ex-LCpl, USMC

Current Discharge and Applicant’s Request

Application Received:  20150304
Characterization of Service Received:  (per DD 214) GENERAL (UNDER HONORABLE CONDITIONS)
Narrative Reason for Discharge:  (per DD 214) COMPLETION OF REQUIRED ACTIVE SERVICE
Reenlistment Code:  RE-3C
Authority for Discharge:  (per DD 214) MARCORSEPMAN 1005  [COMPLETION OF REQUIRED ACTIVE SERVICE]

Applicant’s Request:	Characterization change to: HONORABLE
	Narrative Reason change to: NONE REQUESTED
	
Summary of Service

Prior Service:
Inactive:	USMCR (DEP)	20060825 - 20060925  COG	Active:	NONE

Period of Service Under Review:
Date of Current Enlistment:  20060926	Age at Enlistment:  19
Period of Enlistment:  4 Years  0 Months
Date of Discharge:  20100925	Highest Rank:  LANCE CORPORAL
Length of Service:  04  Year(s)  00  Month(s)  00  Day(s)
Education Level:  12	AFQT:  38
MOS:  3521
Proficiency/Conduct Marks (# of occasions):  3.7 (NFIR) / 3.7 (NFIR)	Fitness Reports:  NOT APPLICABLE

Awards and Decorations (per DD 214):	Rifle SS  GWOTSM NDSM

Periods of UA/CONF:  NONE

NJP:  3

- 20080306:	Article 92 (Failure to obey order or regulation) 2 specifications
	Specification 1:  O/A 20080226, SNM failed to obey state and federal laws by consuming alcohol underage.
	Specification 2:  O/A 20080226, SNM failed to obey MVSD barracks policy by possessing hard liquor in barracks.
	Awarded: RIR RESTR EPD FOP  Suspended:  RIR FOP
	[Suspension vacated on 20080509]

- 20080529:	Article 92 (Failure to obey order or regulation) 2 specifications
	Specification 1:  O/A 20080504, SNM wrongfully consumed alcohol under the age of 21.
	Specification 2:  O/A 20080504, SNM failed to obey a lawful order not to drink by continuing to drink    while awaiting a SARP evaluation.
	Awarded: RIR RESTR EPD FOP  Suspended:  NONE

- 20080714:	Article 92 (Failure to obey order or regulation, Restriction breaking; O/A 20080614, SNM broke restriction.) 
	Article 134 (General article; O/A 20080614, SNM broke restriction by being in another barracks room.)
	Awarded: FOP RESTR EPD Suspended:  NONE

SCM:  NONE			SPCM:  NONE		CC:  NONE	

Retention Warning Counseling:  2

- 20100609:	For deficiencies related to violation of Article 91 during field day on 20100608 when SNM became argumentative with several NCOs.

- 20090715:	For proficiency conduct marks of 4.2/3.8 due to after effects of intemperance.

Types of Documents Submitted/reviewed

Related to Military Service:
	DD 214:		Service/Medical Record:		Other Records:	

Related to Post-Service Period:
	Employment:		Finances:		Education/Training:	
	Health/Medical Records:		Rehabilitation/Treatment:		Criminal Records:	
	Personal Documentation:		Community Service:		References:	
	Department of VA letter:		Other Documentation:	
		Additional Statements:
	From Applicant:		From/To Representation:		From/To Congress member:	

Types of Witnesses Who Testified

	Expert:		Character:	

Pertinent Regulation/Law

A.  Marine Corps Separation and Retirement Manual, (MCO P1900.16F), effective 1 September 2001 until Present, Paragraph 1005, DISCHARGE FOR EXPIRATION OF ENLISTMENT OR FULFILLMENT OF SERVICE OBLIGATION.

B.  Secretary of the Navy Instruction 5420.174D of 22 December 2004, Naval Discharge Review Board (NDRB) Procedures and Standards, Part II, Para 211, Regularity of Government Affairs, Part V, Para 502, Propriety and Para 503, Equity.

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
NAVAL DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD (NDRB)
DISCHARGE REVIEW DECISIONAL DOCUMENT

Applicant’s Issues

1.      The Applicant is requesting an upgrade in characterization of service for his initial four year enlistment based on honorably completing a subsequent four year reserve commitment with honorable service.

