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USMC | DRB | 2011_Marine | MD1100319
Original file (MD1100319.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-, USMC
Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request
Application Received: 20101118
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:         NONE              Active:  

Period of Service Under Review:
 Date of Current Enlistment: 20090629     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Months
Date of Discharge: 20100113      H ighest Rank:
Length of Service:
          Inactive:        Year(s) Month(s) 26 D ay(s)
         Active:  Year(s) Month(s) 16 D ay(s)
 Education Level:        AFQT: 59
MOS: 8011
Proficiency/Conduct M arks (# of occasions): ( ) / ( )    Fitness Reports:

Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):      Rifle

Periods of UA / CONF :

NJP:     SCM:     SPCM:    CC:      Retention Warning Counseling:

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 . The Marine Corps Separation and Retirement Manual, (MCO P1900.16F effective 1 September 2001 until Present, paragraph 6205, ENTRY LEVEL PERFORMANCE AND CONDUCT .
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 states he was discharged after 180 days of service and so he should not have received an Uncharacterized characterization of service.
2.       The Applicant believes his Narrative Reason for Separation is inappropriate , because he did not have any issues, nonjudicial punishments, or disciplinary charges.
3.       The Applicant believes his post-service conduct, as evidenced by his current employment and college attendance, warrants changing the characterization of his discharge.

Decision

Date: 20 1 2 0 124            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. The Applicant’s record of service did not include any 6105 counseling warnings, non-judicial punishments, or trials by court-martial for violations of the UCMJ . As evidenced by documentation found in the Applicant’s service record, a qualified medical officer diagnosed him with Adjustment Disorder (failure to adapt). Based on the Applicant’s failure to adapt to the Marine Corps environment, his command administratively processed him for separation . When notified of administrative separation processing, the Applicant waived his rights to consult with a qualified counsel and submit a written statement. He was not entitled to an admin istrative board .

: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant states he was discharged after 180 days of service. Although the Applicant served for more than 180 days, he was notified of intended separation on his 175 th day of service. Marine Corps regulations direct that members notified of intended recommendation for discharge while in an entry - level status (within the first 180 days of enlistment) receive an Uncharacterized characterization of service except in circumstances where service has been so meritorious that an Honorable is clearly warranted. In cases of misconduct, a less favorable characterization of service, such as General (Under Honorable Conditions), may be assigned following different separation procedures. The Applicant’s record showed no meritorious service that would warrant an Honorable characterization of service and no misconduct that would warrant a General (Under Honorable Conditions) . The NDRB found the Applicant’s characterization of service appropriate as assigned. Relief denied.

: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant believes his Narrative Reason for Separation is inappropriate , because he did not have any issues, nonjudicial punishments, or disciplinary charges. Although the Applicant did not have any misconduct, his record reflects his inability to adapt to the Marine Corps environment. C ompetent medical authority diagnosed him with an A djustment D isorder (failure to adapt) that was so severe that it impaired his ability to complete the required entry - level training . The Applicant submitted a statement in addition to his DD Form 293 alleging misconduct by his drill instructor that significantly contributed to his subsequent breakdown and discharge from the Marine Corps. However, the Applicant provided no documentation to support this allegation. According to regulations, E ntry - L evel P erformance and C onduct is assigned as the Narrative Reason for Separation when a service member displays an i nability, lack of effort, failure to adapt to military environment, or commits minor disciplinary infractions during the f irst 180 days of active military service. There is no requirement for retention warnings or adjudicat i on through NJP or trials by court-martial. Therefore, the Board determined that the assigned N arrative R eason for S eparation is proper. Relief denied.




: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant believes his post-service conduct, as evidenced by his current employment and college attendance, warrants changing the characterization of his discharge. 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 or changed based solely on good conduct and achievements 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. However, in this case, the Applicant was in an entry-level status. Marine Corps regulations direct that members notified of intended recommendation for discharge while in an entry-level status (within the first 180 days of enlistment) receive an Uncharacterized characterization of service . The NDRB determined that regardless of the Applicant’s post-service conduct and achievements, changing the characterization of service from Uncharacterized would be against regulations. Relief denied.

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 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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