Discharge Appeal Review Board
WHAT IS THE DARB?
The DARB is a document review board with no provision for personal appearances. Only military records from the Service BCM/NR case file will be reviewed. Any petitioner wishing to present new evidence must first submit a reconsideration request to, and receive a decision from, their Service BCM/NR before that new evidence may be considered. If the DARB recommends that the petitioner’s service characterization be upgraded, this recommendation will be transmitted to the Secretary of the Military Department concerned for final action.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY TO THE DARB?
Any service member separated on or after December 20, 2019, who has exhausted all available appeals with the appropriate Military Discharge Review Board (DRB) and Board for Correction of Military/Naval Records (BCM/NR), may apply to the DARB.
WHAT CAN THE DARB DO FOR ME?
If you were discharged or dismissed on or after 20 December 2019 for one of the reasons below, you have the opportunity to have the characterization of your discharge or dismissal reviewed by the DARB.
For Enlisted Personnel
- Expiration of service obligation
- Change in service obligations
- Weight control failure
- Convenience of the Government
- Disability
- Defective enlistments and induction
- Unsatisfactory reserve participation
- Secretarial plenary authority
- Entry-level conduct/performance
- Unsatisfactory performance
- Misconduct
- Separate in lieu of court-martial
- Security
- Drug abuse rehabilitation failure
- Alcohol abuse rehabilitation failure
For Commissioned Officers
- Substandard performance of duty
- Misconduct or moral or professional dereliction
- Retention not clearly consistent with national security interests;
- Sentence by court-martial
- Dropping from the rolls
DON’T GO IT ALONE!
You only get one shot at the DARB, as there no appeal of the Board’s decision. This means you must submit a thorough and persuasive package the very first time. Therefore, please consider reaching out to an experienced military attorney for assistance before you submit your package.
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