ex-MASA, USN

Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request


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

Summary of Service

Prior Service:
Inactive:        USNR (DEP)       20111209 – 20120415     Active: 

Pre-Service Drug Waiver:

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Current Enlistment: 20120416    Age at Enlistment:
Period of Enlistment: Years Extension
Date of Discharge: 20141024     Highest Rank/Rate: MASN
Length of Service: Year(s) Month(s) 09 Day(s)
Education Level:        AFQT: 54
Evaluation Marks:        Performance: 2.7 (4)     Behavior: 2.2 (4)       OTA: 2.66

Awards and Decorations (per DD 214):     NMCOSR

Periods of UA/CONF:

NJP:

- 20131101:      Article
         Article
         Awarded: Suspended:
         [Extracted from Evaluation Report and Counseling Record dated 20140214.]

- 20140929:      Article
         Article 112a (Wrongful use, possession, etc., of controlled substances, Marijuana)
         Awarded: Suspended:

SCM:

SPCM:

CC:

Retention Warning Counseling:






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:        

Types of Witnesses Who Testified

         Expert:           Character:      

Pertinent Regulation/Law

A. The Naval Military Personnel Manual, (NAVPERS 15560C), Change 29, effective 10 November 2009 until Present, Article 1910-146, SEPARATION BY REASON OF MISCONDUCT - DRUG ABUSE.

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’s legal guardian contends that the Applicant’s in-service misconduct was due to schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type and that he should have been medically retired.

Decision

Date: 20150924            Location: Washington D.C.        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 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 standards of equity and propriety. The Applicant’s record of service included for of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ): Article (Failure to obey order or regulation, ), Article (Drunken or reckless operation of a vehicle, ), Article (Wrongful use, possession, etc., of controlled substances, Marijuana; ), and Article 113 (Misbehavior of a sentinel, ). The Applicant a pre-service drug waiver prior to entering the Navy. Based on the Article 112a violation, processing for administrative separation is mandatory. When notified of administrative separation processing using the procedure, the Applicant rights to consult with a qualified counsel, submit a written statement, and request an administrative board.

As a result of the Applicant’s Guardian’s claim that schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type impacted his discharge, and in accordance with U.S. Code, Title X, Section 1553 (e)(2), the Naval Discharge Review Board included a member who is a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist, or a physician with special training on mental health disorder. The Applicant’s service record documents the Applicant was diagnosed with “psychoses” as documented only on page two of three during his separation physical while serving in the armed forces.

: (Decisional) () . The Applicant’s legal guardian contends that the Applicant’s in-service misconduct was due to schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type and that he should have been medically retired. The NDRB’s review is limited to a determination of the propriety and equity of the discharge by its governing regulations and, therefore, has no authority to change a service member’s discharge status from an administrative separation to a retirement. Furthermore, 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.

In reviewing the merits of this case in terms of the equity of the discharge and fully considering all materials submitted by the Applicant’s legal Guardian, the NDRB requested all records of medical treatment, both active duty and post-service, from the VA. The records received from the VA failed to document any request for evaluation, any diagnosis, or any findings of schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type or other mental health concerns aside from the annotation on the Applicant’s separations physical stating he had been diagnosed with “Alcohol Dependence, Cannabis Dependent, and Psychoses.” The NDRB was unable to determine the cause or nature of the psychoses listed on the document. The evidence provided by the Applicant’s Guardian did not provide significant insight as to the Applicant’s mental health state at the time of his discharge to support the claim that it provided mitigation for his in-service criminal misconduct; however, the documentation provided does show that the Applicant has been found mentally incompetent by post-service civilian courts due to his mental health condition as evidenced by two involuntary hospitalizations and numerous incidents involving law enforcement and his deteriorated state of mental health. While not attributing the cause of the Applicant’s mental decline to his service, the NDRB found it more likely than not that the Applicant’s deteriorating mental health state began showing its decline while he was on active duty. Therefore, the NDRB concluded that the most equitable characterization of the Applicant’s in-service conduct should be represented as Under Honorable Conditions (General) as his current mental health status does not mitigate his in-service misconduct. 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 the discharge was proper and equitable at the time of discharge. However, given the evidence of record concerning his initial in-service mental health diagnoses and his current mental health conditions the NDRB determined the discharge characterization is no longer equitable. Therefore, the awarded characterization of service shall change to UNDER HONORABLE CONDITIONS (GENERAL) 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 , or http://www.secnav.navy.mil/mra/bcnr/Pages/default.aspx 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: Effective 6 February 2015, the NDRB is authorized to change a NDRB Applicant’s Reenlistment Code if related to an accompanying change in discharge characterization or narrative, but this authority is strictly limited to those cases where an applicant’s narrative reason or characterization of discharge is changed and that change warrants revision of the previously issued reenlistment code. 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