Search Decisions

Decision Text

NAVY | DRB | 2011_Navy | ND1101404
Original file (ND1101404.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-ENFN, USN

Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request

Application Received: 20110510
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)        20080915 - 20090303     Active:  

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Current Enlistment: 20090304     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Extension
Date of Discharge: 20100809      Highest Rank/Rate: ENFN
Length of Service: Year(s) Month(s) 06 D ay(s)
Education Level:        AFQT: 67
Evaluation M arks:         Performance: 4.0 ( 2 )      Behavior: 3.0 ( 2 )        OTA: 3.40

Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):      Pistol

Periods of UA /C ONF :

NJP :     S CM :    SPCM:    C C :      Retention Warning Counseling:

Administrative Corrections to the Applicant’s DD 214

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

        
01 05 06

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 29, effective 10 November 2009 until Present,
Article 1910-134,
Separation by Reason of Defective Enlistments and Inductions - Fraudulent Entry Into the Naval Service.

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 wants her discharge upgraded so she can reenlist in the military.
2.       The Applicant contends the situation that led to her discharge stems from a misunderstanding in that she accidentally cut herself and was not a self-mutilator.
3.      
The Applicant contends her overall service warrant s consideration for upgrading her discharge to Honorable.

Decision

Date: 20 1 2 0725    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. The Applicant’s record of service did not include any NAVPERS 1070/613 (Page 13) warnings, non-judicial punishments, or trials by court-martial for violation s of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) . During a medically referred mental health screening, the Applicant disclosed a history of engaging in recurrent self-harmful behavior that was not disclosed upon entry into the Navy , and for which she did not have a waiver. Based on her failure to disclose this information, her command administratively processed her for separation. When notified of administrative separation processing using the procedure, the Applicant waived rights to consult with a qualified counsel and to request a General Court-Martial Convening Authority review. She exercised her right to submit a written statement.

: (Non - decisional) The Applicant wants her discharge upgraded so she can reenlist in the military . The NDRB has no authority to upgrade a discharge for the sole purpose of enhancing reenlistment opportunities. Furthermore, 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 a Reentry (RE) code. Only the Board for Correction of Naval Records can make changes to RE codes. Neither a less than fully honorable discharge nor an unfavorable RE code is, in itself, a bar to reenlistment. A request for a waiver can be submitted during the processing of a formal application for reenlistment through a recruiter. Regulations limit the NDRB’s review solely to a determination of the propriety and the equity of a discharge.

: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends the situation that led to her discharge stems from a misunderstanding in that she accidentally cut herself and was not a self-mutilator. The government enjoys a presumption of regularity in the conduct of its affairs. The Applicant bears the burden of overcoming this presumption through the presentation of substantial and credible evidence to support h er issue. There is no evidence in the record, nor has the Applicant produced any evidence, to support her contention that t he cut to her finger was an accident and not due to self-mutilation. Even if the cut on her finger was due to an accident, it does not change the fact that she had a history of engaging in self-mutilation, which she did not disclose during the enlistment process . The Applicant’s statement alone does not overcome the government’s presumption of regularity in this case. Due to the lack of documentary evidence to rebut the presumption of regularity, the NDRB concluded that relief based on this issue is not warranted. Relief denied.

: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends her overall service , as evidenced by her evaluations, special recognitions as Apprentice of the Month and Student of the Week, a s well as her character references, warrant consideration for upgrading her discharge to Honorable. Despite a service member’s prior record of service, certain situations do not warrant an Honorable discharge . Per Navy regulations, the least favorable characterization of service for a Sailor not in an entry level status that is separated for F raudulent E ntry is General (Under Honorable Conditions) when discharged using the notification procedure. Regardless of the positive aspects of the Applicant’s service record and the circumstances that preceded the disclosure of her pre-service history of cutting herself, her decision not to disclose this

information during the enlistment process constitutes a fraudulent enlistment and likely would have disqualified her from e ntering the military . F raudulent en try into military service is sufficient grounds for characteriz ing her service as General (Under Honorable Conditions). The NDRB concluded that the characterization awarded at the time of discharge wa s appropriate and that relief base d on this issue is not warranted. 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), 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


Similar Decisions

  • USMC | DRB | 2013_Marine | MD1300278

    Original file (MD1300278.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

    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. ” Additional Reviews : After a document review has been conducted, former members are...

