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NAVY | DRB | 2011_Navy | ND1101246
Original file (ND1101246.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-EMFR, USN

Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request
Application Received: 20110419
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)        19991130 - 20001106     Active:  

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Current Enlistment: 20001107     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Extension
Date of Discharge: 20040301      Highest Rank/Rate: EMFN
Length of Service : Y ear ( s ) M onth ( s ) 24 D a y ( s )
Education Level:        AFQT: 64
Evaluation M arks:         Performance: 2.0 ( 2 )      Behavior: 1.5 ( 2 )        OTA: 2.00

Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):      (2)

Periods of UA /C ONF : UA: 20020501 - 20020529 ( 28 days )    UA 20020601 - 20020717 ( 46 days )

NJP :

- 20021105 :       Article ( Absence without leave )
         Awarded : (3 days bread and water) Susp ended:

- 20021125 :       Article ( )
         Awarded : FOP (to E-2) Susp ended: (suspend 6 months)

- 20030211 :       Article ( Absence without leave , )
         Awarded : Susp ended:

- 20040203 :       Article ( , )
         Awarded : (to E-1) Susp ended:

S CM :

- 20020815 :       Art icle ( Absence without leave , )
         Sentence : (60 days) FOP RIR (to E-2)

SPCM:    C C :     

Retention Warning Counseling : 20001108 [extracted from Commanding Officer AdSep Letter, 24 Feb 2004]






Administrative Corrections to the Applicant’s DD 214

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

          Block 28, “ PATTERN OF MISCONDUCT ”
         Block 29, “ 02MAY01 TO 02MAY29, 02JUN01 TO 02JUL17 ”

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. Naval Military Personnel Manual, (NAVPERS 15560C), re-issued October 2002, effective 22 August 2002 until 25 April 2005, Article 1910-140, SEPARATION BY REASON OF MISCONDUCT - 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 .

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, Article 86 (UA greater than 30 days) and 111 .



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

Applicant’s Issues

 1.        Applicant seeks a discharge upgrade to obtain veteran benefits.
2.       Applicant seeks a discharge upgrade to increase education and employment opportunities.
3.       Applicant contends he stopped taking medication, for a pre-existing medical condition, upon enlisting and this led to self - medication with alcohol and result ed in the misconduct for which he was separated.

Decision

Date: 20 1 2 04 12             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 affairs unless there is substantial credible evidence to rebut the presumption, to include evidence submitted by the Applicant. Th e Applicant identified one decisional issue for the Board ’s consideration . T he Board c omplete d a thorough review of the circumstances that led to discharge and the discharge process to ensure the pertinent standards of equity and propriety were met . The Applicant’s record of service included one NAVPERS 1070/613 (Page 13) retention warning and for o f the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ): Article ( Absence without leave, 6 specifications: 18, 19 , and 30 Aug 2002; 2, 6, 7, 10, and 18 Sep 2002; 2-3, 6, and 8 Jan 2003; plus additional incidents ) and Article ( Drunken or reckless operation of a vehicle, arrested by civil authorities). Additionally, the record revealed for of the UCMJ: Article ( Absence without leave, 6 specifications: 1900, 1 May to 2213, 29 May 2002, 28 days, terminated by his surrender; 0745, 1 Jun to 2210, 17 Jul 2002, 46 days, terminated by his surrender ; and failure to go to appointed place of duty, 0745 division muster, on 6 -9 Aug 2002 ). The Applicant a pre-service drug waiver for illegal use of marijuana ( 8 times ) prior to entering the Navy. Based on the repeated and serious nature of the offenses committed by the Applicant, his command administratively processed for separation. When notified of administrative separation processing (for pattern of misconduct and commission of a serious offense) using the procedure on 3 Feb 2004 , the Applicant rights to consult with a qualified counsel, submit a written statement, and request an administrative separation board. The Applicant was separated from the Navy on 1 Mar 2004 with an Under Other Than Honorable Conditions discharge due to Pattern of Misconduct.

: (Nondecisional) The Applicant seeks a discharge upgrade to obtain veteran 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.
: (Nondecisional) The Applicant seeks a discharge upgrade to increase education and employment opportunities. The NDRB has no authority to upgrade a discharge for the sole purpose of enhancing employme nt or educational opportunities as r egulations limit the NDRB’s review to a determination of the propriety and equity of the discharge.
: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends he stopped taking medication, for a pre-existing medical condition, upon enlisting and this led to self- medication with alcohol and resulted in the misconduct for which he was separated. The NDRB conducted a detailed examination of the Applicant’s service records and additional documentation submitted by the Applicant. Evidence within the documentation submitted to the Board clearly shows that the Applicant had been treated for severe depression in 1998 prior to enlisting in the Navy. However, the Applicant failed to reveal this information while undergoing medical screening and evaluation during his enlistment accession processing , which, if discovered, may have resulted in a bar to his enlistment or an administrative separation on the basis of fraudulent entry into the military service. Had the Navy known about this prior to his enlistment , a more thorough investigation of the Applicant’s mental and/or emotional health would have been conducted to determine whether the Applicant was qualified for

entry into military service. After his fraudulent entry into the Navy, the Applicant had numerous incidents of misconduct while in service . Nothing in the record revealed that the Applicant was either not responsible for his actions or should not be held accountable for his misconduct. The records also reveal that the Applicant did not seek help for his depression, instead turning to alcohol . Misconduct of this severe and repetitive nature typically results in charges being referred to a Special Court-Martial, which could have resulted in confinement and a Bad Conduct Discharge. However, the Applicant’s command opted to pursue the more lenient administrative discharge. After review of all the available evidence, the Board determined the Applicant’s discharge was proper and equitable per the applicable orders and directives in effec t at the time of his separation. Accordingly, the Board found this issue to be without merit and did not provide a basis for which relief could be granted. 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 the 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, specifically the paragraphs titled Additional Reviews, Automatic Upgrades, and Post-Service Conduct .


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), 701 South Courthouse Road, Suite 1001, Arlington, VA 22204-2490 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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