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NAVY | DRB | 2013_Navy | ND1300087
Original file (ND1300087.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-ATAR, USN

Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request

Application Received: 20121015
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)        20000829 - 20000906     Active:  
         USNR (DEP)       20000911 - 20000913

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Current Enlistment: 20000914     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Extension
Date of Discharge: 20041130      Highest Rank/Rate: AT3
Length of Service: Year(s) Month(s) 17 D ay(s)
Education Level:        AFQT: 64
Evaluation M arks:         Performance: 5.0 ( 1 )      Behavior: 4.0 ( 1 )        OTA: 3.86

Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):     

Periods of UA :

NJP :

S CM :

SPCM:

- 20020815 :      Article (General article - indecent assault)
         Sentence: FOR 6 MONTHS (20020815-2001211, 99 days) BCD
         BCD set aside by the U.S. Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals on 20040421

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:

         “00 SEP 14”
        
         02AUG15 TO 02NOV21

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. Naval Military Personnel Manual, (NAVPERS 15560C), re-issued October 2002, effective 22 August 2002 until 25 April 2005, 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, Article 134 .



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

Applicant’s Issues

1.       The Applicant contends that he is innocent of the charges which formed the basis of his discharge.
2.       The Applicant contends that his in service conduct outweighs the misconduct.

Decision

Date: 20 1 3 0719             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 discharge and the discharge process to ensure discharge met the pertinent standards of equity and proprie ty. The Applicant’s record of service included for of the UCMJ: Article 134 ( General article - indecent assault , 1 specification) . The Applicant was tried at Special Courts Martial on 15 August 2002. His case arrived before the US Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals on 21 April 2004 in Washington DC and the judges determined that based on the facts, a sentence that includes an unsuspended bad-conduct discharge is too harsh for this first-time offender and for this offense and accordingly, only that portion of the sentence extending to confinement for 4 months, forfeiture of $737.00 pay for 4 months, and reduction to pay grade E-1 is affirmed. This decision was reflected in the Special Court Martial Supplemental Order No. 04-0990 dated 17 August 2004. However, b ased on the offense(s) committed by the Applicant, command administratively processed for separation after his sentence was complete . When notified of administrative separation processing using the procedure, the Applicant exercised rights to consult with a qualified counsel and request an administrative board despite the pre-trial agreement stating that he agreed to waive his admin board, but waived his right to submit a written statement . The administrative separation board voted 3-0 to separate with a General (Under Honorable Conditions) characterization and Misconduct narrative reason.

: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends that he is innocent of the charges which formed the basis of his discharge. The record of evidence clearly shows the Applicant waived his rights to an administrative separation board in exchange for a plea of guilty at Special Courts Martial. If the Applicant felt he was mistakenly charged with a crime, it was his obligation to contest those charges at the time they were made. During the trial and the administrative separation board, he would have had the opportunity to mount a defense against the charges. The Applicant submitted no evidence to support his contention, therefore, the NDRB must rely upon the presumption of regularity in the conduct of Government affairs and the Courts Martial plea of guilty. The Supplemental Special Court Martial Order 04-0990 takes into consideration the harshness of the BCD only. The Applicant was still punitively punished as a result of the Court Martial for the Article 134 UCMJ violations to which he was found and plead guilty. Relief denied.

: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends that his in service conduct outweighs the misconduct. The Applicant states his character is demonstrated by promotion his 3.86 OTA and lack of disciplinary action other than SPCM. The Applicant was administratively separated and not separated upon expiration of enlistment or fulfillment of service obligation. The characterization of service is determined by the quality of the member’s total performance of duty and conduct during the current enlistment, including the reason for separation. Other considerations shall be given to the member’s length of service, grade, aptitude, and physical and mental condition. Based on the Applicant’s record of service, the NDRB determined the Applicant’s service was honest and faithful but significant negative aspects of his conduct or performance of duty outweighed the positive aspects of his service record, and the awarded characterization of service was 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 T herefore, 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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