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

Docket No: 127-20  
Ref:   Signature Date  

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

Ref:  (a) 10 U.S.C. §1552 

Encl: (1) DD Form 149 

1.  Pursuant to the reference, Petitioner, a former enlisted Marine, filed the enclosure with this Board, requesting a upgrade to his discharge from general (under honorable conditions) to honorable.

2.  The Board, consisting of   , reviewed Petitioner’s allegations of error and injustice on 30 April 2020, 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 enclosure, relevant portions of the Petitioner’s 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.  Petitioner enlisted in the Marine Corps and began a period of active duty on 26 April 1974. 

c.  During his period of service, petitioner received nonjudicial punishment one time for relatively minor offenses.  At the time of his discharge, Petitioner’s trait averages in Duty and Conduct were 4.2 and 4.1, respectively, which trait averages would warrant an honorable discharge. 

d.  Petitioner’s commanding officer recommended that Petitioner be discharged by reason of unsuitability due to indebtedness that Petitioner had incurred prior to his entry into the naval service, and since the time of his enlistment, he was unable to make his obligations. 

e.  On 17 January 1975, he was discharged with an general (under honorable conditions) characterization of service. 

f.  Petitioner asserts that he was discharged for circumstances surrounding his correct birth date.  He states that he was a minor at the time of his discharge.  He also states that he is now 64 has never been arrested or charged. 

CONCLUSION 

Upon review and consideration of all the evidence of record, the Board finds the existence of an error warranting relief. Characterization of service is based in part on conduct marks assigned on a period basis.  Your conduct average was 4.1.  At the time of your service, a conduct average of 
4.0 was required for a fully honorable characterization of service. The Board concluded that your record of service including your trait averages is a sufficient basis to establish an error or injustice in your current characterization of service.  

RECOMMENDATION 

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

Petitioner’s naval record be corrected by changing the characterization of service his DD Form 214 from Under Honorable Conditions to Honorable. 

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. 

That upon request, the Department of Veterans Affairs is informed that Petitioner’s application was received by the Board on 27 December 2019. 

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 (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 the reference, has been approved by the Board on behalf of the Secretary of the Navy.