Docket No: 6800-19 
Ref: Signature Date                                                                                     
From:  Chairman, Board for Correction of Naval Record
To:    Secretary of the Navy 
 
Subj:   REVIEW NAVAL RECORD OF FORMER     USN,  
           
Ref:    (a) 10 U.S.C. 1552 
                 
Encl:   (1) DD Form 149 with attachments 
        (2) Case summary 
        (3) Subject's naval record (excerpts) 
 
1.  Pursuant to the provisions of reference (a), Petitioner, a former enlisted member of the Navy, filed enclosure (1) with this Board requesting a change to his naval record, specifically, to reflect his Characterization of Service be changed from “General Under Honorable Conditions” to “Honorable” on his Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214).  He also requested to change his Narrative Reason for Separation from “Personality Disorder” to “Secretarial Authority” and Separation Code from “HPX” to “JFF”.  Enclosures (1) through (3) apply. 
 
2.  The Board consisting of        reviewed Petitioner's allegations of error and injustice on 26 August 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 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.  Although enclosure (1) was not filed in a timely manner, it is in the interest of justice to waive the statute limitation and review the application on its merits. 
 
    c.  According to the information in the record, Petitioner enlisted in the Navy on 20 April 1992.  On 27 July 1995, he was reassigned for humanitarian reasons to  for special shore duty to assist in caring for his wife.  Presumably, at an unidentified time, Petitioner received a psychiatric evaluation, which diagnosed him with a personality disorder.   
As a result, he was recommended for an administrative separation due to a personality disorder.  At some point thereafter, he was notified of pending administrative separation action by reason of convenience of the government (COG) due to a personality disorder.  After he waived his rights, his commanding officer (CO) recommended a general under honorable conditions discharge due to a personality disorder.  The discharge authority approved his CO’s recommendation and directed a general under honorable conditions characterization of service by reason of a personality disorder.  On 7 October 1996, he was discharged with a “General Under Honorable Conditions” Characterization of Service,  assigned a Narrative Reason for separation as “Personality Disorder”, and a Separation Code of “HPX”.  The Board relies on a presumption of regularity to support the official actions of public officers and, in the absence of substantial evidence to rebut the presumption, to include evidence submitted by the Petitioner, the Board presume that the Petitioner was properly discharged from the Navy.  In regard to the Petitioner’s case, the Board noted Petitioner’s post service conduct and accomplishments and determined Petitioner deserves clemency.  
 
CONCLUSION: 
 
Upon review and consideration of all the evidence of record, the Board concludes that Petitioner's request warrants favorable action.  The Board was sympathetic to the Petitioner’s medical condition and his desire to upgrade his discharge.  The Board notes that Petitioner, although diagnosed with a personality disorder, deserves clemency and concludes that his Characterization of Service, Narrative Reason for Separation, and Separation Code should be changed to the best interest of the service.  With that being said, the Board concludes that the Characterization of Service “General Under Honorable Conditions” should be changed to “Honorable”, the Narrative Reason for Separation “Personality Disorder” be changed to “Secretarial Authority”, and Separation Code “HPX” be changed to “JFF”.   
    
In view of the foregoing, the Board finds the existence of an injustice warranting the following corrective action. 
 
RECOMMENDATION: 
 
That Petitioner's naval record shall be corrected by changing the Characterization of Service to “Honorable”, Narrative Reason for Separation to “Secretarial Authority”, and Separation Code to “JFF”. 
     
That Petitioner is issued a new Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214).     
 
That no further changes be made to the record. 
 
That upon request, the Department of Veterans Affairs be informed that Petitioner’s application was received on 10 July 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 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. 
 
Sincerely,