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NAVY | DRB | 2014_Navy | ND1400518

Original file (ND1400518.rtf) Auto-classification: Denied

ex-ITSR, USN

Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request

Application Received: 20140124

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)        20020627 - 20021124     Active:

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Current Enlistment: 20021125     Age at Enlistment:
Period of E nlistment : Years Extension
Date of Discharge: 20070724      Highest Rank/Rate: ITSN
Length of Service: Y ear( s ) M onth( s ) 00 D a y ( s )
Education Level:        AFQT: 70
Evaluation M arks:         Performance: 4.0 ( 1 )      Behavior: 3.0 ( 1 )        OTA: 3.17

Awards and Decorations ( per DD 214):

Periods of Time Lost per DD Form 214 : 20050421 - 20050517, 27 days; 20050603 - 20050624, 22 days;
20050627 - 20050905, 71 days; 20051201 - 20051214, 14 days

NJP :

- 20050418 :      Article (Absence without leave , 2 specifications )
         Specification 1: Absence without leave, o n or about 20050403 to 20050404
         Specification 2: Absence without leave, o n or about 20050412 to 20050413
         Awarded: Suspended:

S CM :             CC:               Retention Warning Counseling :

SPCM:

- 20050818 :       Article (Absence without leave, 20050603 - 20050625, 22 days)
         Article (Wrongful use, possession, etc., of controlled substances , 4 specifications )
         Specification 1: Wrongful use of E cstasy on or about 20050215
         Specification 2: Wrongful use of E cstasy on or about 200505
         Specification 3 : Wrongful use of methamphetamine on or about 200505
         Specification 4 : Wrongful use of E cstasy on or about 20050611
         Art icle (Larceny and wrongful appropriation, stole a knife, cigarettes, and a tie, on or about 20050625)
         Sentence : SIX MONTHS

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. The Naval Military Personnel Manual, (NAVPERS 15560C), Change 12, effective 19 September 2005 until 18 December 2007, Article 5815-010, EXECUTING A DISHONORABLE OR BAD CONDUCT DISCHARGE.

B. Secretary of the Navy Instruction 5420.174D of 22 December 2004, Naval Discharge Review Board (NDRB) Procedures and Standards, Part IV, Para 403m(7)(a), Presumption Concerning Court-Martial Specifications.

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

Applicant’s Issues

1.        The Applicant seeks education benefits.
2.       The Applicant contends he did not receive medical or dental exams prior to his separation.
3.       The Applicant contends P ost-Traumatic Stress Disorder (P TSD ) warrants clemency.
4 .       The Applicant contends his post-service conduct warrants clemency.

Decision

Date : 20140710             Location: Washington D.C .        R epresentation :

By a vote of the Characterization shall .
By a vote of the Narrative Reason shall .

Discussion

As a result of the Applicant’s claim of PTSD, in accordance with U.S. Code, Title X, Section 1553 (d)(1), the Naval Discharge Review Board included a member who is a physician, clinical psychologist, or psychiatrist. In accordance with section 1553 (d)(2), the service secretary expedited a final decision and accorded the case sufficient priority to achieve an expedited resolution. The Applicant’s service record documents completion of a deployment on board the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73) from January to July 2004 in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in the Arabian Gulf .

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. With respect to a discharge adjudged by a court-martial case, 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. In response to the Applicant’s clemency request, relevant and material facts stated in a court-martial specification are presumed by the NDRB to be established facts. The Applicant’s case was considered under the pertinent standards of equity to determine if any factors in this particular case merited clemency. The Applicant’s record of service included for o f the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ): Article 86 (Absence without leave, 2 specifications) and for of the UCMJ: Article 86 (Absence without leave), Article 112a (Wrongful use, possession, etc., of controlled substances, 4 specifications), and Article 121 (Larceny and wrongful appropriation). The Applicant’s service record documents a punitive conviction and punishment, as adjudged by a Special Court-Martial, on 18 August 2005 . A qualified legal defense counsel represented the Applicant throughout the trial by Special Court-Martial process. Given the facts of the case, the Special Court-Martial awarded the Applicant a Bad Conduct Discharge , reduction to E-1, and confinement for a period of six months (pre-tri a l agreement suspended confinement in excess of 90 days) . The case was submitted for review to the U.S. Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals; it was reviewed and the findings were affirmed on 20 July 200 7 .

: (Nondecisional) The Applicant seeks education 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 contends he did not receive medical or dental exams prior to his separation. In reviewing discharges, the NDRB presumes regularity in the conduct of Government affairs unless there is substantial credible evidence to rebut the presumption, to include evidence submitted by the Applicant. With respect to a discharge adjudged by a court-martial case, the action of the NDRB is restricted to upgrades based on clemency. The Applicant ’s conten tion that he did not receive medical or dental exams prior to his separation does not provide a basis for w hich the NDRB may grant clemency .

: (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends PTSD warrants clemency. The NDRB requested all records of medical treatment, both active duty and post-service, from the Department of Veterans Affairs ( VA ) . The records received from the VA failed to document any request for evaluation, any diagnosis, or any findings of PTSD or other mental health concerns. Moreover, the Applicant did not provide any evidence of a diagnosis of PTSD from any other private mental health treatment provider to document his claim. The NDRB found no evidence in the record of any indications of, or diagnosis for, PTSD. Additionally, there is no evidence in either the Applicant’s service record, or the documentation he provided, that demonstrated any problems or symptoms manifesting during his enlistment from his military service. Furthermore, the Applicant’s record does not document any attempts to seek help for any contingency related symptoms while in service. Contrary to the Applicant’s contention, the Applicant’s Post - Deployment Health Assessment (PDHA) dated 03 July 2004 indicates the Applicant reported no mental health issues or any symptoms consistent with PTSD. Lacking any evidence of PTSD, the NDRB is unable to establish this contention as a basis for mitigation or consideration as an extenuating circumstance. After an exhaustive review, the NDRB determined PTSD did not mitigate the Applicant’s misconduct and did not warrant clemency . Clemency denied.

4 : (Decisional) ( ) . The Applicant contends his post-service conduct warrants clemency. Although the Applicant states he started a family , he failed to provide any documentary evidence on his behalf for post-service consideration. To warrant clemency, the Applicant’s post-service efforts need to be more encompassing. The Applicant could have produced evidence as stated in the Post-Service Conduct paragraph in the Addendum with the full understanding completion of these items alone does not guarantee clemency. The NDRB determined the Applicant’s post-service effort does not warrant clemency. Clemency 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

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NAVY | DRB | 2014_Navy | ND1400518

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