DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY 
BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF NAVAL RECORDS 
701 S. COURTHOUSE ROAD, SUITE 1001 
ARLINGTON, VA 22204-2490 

Docket No. 8192-18

From: Chairman, Board for Correction of Naval Records 

To: Secretary of the Navy 

Subj: REVIEW OF NAVAL 

Ref: (a) 10 U.S.C. §1552 

Encl: 
(1) DD Form 149 
(2) Subject’s naval record (excerpts) 

1. Pursuant to the provisions of the reference, Petitioner, a former enlisted Sailor, filed enclosure 
(1) with this Board requesting the separation code, narrative reason for separation, and reentry 
(RE) code on his DD Form 214 be corrected. 

2. The Board, consisting of reviewed Petitioner’s allegations of error and injustice on 3 June 2019, 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, relevant 
portions of the 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. The Petitioner enlisted in the Navy and began a period of active duty on 27 May 2015. 
On 28 May 2015, the Petitioner was diagnosed with unspecified depressive disorder that existed 
prior to service. The medical officer’s notes included that the Petitioner disclosed a history of 
self-mutilation (cutting his thighs) approximately three times during the time he was 15 to 16 
years old and vague symptoms of depression during that time. In the Report of Administrative 
Separations dated 4 June 2015, the Petitioner’s commanding officer provided the reason for 
separation processing as deliberate material misrepresentation, omission, or concealment of a 
condition or circumstances that existed prior to entry into naval service. On 12 June 2015, the 
Petitioner received an uncharacterized, entry-level separation by reason of for fraudulent entry 
with the separation code JDA, and reentry code RE-4. 

 c. In his application to the Board, the Petitioner claimed he did not have a history of 
depression or self-mutilating behaviors, but rather an isolated incident that he reported to his 
recruiter. He also asserted he turned over all of his pre-service medical records over to MEPS. 
However, the medical history forms the Petitioner completed at MEPS on 5 September 2014, 
indicate he reported no current or previous mental health issues, including depression. 

 d. The Board deliberated and concluded that given his youth and inexperience, he may not 
have perceived his isolated incidents of cutting as a teen to be tantamount to a history of mental 
health issues. Additionally, there was no way to verify whether such disclosures were made to a 
recruiter. They decided, as a matter of clemency, to change his separation code and narrative 
reason for separation, as they have potential pejorative consequences that outweigh any 
misconduct on the part of the Petitioner. However, the Board decided not to change the 
Petitioner’s RE code. 

CONCLUSION 

Upon review and consideration of all the evidence of record, the Board finds the existence of an 
injustice warranting relief.  

RECOMMENDATION 

In view of the above, the Board directs the following corrective action. 

Petitioner’s naval record be corrected by changing his separation code to JFF and his narrative 
reason for separation to Secretarial Authority. 

Petitioner be issued a new DD Form 214. 

That no further action be granted. 

A copy of this report of proceedings be filed in 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. 

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 Regulation, 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.