DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF NAVAL RECORDS
                                                                                2 NAVY ANNEX
	        WASHINGTON DC 20370-5100

					CRS
					Docket No: 5917-06
		      14 September 2006

From:	Chairman, Board for Correction of Naval Records
To:	Secretary of the Navy

Subj:	REVIEW OF NAVAL RECORD OF

Ref:	(a) Title 10 U.S.C. 1552

End:	(1) DD Form 149 w/attachments
(2)	Case Summary
(3)	Subject’s naval record

1.	Pursuant to the provisions of reference (a) , Petitioner, a former enlisted member of the Marine Corps, applied to this Board requesting that his naval record be corrected by restoring him to the rank of corporal (CPL; E-4).

2 The Board, consisting of Messrs ~ reviewed Petitioner’s allegations of error and injustice on 16 August 2006 and, pursuant to its regulations, determined that the corrective action indicated below should be taken on the available evidence of record. Documentary material considered by the Board consisted of the enclosures, naval records, and applicable statutes, regulations and policies.

3.	The Board, having reviewed all the facts of record pertaining to Petitioner’s allegations of error and injustice, finds as follows:

a.	Before applying to this Board, Petitioner exhausted all administrative remedies available under existing law and regulations within the Department of the Navy.

b.	Enclosure (1) was filed in a timely manner.

c.	On 12 August 2002 Petitioner enlisted in the Marine Corps. He then served satisfactorily for more than three years and was advanced in rank to CPL. At the time of the incident at issue, Petitioner was serving in Iraq with a Marine logistics unit.

d.	A summary court-martial (SCM) convened on 5 January 2006 and found Petitioner guilty of conspiring with two other Marines to violate a regulation by punching holes in the extra fuel tanks of four Jordanian water trucks and violating the regulation by punching holes in the fuel tanks. The court sentenced Petitioner to forfeiture of two-thirds pay for one month, restriction for 30 days, and reduction in rank from corporal to lance corporal(LCPL; E-3).

e.	In support of Petitioner’s application, letters were submitted from Petitioner’s company commanding officer and first sergeant, and a chief warrant officer, all of whom recommended restoration of his rank. They stated that Petitioner was assigned to the fuel depot protecting government property and that the sentence of a reduction in rank was too harsh in that there was no malicious intent. All three individuals also state that Petitioner should not have been taken to SCM, and non— punitive measures would have sufficed. Documentation submitted to the Board reflects that fuel was being continuously stolen by the Jordanian truck drivers and stored in the extra fuel tanks with no action being taken against them. After many warnings to the truck drivers, Petitioner and the other Marines took matters into their own hands.

f.	On 11 August 2006 Petitioner was honorably released from active duty and transferred to the Marine Corps Reserve.

CONCLUSION:

Upon review and consideration of all the evidence of record the Board concludes that Petitioner’s request warrants favorable action. The Board believes that the circumstances of the offenses and the three letters from his superiors justify suspension of the reduction to lance corporal. Petitioner was in a war zone and attempting to protect government property in his own way. While the SCM conviction was proper, the Board concludes that the reduction in rank was too harsh and the interests of justice would be better served by showing that his reduction to LCPL was suspended for six months.

RECONNENDATIONS

a.	That Petitioner’s naval record be corrected to show that the SCM sentence of reduction to LCPL was suspended for six months.

b.	That the record be further corrected to show that Petitioner was never reduced in rank from CPL to LCPL.

c.	That any material or entries inconsistent with or relating to the Board’s recommendation be corrected, removed or completely expunged from Petitioner’s record and that no such entries or material be added to the record in the future.

d.	That any material directed to be removed from Petitioner’s naval record be returned to the Board, together with a copy of this Report of Proceedings, for retention in a confidential file

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maintained for such purpose, with no cross reference being made a part of Petitioner’s naval record.

4.	It is certified that a quorum was present at the Board’s review and deliberations, and that the foregoing is a true and complete record of the Board’s proceedings in the above entitled matter.

ROBERT D. ZSALMAN	ALAN E. GOLDSMITH
Recorder	Acting Recorder

5.	Pursuant to the delegation of authority set out in Section
6(e) of the revised Procedures of the Board for Correction of Naval Records (32 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 723.6(e)) and having assured compliance with its provisions, it is hereby announced that the foregoing corrective action, taken under the authority of reference (a) , has been approved by the Board on behalf of the Secretary of the Navy.

							 W. DEAN PFEIFFER
Executive Director