NEW ORLEANS -- Background: The Board of Inquiry for Maj. Jason C. Brezler, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, was conducted at the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve headquarters in New Orleans from Dec. 17-19, 2013. Members of the board were three Marine Corps officers: two colonels and one lieutenant colonel, who conducted an impartial administrative hearing to collect their findings and recommendations to whether the preponderance of evidence substantiates misconduct or substandard performance by Maj. Brezler, the respondent. The board listened to witness testimony and reviewed evidence presented by the Government and the respondent.
Decision: On Dec. 19, 2013, the Board of Inquiry made the following findings and recommendations:
The board substantiated allegations of substandard performance of duty and misconduct.
Recommendations include separation from the Service with a characterization of service as Honorable.
Administrative Process:
1. The audio files of the Board of Inquiry will be submitted to Legal Services Support Section, National Capital Region, Quantico, Va., for transcription.
2. Once transcribed, the Government and respondent will be provided a copy of the transcript and will have five days to review the document for accuracy.
3. Once the transcript is certified by both parties, the senior member of the board will certify the record, which will encompass all relevant documents such as the transcript, all evidence submitted, and the Findings and Recommendations Worksheet.
4. Once the record is certified, the respondent has ten days to submit rebuttal matters to the findings or evidence. The Marine Forces Reserve Staff Judge Advocate will review rebuttal matters and include them in the Board of Inquiry record submitted to the convening authority, the Commander of Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North, Lt. Gen. Richard P. Mills.
5. Lt. Gen. Mills will review the record of the Board of Inquiry, including any rebuttal matters and will provide a forwarding endorsement with recommendations to the Separations Authority via Manpower & Reserve Affairs, Headquarters Marine Corps. Recommendations cannot be more adverse in nature than the recommendations made by the Board.
6. The full record of the Board of Inquiry and recommendations of the Board, convening authority, and Manpower & Reserve Affairs, Headquarters Marine Corps is submitted to the Secretary of the Navy for a final decision. The Secretary of the Navy is not authorized to make a recommendation more adverse in nature than that of the board.
7. Appeals following the Board and post-Secretary of the Navy’s decision will be reviewed by The Board for Correction of Naval Records.
- USMC -