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

 Docket No: 6857-18 

 Ref: Signature Date 


Dear 


This is in reference to your application for correction of your naval record pursuant to Title 10, 
United States Code, Section 1552. After careful and conscientious consideration of the entire 
record, the Board for Correction of Naval Records (Board) found the evidence submitted was 
insufficient to establish the existence of probable material error or injustice. Consequently, your 
application has been denied. 

 
Although your application was not filed in a timely manner, the Board found it in the interest of 
justice to waive the statute of limitations and consider your application on its merits. A three-
member panel of the Board, sitting in executive session, considered your application on 
16 July 2019. The names and votes of the members of the panel will be furnished upon request. 
Your allegations of error and injustice were reviewed in accordance with administrative 
regulations and procedures applicable to the proceedings of this Board. Documentary material 
considered by the Board consisted of your application, together with all material submitted in 
support thereof, relevant portions of your naval record, as well as applicable statutes, regulations, 
and policies. 
 

You enlisted in the Navy on 23 April 1969. On 25 February 1970, you admitting to the Naval 
Investigative Service that you were using marijuana. Subsequently, you were notified of the 
recommendation that you be discharged by reason of unfitness due to drug abuse. On 
16 April 1970, you were discharged with an undesirable characterization of service. The Navy 
Discharge Review Board upgraded your discharge to a general characterization of service on 17 
December 1974. 
 

The Board carefully considered your request to upgrade your discharge and your contention that 
you admitted to using marijuana in order to be discharged because your mother committed 
suicide and your stepfather was abusing your younger sister. The Board noted that there is no 
evidence in your record, and you submitted none, to support these contentions. The Board also 
noted that your discharge has already been upgraded from an undesirable (currently referred to as 
an other than honorable) to a general discharge. For these reasons, the Board found no material 
error or injustice in your discharge. 


It is regretted that the circumstances of your case are such that favorable action cannot be taken. 
You are entitled to have the Board reconsider its decision upon the submission of new matters, 
which will require you to complete and submit a new DD Form 149. New matters are those not 
previously presented to or considered by the Board. In this regard, it is important to keep in 
mind that a presumption of regularity attaches to all official records. Consequently, when 
applying for a correction of an official naval record, the burden is on the applicant to 
demonstrate the existence of probable material error or injustice.