Navy E-7 held his official retirement ceremony, including a program listing the awards and decorations he earned during his 22 year career. While he was on terminal leave, his command grew suspicious of some of his awards, and launched an investigation into whether he actually earned the awards. Our client was pulled off terminal leave to face court-martial charges that he was wearing awards to which he was not entitled, including 2 Navy Achievement Medals, 2 Expert Marksmanship Awards, an Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, an Expeditionary Warfare Device, a SeaBee Combat Warfare insignia, a Navy Parachutist Badge, a Fleet Marine Force Ribbon, and a Combat Action Ribbon. Ultimately, the command charged our client with the unlawful wearing of these awards and false official statement for including them in his retirement program. Our client faced up to a year in jail, a federal criminal record, a punitive discharge, reduction to E-1, and the loss of his entire Navy retirement. After an exhaustive investigation, the military lawyers at JAG Defense were able to demonstrate to the chain of command that our client’s official service record was not accurate, and that our client was entitled to wear all questioned awards except the Navy Parachutist badge and the Fleet Marine Force Ribbon. We further negotiated an alternate disposition in the case with regard to the Parachutist badge and Fleet Marine Force Ribbon that avoided a court-martial for our client. Result: No confinement, no reduction in paygrade, no punitive discharge, no criminal record, and our client was able to HONORABLY RETIRE from the U.S. Navy.
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