Upgrade.Vet

NAVY | DRB | 2010_Navy | ND1002296

Original file (ND1002296.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-MSSR, USN

Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request

Application Received: 20100922

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)        19931214 - 19940713     Active:

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Current Enlistment: 19940714     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Extension
Date of Discharge: 19970212      Highest Rank/Rate: MSSA
Length of Service : Y ear s M onth s 29 D a ys
Education Level:        AFQT: 55
Evaluation M arks:         Performance: NFIR         Behavior: NFIR OTA: NFIR

Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):      SSDR NDSM SWASM (2)

Period of UA : 19960215 - 19960218, 3 days

NJP : 1

- 19951219 :      Article 8 1 (Conspiracy)
         Article 134 (General A rticle, 2 specifications )
         Specification 1: Altering an official military ID card
         Specification 2: Wrongful possession of a false military ID
         Awarded: FOP RESTR EPD Suspended: RESTR EPD

S CM : NONE        CC: NONE

SPCM: 1

- 19960730 :      Article 86 (Absence without leave, UA ) , 2 specification s
         Specification 1: 19960630 – 19960701, 2 days
         Specification 2: 19960705 – 19960708, 3 days
         Article 112a (Wrongful use of controlled substance , marijuana)
         Article 123 (Forgery, 2 specifications )
         Specification 1: Falsely uttered a check on 19960110
         Specification 2: Falsely uttered a check on 19960111
         Sentence: RIR FOP CONF 3 months (19960730-19961013, 75 days)

Retention Warning Counseling: 1

- 19951222 :      For conspiracy, altering official ID , and possession of false ID

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:                  Other Documentation:
                  Additional Statements:
         From Applicant:          From/To Representation:          From/To Congress member:

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 .

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 his misconduct occurred wh ile he was suffering from depression caused by the death of his grandmother.
2.       The Applicant contends his post-service conduct, as evidenced by his completion of a college degree program, is worthy of consideration.

Decision

Date: 20 1 2 0119             Location: Washington D.C .        R epresentation : NONE

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 one NAV PERS 1070/613 (Page 13) warning and one non - judicial punishment (NJP) for violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ): Article 81 (Conspiracy , 1 specification ) and Article 134 ( General A rticle, 2 specifications : Specification 1: Altering an official military ID card and Specification 2: Wrongful possession of a false military ID ). His record of service also included one S pecial C ourt- M artial for violations of the UCMJ: Article 86 (Absence without leave, 2 specifications ), Article 112a (Wrongful use of a controlled substance, 1 specification) , and Article 123 (Forgery, 2 specifications ). The Applicant did not require a pre-service drug waiver to enter the Navy. Processing for administrative separation is mandatory for Article 112a violations. Based on the offenses committed by the Applicant, his command administratively processed him for separation . When notified of administrative separation processing using the administrative board procedure, the Applicant exercised his rights to consult with a qualified counsel, submit a written statement, and request an administrative board . The Administrative Separation Board voted unanimously to recommend separation .

: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends his discharge is inequitable , because his misconduct occurred while he was suffering from depression caused by the death of his grandmother. The NDRB recognizes serving in the U.S. Navy is challenging. However, most members of the Navy serve honorably and therefore earn their Honorable and General discharges. In fairness to those members of the Navy, commanders and separation authorities are tasked to ensure undeserving Sailors receive no higher characterization than is due. T he NDRB found no evidence in the record indicating the Applicant was suffering from depression , and he did not provide any. The NDRB also found no evidence that the Applicant attempted to u s e the numerous services available to service members who suffer from depression or other emotional problems during their enlistment , such as Navy c haplains, me dical or m ental h ealth professionals, Family Advocacy Programs, or the Red Cross . Instead, he chose to use marijuana and engage in multiple instances of misconduct , to include forgery and going UA. The Board concluded the discharge was proper and equitable. Relief denied.

: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends his post-service conduct, as evidenced by his character reference and completion of a college degree program, is worthy of consideration. The NDRB is authorized to consider post-service factors in the re-characterization of a discharge. However, there is no law, or regulation, that provides that an unfavorable discharge may be upgraded based solely on good conduct in civilian life subsequent to leaving the service. Normally, to permit relief, a procedural impropriety or inequity must have been found to exist during the period of enlistment in question. The documentation the Applicant submitted along with the DD Form 293 was not sufficient to evaluate his post-service character and conduct. His efforts needed to have been more encompassing. He could have provided documentation as specified in the Post-Service Conduct paragraph in the Addendum , however, c ompletion 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. Relief denied.

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 remain UNDER OTHER THAN HONORABLE CONDITIONS and the narrative reason for separation shall remain PATTERN OF MISCONDUDCT . The Applicant remains eligible for a personal appearance hearing for a period of fifteen years from the date of h is 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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NAVY | DRB | 2010_Navy | ND1002296

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