From:  Chairman, Board for Correction of Naval Records 
To:    Secretary of the Navy   
 
Subj:   REVIEW OF NAVAL RECORD OF FORMER 
 
Ref:  10 U.S.C. §1552 
  
Encl:   (1) DD Form 149 with attachments 
           (2) Non-Judicial Punishment (NJP) of 21 Oct 80 
           (3) Aptitude Board Report 
           (4) Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214) 
  
1.  Pursuant to the provisions of the reference above, Petitioner, a former enlisted member of the United States Marine Corps, filed enclosure (1) with this Board requesting that his DD Form 214 be corrected.  Specifically, he requested a change to the narrative reason for his separation.      
 
2.  The Board, consisting of  reviewed Petitioner's allegations of error and injustice on 19 August 2020 and, pursuant to its regulations, recommended that the partial corrective action indicated below should be taken on the available evidence of record.  Documentary material considered by the Board consisted of the enclosures, 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.  Although enclosure (1) was not filed in a timely manner, it is in the interest of justice to waive the statute of limitations and review the application on its merits. 
 
     c.  Petitioner enlisted in the Marine Corps and began a period of active duty on 11 August 1980.   
 
     d.  On 21 October 1980, Petitioner received NJP for failure to obey a superior noncommissioned officer in violation of Article 91, Uniform Code of Military Justice (see enclosure (2)). 
 
     e.  After a thorough review of Petitioner’s service record, it appears the record does not contain all of the documents pertinent to the Petitioner’s administrative separation processing.  Based on the documents in the record, Petitioner was notified in October 1980 that he was being recommended for administrative separation because of unsuitability due to enuresis.  Petitioner indicated that understood this recommendation and elected not to make a statement.  On 24 October 1980, the CO opined that Petitioner has no place in the Marine Corps and recommended administrative discharge.  On 29 October 1980, an Aptitude Board convened and recommended that Petitioner be administrative discharged by reason of unsuitability due to enuresis (see enclosure (3)).   
 
     f.  On 31 October 1980, Petitioner was discharged.  At the time of discharge, Petitioner was issued a DD Form 214 with a character of service “Honorable,” separation authority “MARCORSEPMAN Per 6016.1b,” separation code “JMB1,” reenlistment code “RE-3F,” and narrative reason for separation “Unsuitability – Personality Disorders” (see enclosure (4)). 
 
CONCLUSION: 
 
Upon review and consideration of all the evidence of record, the Board concludes that Petitioner’s request warrants relief.  
 
The Board carefully weighed all potentially mitigating factors, such as Petitioner’s contention in enclosure (1) that doctor’s statements were required to justify separation for the reason stated in the narrative and that there are no such documents to validate the statement, as he never saw a doctor of any kind.  The Board determined that block 28 of Petitioner’s DD Form 214 shall be changed to “Secretarial Authority” to reflect a less stigmatizing reason for separation.   
 
In view of the foregoing, the Board finds the existence of an injustice warranting the following corrective action. 
 
RECOMMENDATION: 
 
In view of the above, the Board directs the following corrective action. 
 
That Petitioner be issued a new DD Form 214 to indicate that on 31 October 1980, his narrative reason for separation was “Secretarial Authority.” 
 
No further changes be made to Petitioner’s record. 
 
That a copy of this Record of Proceedings be filed in Petitioner’s naval record. 
 
That, upon request, the Department of Veterans Affairs be informed that Petitioner’s application was received by the Board on 3 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 forth in Section 6(e) of the revised Procedures of the Board for Correction of Naval Records (Title 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.