Upgrade.Vet

NAVY | DRB | 2011_Navy | ND1101284

Original file (ND1101284.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-FA, USN

Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request

Application Received: 20110425

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)        19990810 - 19990823     Active:

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Current Enlistment: 19990824     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Extension
Date of Discharge: 20000303      Highest Rank/Rate: FA
Length of Service: Y ear s M onth s 10 D a ys
Education Level:        AFQT: 45
Evaluation M arks:         Performance: 3.0 ( 1 )      Behavior: 2.0 ( 2 )        OTA: 3.00

Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):      NONE

Periods of UA/CONF: UA 19991217 - 20000203 (4 9 days)

Periods of C ONF :

NJP : 1

- 20000210 :      Article 86 (Absence without leave, 19991217 - 20000203 , 4 9 days )
         Awarded: FOP RESTR S uspended:

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

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 24, effective 20 May 99 until 26 March 2000, Article 1910-122 , Separation By Reason of Convenience of the Government - Personality Disorder(s) .

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. Applicant seeks a discharge upgrade to obtain veteran medical benefits and does not understand why he was denied mental health services if he was discharged for depression .
Decision

Date: 20 1 2 0 712 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. T he Board did complete a thorough review of the circumstances that led to his discharge and the discharge process to ensure his discharge met the pertinent standards of equity and propriety . The record did reflect one nonjudicial punishment (NJP) for violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ): Article 86 (Absence without leave, 2359 on 17 December 1999 to 2350 on 3 February 2000, 49 days , terminated by his surrender ). Within two weeks of his return from unauthorized absence, the Applicant was referred for a mental health evaluation due to complaints of depression. Based on a competent medical authority’s diagnosis of a Personality Disorder and the Applicant’s potential for successful future service if retained , the Applicant ’s command a dministratively processed him for separation in accordance with the Naval Military Personnel Manual (MILPERSMAN) . When notified of administrative separation processing using the notification procedure on 23 February 2000 , the Applicant waived his rights to consult with a qualified counsel , submit a written statement , and request a General Court - Mart i al Convening Authority review. The Applicant was not entitled to an administrative separation board . The Applicant was separated from the Navy on 3 March 2000 with a General (Under Honorable Conditions) discharge due to Personality Disorder.

: ( D ecisional) (Propriety/Equity) RELIEF NOT WARRANTED. The Applicant seeks to obtain veteran medical benefits and does not understand why he was denied mental health services if he was discharged for depression. 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. R egulations limit the NDRB’s review to a determination of the propriety and equity of the discharge.

On 15 February 2000, the Applicant received an evaluation from a staff psychologist at the Fleet Mental Health Unit in San Diego, CA. Upon completion, the mental health physician diagnosed the Applicant as follows: AXIS I: Major Depressive Disorder, Recurrent, Moderate without psychotic features; AXIS II: Dependent Personality Disorder (primary diagnosis). The physician stated: “Administrative separation is recommended on the basis of personality disorder. The member is not considered mentally ill (no medically boardable condition), but manifests a long-standing disorder of character and behavior which is of such severity as to render this individual unsuitable for continued military service in the U.S. Navy. (The Applicant) does not presently require, and will not benefit from hospitalization. Short-term psychiatric treatment for this condition is of limited benefit, and long term treatment is not available within the military. Although he denies current suicidal or homicidal intent, this member is judged to represent a significant risk to self or others if retained on active duty. He is deemed fit to return to duty for immediate processing for administrative separation, which should be carried out expeditiously .” The NDRB determined that there was no evidence of an improper diagnosis and that separation due to Personality Disorder, which existed prior to service, was the proper reason for separation. Per the MILPERSMAN, w hen a Sailor’s service has been honest and faithful, it is appropriate to characterize that service under H onorable conditions. 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 outweigh the positive aspects of the member’s service record. The Applicant’s conduct (including a 49 - day UA period ), which forms the primary basis for determining the character of service, reflects the Applicant’s willful failure to meet the requirements of conduct expected of all Sailors, regardless of his grade or length of service, and falls short of w hat is required for an upgrade to Honorable . 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 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), 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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NAVY | DRB | 2011_Navy | ND1101284

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