Dear  
 
This is in reference to your application for correction of your naval record pursuant to Section 1552 of Title 10, United States Code. After careful and conscientious consideration of relevant portions of your naval record and your application, the Board for Correction of Naval Records (Board) found the evidence submitted insufficient to establish the existence of probable material error or injustice. Consequently, your application has been denied. 
 
A three-member panel of the Board, sitting in executive session, considered your application on 24 November 2020.  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, and applicable statutes, regulations, and policies.  The Board also considered the 30 September 2019 advisory opinion (AO) furnished by the Marine Corps Performance Evaluation Review Board (PERB), which was previously provided to you.  Although you were afforded an opportunity to submit a rebuttal, you did not do so.      
 
The Board carefully considered your request to modify your fitness report for the reporting period 3 March 2018 to 21 June 2018 by changing the Section K, Comparative Assessment mark from the ‘6’ block to the ‘7’ block in order to show consistent not degrading performance.  The Board considered your contention that the contested fitness report violated the Performance Evaluation System (PES) manual in that the reviewing officer (RO) marked you in the ‘7’ block in the preceding fitness report but then marked you in the ‘6’ block in the contested report despite the fact that the report’s relative value from the reporting senior (RS) increased and the RO concurred with the RS assessment in Section K.2.   
 
The Board concurred with the AO that the PES Manual does not preclude an RO from changing the comparative assessment on back-to-back reports, nor does it require any specific justification or documentation for doing so.  The Board determined that the contested report is administratively correct and concluded that the report shall remain in your official military personnel file. 

You are entitled to have the Board reconsider its decision upon 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.   
 
 
Sincerely, 
  
1/17/2021
Deputy Director