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USMC | DRB | 2012_Marine | MD1200491
Original file (MD1200491.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-, USMC
Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request
Application Received: 20120105
Characterization of Service Received:
Narrative Reason for Discharge:
Authority for Discharge: MARCORSEPMAN

Applicant’s Request:      Characterization change to:
         Narrative Reason change to:

Summary of Service

Prior Service:
Inactive:         USMCR (DEP)       20070628 - 20070729     Active:  

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Current Enlistment: 20070730     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Months
Date of Discharge: 20100607      H ighest Rank:
Length of Service : Y ea rs M on ths 08 D a ys
Education Level:        AFQT: 31
MOS: 1371
Proficiency/Conduct M arks (# of occasions): /          Fitness R eports:

Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):      Rifle ACM (with 1 Campaign Star)

Periods of UA / CONF :

NJP:

- 20080114 :       Article (Failure to obey order or regulation - consuming alcohol while under the legal drinking age of 21)
         Awarded: Suspended: 1 DAY

- 20080611 :      Article (Failure to obey order or regulation, 4 specifications )
         Specification 1: Wrongfully driving to Peoria, AZ without an out - of - bounds chit
         Specification 2: Wrongfully operating motorcycle without having completed Basic Drivers Course
         Specification 3: Wrongfully operating motorcycle aboard Camp Pendleton e n route to Peoria, AZ, without having completed the Basic Drivers Course
         Specification 4: Break C alifornia speed limit of 70 MPH by traveling at a rate of approximately 110 MPH and being cited for this by California Highway Patrol
         Awarded: Suspended:

- 20081202 :      Article 92 (Failure to obey order or regulation - wrongfully consuming alcohol under the age of 21)
         Article (General A rticle - broke restriction by having a visitor in room while on restriction)
         Awarded: Suspended:

- 20091230 :      Article (Insubordinate conduct toward warrant officer, noncommissioned officer, or petty officer)
         Awarded: Suspended:

SCM:     SPCM:    CC:




Retention Warning Counseling :

- 20080114 :       For my alcohol - related incident on 20080112. Specifically , you violated Marine Corps Engineer School Order 5370.2D by consuming alcohol while under the legal drinking age of 21.

- 20080619 :       For misconduct, specifically, your recent NJP for violation of Article 92 (4 specifications).

- 20091231 :       For insubordinate conduct toward warrant officer, noncommissioned officer, or petty officer .

- 20100428 :       For failure to complete my final physical despite this order being reiterated to me by my section chief. On 20100308 I was ordered by Sergeant S_ the Battalion Legal Chief to complete both TAP and TAMP and my final physical.

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. Paragraph 6210, MISCONDUCT , of the Marine Corps Separation and Retirement Manual, (MCO P1900.16F), effective
1 September 2001 until Present.

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 contends his misconduct was minor, he was suffering from major depression , and he had a series of personal and family problems upon his return from Afghanistan that the Marine Corps did not consider . He also contends he was treated unjustly in the discharge process, and his regimental chain-of-command recommended retention.

Decision

Date: 20 1 2 1220            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 a ffairs unless there is substantial credible evidence to rebut the presumption, to include evidence submitted by the Applicant. The Board did complete a thorough review of the circumstances that led to discharge and the discharge process to ensure discharge met the pertinent sta ndards of equity and propriety. The Applicant’s record of service included 6105 counseling warnings and for o f the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ): Article (Insubordinate conduct toward warrant officer, noncommissioned officer, or petty officer) , Article (Failure to obey order or regulation , 6 specifications: [1] consuming alcohol while under the legal drinking age of 21 ; [2] w rongfully driving to Peoria, AZ without an out - of - bounds chit; [3] w rongfully operating motorcycle without having completed Basic Drivers Course; [4] w rongfully operating motorcycle aboard Camp Pendleton in route to Peoria, AZ, without having completed the Basic Drivers Course; [5]; wrongfully consuming alcohol under the age of 21 ) , and Article 134 (General Article) . Based on the of fense s committed by the Applicant, command administratively processed for separation. The NDRB did not have the Applicant’s administrative separation package to determine whether or not the Applicant waived rights to consult with a qualified counsel, submit a written statement, and request an administrative board or a General Court-Martial Convening Authority review .

Issue 1 : (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends his misconduct was minor, he was suffering from major depression , and he had a series of personal and family problems upon his return from Afghanistan that the Marine Corps did not consider . While the Applicant may consider his frequent misconduct to be of a minor nature, violation of UCMJ Articles 91 and 92 are considered serious offenses per the Manual for Courts-Martial and warrant a punitive discharge (i.e., Bad Conduct Discharge), confinement, and forfeiture of pay as the result of a Special or General Court-Martial. His command, however, selected the lenient administrative separation process after giving the Applicant multiple opportunities to correct his poor behavior. During his less than three years in the Marine Corps, he received four retention warnings and was found guilty of numerous UCMJ violations at four NJPs, all of which occurred before his return from Afghanistan in January 2010. While his medical records were not available, the NDRB discerned nothing in the service record that would mitigate his misconduct if he had depression, nor do the personal problems he mentioned mitigate his misconduct, most of which occurred before January 2010. There is nothing in the records to show that the Applicant was not responsible for his actions or should not be held accountable for his misconduct. He was afforded full due process and all rights under the UCMJ , was given multiple opportunities to correct his behavior, and was properly and fairly discharged Under Other Than Honorable Conditions for a Pattern of Misconduct. Additionally, even though his chain of command may have recommended his retention in the Marine Corps, it was not their decision to make. The Separation Authority reviewed the chain-of-command’s recommendations and the Applicant’s entire service before deciding to discharge him Under Other Than Honorable Conditions. 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. 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 Disable d 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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