  • NAVY | DRB | 2011_Navy | ND1100236

    Original file (ND1100236.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

    Applicant’s Request:Characterization change to:Narrative Reason change to: Summary of Service Prior Service: Inactive:USNR (DEP)20020731 - 20021103Active: Period of Service Under Review: Date of Current Enlistment: 20021104Age at Enlistment:Period of Enlistment: Years14 MONTHSExtensionDate of Discharge:20071214Highest Rank/Rate:EN2Length of Service:Year(s)Month(s) 11 Day(s)Education Level:AFQT: 53EvaluationMarks:Performance:3.7(3)Behavior:2.0(3)OTA: 3.09Awards and Decorations (per DD 214):...

  • NAVY | DRB | 2009_Navy | ND0900764

    Original file (ND0900764.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

    The Applicant did not provide any other documentation or evidence for consideration regarding her adverse financial information.The Board determined a change to the Narrative Reason for Separation was not warranted.After a thorough review of the available evidence, to include the Applicant’s Summary of Service, Record Entries, Discharge Process and evidence submitted by the Applicant, the Board found ADDENDUM: Information for the Applicant Complaint Procedures : If you believe that the...

  • NAVY | DRB | 1999_Navy | ND99-01026

    Original file (ND99-01026.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

    ND99-01026 Applicant’s Request The application for discharge review, received 990727, requested that the characterization of service on the discharge be changed to honorable or general/under honorable conditions. 940622: Applicant notified of intended recommendation for discharge under other than honorable conditions by reason of misconduct due to drug abuse as evidenced by a urinalysis indicating use of THC and severe personality disorder with a characteristic of being an ongoing risk to...

  • NAVY | DRB | 2011_Navy | ND1101914

    Original file (ND1101914.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

    Representation: 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 governmental affairs unless there is substantial credible evidence to rebut the presumption, to include...

  • NAVY | DRB | 2015_Navy | ND1500049

    Original file (ND1500049.rtf) Auto-classification: 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 remain UNDER HONORABLE CONDITIONS (GENERAL) and the narrative reason for separation shall remain FRAUDULENT ENTRY. ” Additional Reviews : After a document review has been conducted, former members are eligible for a personal appearance hearing, provided the application is...

  • NAVY | DRB | 2015_Navy | ND1401728

    Original file (ND1401728.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

    Based on the Applicant’s mental health diagnosis, and recommendation from medical authority, command administratively processed for separation. 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 remain UNCHARACTERIZED (ENTRY LEVEL SEPARATION) and the narrative reason for separation shall remain ERRONEOUS ENTRY (OTHER). ”...

  • NAVY | DRB | 2009_Navy | ND0900965

    Original file (ND0900965.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

    DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVYNAVAL DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD (NDRB) DISCHARGE REVIEW DECISIONAL DOCUMENTApplicant’s Issues 1.Seeking to reenlist and request my reentry code changed.2. The Applicant is seeking an upgrade in the characterization of her service to Honorable and a change in her narrative reason (unspecified) based on the contention that her discharge was incorrect becauseshe does not have asthma. ” Additional Reviews : After a document review has been conducted, former members are...

  • NAVY | DRB | 2009_Navy | ND0900951

    Original file (ND0900951.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

    By a unanimous vote of 5-0, the Board determined the characterization of service received, “General (Under Honorable Conditions), ” and the narrative reason for the discharge; “Personality Disorder,” shall remain as issued. After a thorough review of the available evidence, to include the Applicant’s summary of service, record entries, discharge process and evidence submitted by the Applicant, the Board found ADDENDUM: Information for the Applicant Complaint Procedures : If you believe that...

  • NAVY | DRB | 2014_Navy | ND1400761

    Original file (ND1400761.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

    No other narrative reason other than Fraudulent Entry more clearly describes the circumstances surrounding the Applicant’s processing for administrative separation. 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...