Decision

Date:  20150521	       DOCUMENTARY REVIEW	Location: Washington D.C.	 Representation: Civilian Counsel

By a vote of 5-0 the Characterization shall remain GENERAL (UNDER HONORABLE CONDITIONS).
By a vote of 5-0 the Narrative Reason shall remain COMPLETION OF REQUIRED ACTIVE SERVICE.

Discussion

The NDRB, under its responsibility to examine the propriety and equity of an Applicant’s discharge, is authorized to change the character of service and the reason for discharge if such change is warranted.  In reviewing discharges, the Board presumes regularity in the conduct of governmental affairs unless there is substantial credible evidence to rebut the presumption, to include evidence submitted by the Applicant.  The Board completed a thorough review of the circumstances that led to the discharge and the discharge process to ensure his discharge met the pertinent standards of equity and propriety.  The Applicant’s record of service included two 6105 counseling warnings, three nonjudicial punishments (NJPs) for violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ):  Article 92 (Failure to obey order or regulation) and Article 92 (Failure to obey order or regulation.  The Applicant’s record and DD214 reflect discharge due to completion of required active service.  

Issue 1:  (Decisional) (Propriety)  RELIEF NOT WARRANTED.  The Applicant is requesting an upgrade in characterization of service for his initial four year enlistment based on honorably completing a subsequent four year reserve commitment with honorable service.  The Applicant completed his first enlistment period with a general (under honorable conditions) characterization of service for that period of service.  Each period of enlistment is an independent obligation, and characterization of service is determined for that specific period.  Characterization of service at discharge is the recognition of a service member’s performance and conduct during a period of enlistment and is not necessarily dependent upon the narrative reason for separation.  In accordance with Paragraph 1004 of the Marine Corps Separation and Retirement Manual, an Honorable characterization of service upon the expiration of active duty is appropriate when the quality of a Marine’s service has met the standards of accepted conduct and performance of duty for military personnel.  The characterization of service will be Honorable for Marines with average Proficiency marks of 3.0 or higher and average Conduct marks of 4.0 or higher.  The Applicant completed his obligated service with overall marks for proficiency and conduct of 3.7 and 3.7 respectively.  Additionally, the Applicant’s record contained three NJPs.    

A General (Under Honorable Conditions) discharge is warranted when the quality of the member’s service has been honest and faithful but significant negative aspects of the member’s conduct or performance of duty outweighed the positive aspects of the member’s service record.  This characterization accurately describes the performance for the Applicant’s first enlistment period.  The Honorable Discharge certificate received in February 2014 indicates that the Applicant successfully completed the remainder of his obligated service in the Individual Ready Reserve after the completion of his required active service in the Marine Corps.  The Applicant properly and equitably received a General (Under Honorable Conditions) characterization of service for his active-duty service from September 2006 to September 2010 as explained above.  Relief denied.

Summary:  After a thorough review of the available evidence, to include the Applicant’s summary of service, service record entries, and discharge process, the Board found the discharge was proper and equitable at the time of discharge. Therefore, the awarded characterization of service shall remain GENERAL (UNDER HONORABLE CONDITIONS) and the narrative reason for separation shall remain COMPLETION OF REQUIRED ACTIVE SERVICE.  The Applicant remains eligible for a personal appearance hearing for a period of fifteen years from the date of his discharge.  The Applicant is directed to the Addendum for additional information.

ADDENDUM:  Information for the Applicant

Complaint Procedures:  If you believe the decision in your case is unclear, not responsive to the issues you raised, or does not otherwise comport with the decisional document requirements of DoD Instruction 1332.28, you may submit a complaint in accordance with Enclosure (5) of that Instruction to the Joint Service Review Activity, OUSD (P&R) PI-LP, The Pentagon, Washington, DC  20301-4000.  You should read Enclosure (5) of the Instruction before submitting such a complaint.  The complaint procedure does not permit a challenge of the merits of the decision; it is designed solely to ensure that the decisional documents meet applicable requirements for clarity and responsiveness.  You may view DoD Instruction 1332.28 and other Decisional Documents by going online at “http://Boards.law.af.mil.”

