#miltwitter. Lengthy thread on officer misconduct/eliminations. Will not address any particular case but is an attempt to explain a system that few understand. Officer eliminations do not occur at the local level, lending itself to perception of double standards. 1/

I am an Infantry officer currently assigned as a board member at the Army Review Board Agency (ARBA) — an organization I did not know existed prior to my time here — everything above the Div to me was simply "HRC" or "DA." 2/

ARBA conducts weekly boards ranging from Discharge Review Boards (think upgrades of characterization, narrative reason for sep.); to DA Suitability and Evaluation Boards, and DA Conscientious Objector Boards (we have an application or two monthly). I preside over the last two. 3/

DA Suitability and Evaluation Boards (DASEBs) deal with currently serving Soldiers requesting either removal of a GOMOR or transfer to the restricted file; appeal of an evaluation (OER, NCOER, AER); or transfer of an Art 15 to the restricted file. Can expand on this. 4/

As many know, when a Soldier receives a GOMOR, the Implementing Authority (IA) — to keep it simple let’s say it is the installation’s senior commander such as a DIV CG — has the option to file locally or in the AMHRR (“iPERMS” or “OMPF”). 5/

All IAs are different and I am not pretending to speak for them, but after having read 100s of GOMORs over the last year, IAs take chain of command input and apply their judgment when making these decisions. Every case is different — every Soldier is different. 6/

If filed locally, the chain of command can mention the misconduct on the OER or NCOER, but cannot use the term “GOMOR” in the evaluation’s narrative. Someone with a locally filed GOMOR can still receive a Referred report. 7/

If filed in the AMHRR, following events will likely occur — there is no flow chart or decision support matrix for this — all cases/situations are different. If an NCO, a QMP notice may be sent from HRC notifying the NCO that they are being considered for elimination. 8/

If an officer, the General Officer Show Cause Authority (GOSCA) — usually the same GO as the GOMOR IA, especially at divisional level installations — may notify the officer to appear before a Board of Inquiry (BOI) based upon derogatory info in the officer's file. 9/

Derogatory information being the operative term here — derogatory information could also be a referred report (OER, NCOER, AER; or a GO Art 15 — yes, officers can and do receive ART 15s). 10/

Probationary officers are not entitled to a BOI and can be eliminated quicker than officers who have a right to appear before a board. Officers facing elimination have other rights as well: 11/

They have the right to counsel, the right to present matters — generally character references, a self-authored statement for the GOSCA and Board to consider, the right to put in a conditional Resignation ILO Elimination (RILE). 12/

An example of a conditional-RILE would be an officer being referred to a BOI and electing to submit matters to the GOSCA that they will waive their BOI conditional upon receiving no less than a General Discharge as the characterization of service. 13/

A GOSCA could accept the conditional-RILE and send the packet to ARBA if it's in the best interest of the Army. For example, misconduct not reaching the threshold of Under Other Than Honorable (UOTH), it makes sense to not waste Army time to arrive at the same conclusion. 14

The elimination packet then arrives at ARBA, is reviewed by legal (again as it is surely reviewed at the local level) and an ARBA medical officer provides an opine. This step is important. What is the medical provider looking for? 15/

Medical conditions that may mitigate some or all of the misconduct. For example, there is a nexus between PTSD, MST, TBI and self-medication; as well as avoidance behaviors — generally speaking, FTRs, verbal disrespect to leaders can be perceived as avoidance behaviors. 16/

Medical provider is also weighing the misconduct (and elimination) versus whether it is in the best interest of the Army to allow the Soldier to continue through the IDES process (if applicable). 17/

Next, 3 senior officers are assigned the case as part of an Ad Hoc Review Board. We have access to the entire packet with endorsements from the chain of command through the GOSCA, the investigation/s the elimination is predicated on, the officer's AMHRR, and medical opine. 18/

We each vote separately whether or not to eliminate the officer. If we recommend elimination, we must recommend a characterization of service, and if applicable, we recommend whether or not the government should recoup money from the individual. 19/

ARBA legal reviews and my boss — Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Review Boards) (DASA)— an SES — on behalf of the SECARMY decides whether or not to eliminate, characterization of service, and whether or not to recoup. 20/

Process is lengthy. Lengthier if the DASA does not concur with granting a conditional elimination because he feels that it is not in the interest of the Army — usually because the misconduct should go before a BOI because it may warrant a UOTH characterization service. 21/

One other scenario may occur. If the misconduct is serious enough to warrant charges from the GCMCA, the officer can submit a Resignation for the Good of the Service (RFGOS). A RFGOS is analogous to an enlisted Chapter 10. 22/

It is the officer essentially stating that they will accept an UOTH characterization of service to not appear before a court martial. the GCMCA makes a recommendation and the Ad Hoc Review Board again reviews and recommends whether or not to accept to the DASA. 23/

In the case of someone like me who is retirement eligible, I could submit a Retirement ILO Elimination. Important to note that all retirements are characterized as Honorable. 24/

If the DASA accepted my Retirement ILO elimination, the board would make a grade determination recommendation. No template for this either, but review of the entire file — the whole person — is critical, as is the seriousness of the misconduct. 25/

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. /END