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NAVY | DRB | 2011_Navy | ND1100034
Original file (ND1100034.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-YNSA, USN
Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request
Application Received: 20101005
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)        20060614 - 20061127     Active:  

Period of Service Under Review:
 Date of Current Enlistment: 20061128     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Extension
Date of Discharge: 20081114      Highest Rank/Rate: YNSN
Length of Service : Y ear M onth s 16 D a ys
Education Level:        AFQT: 59
Evaluation M arks:         Performance: 3.5 ( 2 )      Behavior: 1.5 ( 2 )        OTA: 2.59

Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):      NDSM GWOTSM SSDR

Periods of UA /C ONF :

NJP : 1

- 20080805 :      Article 92 (Failure to obey order or regulation, wrongfully riding a motorcycle without taking motorcycle safety course)
         Awarded: RIR FOP RESTR EPD Suspended:

S CM : NONE       SPCM: NONE        Retention Warning Counseling: NONE
C C : 4

- 20080626 :       Offense: Driving under suspended license
         Sentence : $250.00 fine, $25.00 special assessment

- 20080708:      Offense: Operating an uninspected vehicle, operating an unlicensed vehicle, and no helmet/eye protection
          Sentence: $140.00 fines, $167.00 court costs

 - 20080814:      Offense: Reckless driving - generally, driving under suspended license, operating an uninsured vehicle, operating an uninspected vehicle, operating an unlicensed vehicle, failure to obey a traffic signal
         Sentence: CONF 9 months (suspended), $300.00 fines, $75.00 court costs

- 20080911:      Offense: Felony eluding police
          Sentence: CONF 6 months, $76.00 court costs, 2 years probation






Administrative Corrections to the Applicant’s DD 214

The NDRB note d an administrative error on the original DD Form 214:

          “ MISCONDUCT (CI V IL CONVICTION) ”
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:                  Other Documentation:    
                  Additional Statements:
         From Applicant:           From/To Representation:           From/To Congress member:        

Pertinent Regulation/Law

 A. The Naval Military Personnel Manual, (NAVPERS 15560C), Change 23, effective 11 June 2008 until 9 November 2009, Article 1910-144, Separation by Reason of Misconduct - Civilian Conviction.

B. The Manual for Courts-Martial authorizes the award of a punitive discharge if adjudged as part of the sentence upon conviction by a special or general court-martial for violation of the UCMJ, Articl es 92 and 111 .
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 in his Reentry ( RE ) code to reenlist in the military .
2.       The Applicant contends his discharge was inequitable , because it was based on an isolated incident in two years of honorable service.
3.       The Applicant believes his post-service conduct, as evidenced by the character reference letters, criminal history documentation, and certification of completed training , warrants consideration for an upgrade to Honorable.
 4.      The Applicant believes his decision to turn himself in to authorities reflects upon his character and warrants consideration for an upgrade to Honorable.

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 nonjudicial punishment for violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ): Article 92 (Failure to obey an order or regulation, wrongfully riding a motorcycle without taking a motorcycle safety course) and four civil convictions for reckless driving, driving under suspended license, operating an uninsured vehicle, operating an uninspected vehicle, operating an unlicensed vehicle, failure to obey a traffic signal, and felony eluding police. Based on the offense s committed by the Applicant, his command administratively processed him for separation. When notified of administrative separation processing using the notification procedure, the Applicant exercised his rights to consul t with a qualified counsel and submit a written statement .

: (Non - decisional) The Applicant seeks an upgrade in his RE code to re-enlist in the military. Since the NDRB has no jurisdiction over reenlistment, reentry, or reinstatement into the Navy, Marine Corps, or any other of the Armed Forces, it is not authorized to change an RE code. 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. Only the Board for Correction of Naval Records can make changes to RE codes.

: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends his discharge was inequitable , because it was based on an isolated incident in two years of honorable service. Despite a service member’s prior record of service, certain serious offenses, even though isolated, warrant separation from the Naval S ervice to maintain proper order and discipline. The Applicant received four civilian convictions, one of which was a felony. Serious civilian convictions usually result in separation from the N avy with an unfavorable characterization of service. Under the UCMJ, t he o ffenses committed by the Applicant , at a maximum, could have resulted in a punitive discharge and possible confinement had they been adjudicated in a trial by a special or general court-martial. These civilian offenses brought discredit upon the Navy and marred the Applicant’s service record. How ever, his command awarded him a General (Under Honorable Conditions) character of service, which the Board determined was l ess severe tha n that given others in similar circumstances. Relief denied.

: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant believes his post-service conduct, as evidenced by the character reference letters , criminal history documentation, and certification of completed training, warrants consideration for an upgrade to Honorable. 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 submitted 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.

Issue 4 : (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant believes his decision to turn himself in to authorities reflects upon his character and warrants consideration for an upgrade to Honorable. While the Applicant did the right thing by turning himself in, it does not overcome the misconduct that led to his discharge. A General (Under Honorable Conditions) discharge is warranted when the quality of the member’s service has been honest and faithful but significant negative aspects of the member’s conduct or performance of duty outweighed the positive aspects of the member’s service record. After a thorough review of the Applicant’s service record, the NDRB is convinced his command considered his decision to turn himself in to authorities and d etermined that the General discharge was warranted and was in keeping with the type of discharge given to others with similar misconduct. 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 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 N aval 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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