The Defense Department currently has several proposals to cut costs, including reducing 127,000 active-duty members by 2017.

Eliminations Boards/Officer Show Cause Board/Board of Inquiry

BLUF: Do not allow yourself to be separated from the Service without fighting! Too many Service-Members signed their lives away without understudying their rights and get stuck with a discharge that will affect their ability to gain future employment and  security clearance – all of these problems become abundantly clear once the Service-Member is out of the Service, don’t be that person.  We offer a free initial consultation in order to evaluate your case and can speak to you on weekend.

Whether for Officers or Enlisted Members (typically Non-Commissioned Officer), the Board will decide whether the Service-member will be able to continue on Active Duty and if not, a recommendation as to Characterization of Service. Please be aware, if you have six years in service or if your Command is recommending an Other Than Honorable discharge, you are entitled to a board. DO NOT WAIVE your opportunity to go to a separation/officer show case board. If you waive your right to a board proceeding, and later try to upgrade your discharge, the Discharge Review Board Agency will hold this waiver against you.

The proceeding itself is a “mini-trial” – opening and closing statement, evidence presented, witness testimony and cross examination. In the last fifteen years, Attorney Anita Gorecki has represented countless Service-Members at separation boards and Court-Martials to include murder.

Anita Gorecki-Robbins was an Army Senior Defense Counsel on Active Duty.  According to her, “Service-Members going to a Courts-Martial are priority one cases and separation boards are priority two cases. As an example, while on Active Duty I had a murder case and my client was facing life without the possibility of parole in prison and a separation board at the same time. Generally speaking, a Court-Martial is going to get more attention because the Service-Member may be going to jail. But here is another bottom line, your Separation Board IS IMPORTANT! You need someone who will be with you every step of the way. If you are a client of my firm, you will get my personal cell phone and I will always respond to you by the end of the day.”

EXAMPLE:  The Law Offices of Anita Gorecki-Robbins represented a Service-Member at a separation board hearing. The unit recommend that he receive an Other Than Honorable discharge. The recommendation of an OTH discharge entitles the Service-Member to a separation board which every Service-Member should take advantage of! The Service-Member was ultimately retained and went right back to work. No two cases are alike, however with preparation, strategy, and calling the “right” witnesses, a difference can be made in your case.

EXAMPLE: FORT BRAGG, NC, the law offices of Anita Gorecki-Robbins represented an Officer at a Show Cause Board where the officer was not retained but did receive an Honorable Discharge and later on went on to join a National Guard Unit. Please remember, that you are fighting for two things, to be retained AND what your characterization of service should be.

Your livelihood, retirement and future employment in the civilian sector is at stake. It is very difficult to get a job in the local, state or Federal Government to include law enforcement with a less than Honorable discharge. Likewise, a security clearance application will require your disclosure of your characterization of discharge. The “election of rights” you make at separation will affect the rest of you life.

TESTIMONIALS

Mrs. Gorecki-Robbins saved my Army career as an Officer.  Trial defense services let me down… twice. I felt they treated me like a number… no personal service. Anita is about representing her clients to the fullest, and she makes them feel like she is  personally vested in their case. It’s like having the choice between Michael Jordan or Will Perdue on your team. Who’s Will Perdue?  Exactly!  She’s the G.O.A.T. -DPN

We were referred to Ms. Gorecki by an Army JAG Officer. They felt she was the best legal team to represent our son at his Marine Corps separation board hearing. Our son’s unit recommended that he receive an Other Than Honorable Discharge. We contacted Ms. Gorecki just 11 days prior to the hearing and they were right, Ms. Gorecki immediately began the process of gathering the facts, character and professional witnesses and advising us of the situation that lies ahead for our son. It was Ms. Gorecki’s professionalism, experience with the military and keen sense of strategy that made a world of difference. The result was that our son was retained as a United States Marine and were extremely grateful to Ms. Gorecki and her team! With our gratitude, Parents of R. F.

Call today to get a free consultation or contact us and we will get back to you shortly to set up your appointment. Let us explain the process to you and evaluate your case.