Upgrade.Vet

NAVY | DRB | 2011_Navy | ND1100705

Original file (ND1100705.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-MM2, USN

Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request

Application Received: 20110119

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)        20030627 - 20040614     Active: 20040615 - 20080410 HON

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Current Enlistment: 20080411     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Extension
Date of Discharge: 20090217      Highest Rank/Rate: MM2
Length of Service: Y ear s M onth s 07 D a ys
Education Level:        AFQT: 99
Evaluation M arks:         Performance: 4.0 ( 1 )      Behavior: 4.0 ( 1 )        OTA: 4.14
Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):      NMCAM GCM NEM MUC NDSM GWOTSM SSDR NASR

Periods of UA /C ONF :

NJP : NONE                 S CM : NONE                SPCM: NONE                 CC: NONE

C iv Arrest:

- 20061222 :       Offense: Terroristic Threatening and Criminal M ischief in the 1st Degree .
** [Occurred during first enlistment; records unclear whether this event and possible subsequent civil court
adjudication were the basis for separation processing due to misconduct - serious offense]

Retention Warning Counseling :

- 20070116 :       For your 22 December 2006 arrest by Crawford County Sheriff’s Department, Van Buren AR for Terroristic Threatening and Criminal M ischief in the 1 ^st Degree . During your interview with a representative from the Sheriff’s Department, you admitted to alcohol usage during the time of the incident. Your personal behavior and poor judgment that placed you in a compromising situation that resulted in your subsequent arrest and forementioned civil charges are contrary to the good order and discipline expected of a United States Navy Sailor. Additionally, this behavior is not in adherence to your core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment.
         ** [Occurred during first enlistment; see note above]

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. Naval Military Personnel Manual, (NAVPERS 15560C), Change 23, effective 12 June 2008 until 9 November 2009, Article 1910-142, SEPARATION BY REASON OF MISCONDUCT - COMMISSION OF A SERIOUS OFFENSE.

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 .

C. 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 .

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

Applicant’s Issues

1.        Applicant seeks a discharge upgrade to obtain G.I. Bill and veteran benefits .
2.       Applicant seeks a discharge u pgrade to increase employment opportunities.
3.       Applicant contends depression and alcoholism mitigate the misconduct for which he was separated .
4 .       Applicant contends his post-service achievements warrant consideration for a discharge upgrade .

Decision

Date: 20 1 2 04 05             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 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 identified two decisional issues for the Board’s consideration. Although the Applicant’s service records are incomplete (missing administrative separation documentation to include: notification of administrative separation and acknowledgment of rights forms, commanding officer comments and endorsement, and the Separation Authority decision letter), the Board completed a thorough review of the available documentation to determine whether discharge met the pertinent standards of equity and propriety. In his statement to the NDRB , the Applicant refers to in-service evaluation and treatment for depression that result ed from a suicide gesture and subsequent escort to the Naval Hospital emergency room department . Additionally, t he records indicate the Applicant was arrested during his first enlistment, on 22 Dec 2006 , for Terroristic Threatening and Criminal Mischief in the First Degree by civil authorities from Van Buren, Arkansas. Due to the Applicant’s service records being incomplete, the NDRB could not determine whether this arrest and subsequent civil court adjudication were the basis for administrative separation processing during th e current enlistment . Based on the aforementioned offenses or other offenses committed by the Applicant but not found in the record, his comman d administratively processed him for separation. Since the NDRB did not have the Applicant’s administrative separation package documentation available for review, it could not determine whether the Applicant exercised or waived his rights to consult with a qualified counsel , submit a written statement , and request an administrative separation board or a G eneral C ourt -M artial C onvening A uthority review. T he separation program code JKQ listed on the Applicant ’s DD Form 2 14 indicates he was not entitled to an administrative separation board proceeding. The Applicant was separated from the Navy on 17 Feb 2009 with a General (Under Honorable Conditions) discharge due to Misconduct (Commission of a Serious Offense).

Issues 1-2 : (Nondecisional) The Applicant seeks a discharge upgrade to obtain the G.I. Bill and veteran benefits and to increase employment opportunities. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) determines eligibility for post-service benefits, not the NDRB. T he NDRB has no authority to upgrade a discharge for the purpose of enhancing employment or educational opportunities as r egulations limit the NDRB to determining the propriety and equity of the discharge.

: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends depression and alcoholism mitigate the misconduct for which he was separated. The Board conducted an exhaustive review of the records and found no evidence to support , nor did the Applicant provide any evidence to indicate , that he attempted to utilize the numerous services available for service members who undergo personal problems during their enlistment such as the Navy Chaplain, Medical or Mental Health professionals, Navy Relief Society, Family Advocacy Programs, or even the Red Cross. Additionally, t he evidence of record does not demonstrate the Applicant was not responsible for h is conduct or he should not be held accountable for h is actions. When a Sailor’s service has been honest and faithful, it is appropriate to characterize that service under Honorable conditions. A General (Under Honorable Conditions) discharge is warranted when significant negative aspects of a member’s conduct or performance of duty outweigh the positive aspects of the member’s military record. After careful consideration of all the available evidence, and with no evidence submitted by the Applicant to rebut or otherwise question the presumption of regularity in this case, the Board determined that the Applicant’s discharge was proper and equitable, and in accordance with the applicable orders and directives in effect at the time of his separation. Relief denied.

Issue 4 : (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends his post-service achievements warrant consideration for a discharge upgrade. 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. The Applicant provided a personal statement and letters of reference as evidence of post-service accomplishments. Although his efforts to improve his life are noteworthy, he failed to provide adequate documentation and evidence on his behalf to support a thorough post-service conduct review . He could have submitted documentation as specified in the Post-Service Conduct paragraph in the Addendum , however, c ompletion of these items alone however, does not guarantee an upgrade from an unfavorable discharge as each discharge is reviewed by the Board on a case by case basis. Without any additional post-service documentary evidence, the Board determined the awarded characterization of service shall remain Under Other Than Honorable Conditions. Relief denied.

Summary: After a thorough review of the available evidence, to include the Applicant’s s ummary of s ervice and r ecord e ntries, the Board found Therefore, the awarded characterization of service shall and the narrative r eason 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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NAVY | DRB | 2011_Navy | ND1100705

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