the passage of time or good conduct in civilian life subsequent to leaving the service. Normally, to permit relief, a procedural impropriety or inequity must have been found to have existed during the period of enlistment in question. After careful review and consideration of all the available evidence, to include documents submitted by the Applicant, the Board found that the Applicant’s discharge from Naval service was proper and equitable , and this issue did not provide a basis for which relief could be granted.

Summary: After a thorough review of the available evidence, to include the Applicant’s s ummary of s ervice, r ecord e ntries and administrative separation 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 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 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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