Additional Reviews:  After a document review has been conducted, former members are eligible for a personal appearance hearing, provided the application is received at the NDRB within 15 years of the Applicant’s date of discharge.  The Applicant can provide documentation to support any claims of post-service accomplishments or any additional evidence related to this discharge.  Representation at a personal appearance hearing is recommended but not required.  There are veterans organizations such as the American Legion and the Disabled American Veterans that are willing to provide guidance to former service members in their efforts to obtain a discharge upgrade.  If a former member has been discharged for more than 15 years, has already been granted a personal appearance hearing or has otherwise exhausted their opportunities before the NDRB, the Applicant may petition the Board for Correction of Naval Records (BCNR), 701 South Courthouse Road, Suite 1001, Arlington, VA 22204-2490 for further review.

Service Benefits:  The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) determines eligibility for post-service benefits, not the NDRB.  There is no requirement or law that grants recharacterization solely on the issue of obtaining veterans benefits and this issue does not serve to provide a foundation upon which the Board can grant relief.

Employment/Educational Opportunities:  The NDRB has no authority to upgrade a discharge for the sole purpose of enhancing employment or educational opportunities.  Regulations limit the NDRB’s review to a determination of the propriety and equity of the discharge.

Reenlistment/RE-code:  Effective 6 February 2015, the NDRB is authorized to change a NDRB Applicant’s Reenlistment Code if related to an accompanying change in discharge characterization or narrative, but this authority is strictly limited to those cases where an applicant’s narrative reason or characterization of discharge is changed and that change warrants revision of the previously issued reenlistment code.  Additionally, the NDRB has no authority to upgrade a discharge for the sole purpose of enhancing reenlistment opportunities.  An unfavorable “RE-CODE” is, in itself, not a bar to reenlistment.  A request for a waiver can be submitted during the processing of a formal application for reenlistment through a recruiter.

Medical Conditions and Misconduct:  DoD disability regulations do not preclude a disciplinary separation.  Appropriate regulations stipulate that separations for misconduct take precedence over potential separations for other reasons.  Whenever a member is being processed through the Physical Evaluation Board, and is processed subsequently for an administrative involuntary separation or is referred to a court martial for misconduct, the disability evaluation is suspended pending the outcome of the non-disability proceedings.  If the action includes either a punitive or administrative discharge for misconduct or for any basis wherein an Other Than Honorable discharge is authorized, the medical board report is filed in the member’s terminated health record.  Additionally, the NDRB does not have the authority to change a narrative reason for separation to one indicating a medical disability or other medical related reasons.  Only the BCNR can grant this type of narrative reason change.

Automatic Upgrades - There is no law or regulation that provides for an unfavorable discharge to be upgraded based solely on the passage of time or good conduct subsequent to leaving naval service.

Post-Service Conduct:  The NDRB is authorized to consider post-service factors in the recharacterization of a discharge.  Outstanding post-service conduct, to the extent such matters provide a basis for a more thorough understanding of the Applicant’s performance and conduct during the period of service under review, is considered during Board reviews.  Documentation to support a post-service conduct upgrade includes, but is not limited to: a verifiable continuous employment record; marriage and children’s birth certificates (if applicable); character witness statements; documentation of community or church service; certification of non-involvement with civil authorities; evidence of financial stability or letters of good standing from banks, credit card companies, or other financial institutions; attendance at or completion of higher education (official transcripts); and documentation of a drug-free lifestyle.   The Applicant is advised that completion of these items alone does not guarantee the upgrade of an unfavorable discharge, as each discharge is reviewed by the Board on a case-by-case basis to determine if post-service accomplishments help demonstrate  in-service misconduct was an aberration and not indicative of the member’s overall character.

Issues Concerning Bad-Conduct Discharges (BCD): Because relevant and material facts stated in a court-martial specification are presumed by the NDRB to be established facts, issues relating to the Applicant’s innocence of charges for which he was found guilty cannot form a basis for relief.  With respect to a discharge adjudged by a special court-martial, the action of the NDRB is restricted to upgrades based on clemency.  Clemency is an act of leniency that reduces the severity of the punishment imposed.  The NDRB does not have the jurisdictional authority to review a discharge or dismissal resulting from a general court-martial.

Board Membership:  The names and votes of the members of the NDRB Board are recorded on the original of this document and may be obtained from the service records by writing to:

Secretary of the Navy Council of Review Boards
Attn:  Naval Discharge Review Board
720 Kennon Street SE Rm 309
Washington Navy Yard DC  20374-5023