MLM 110 - The Department of Defense (DoD) Discharge Appeal Review Board (DARB)

Military Law & Life Matters

The Department of Defense (DoD) Discharge Appeal Review Board (DARB)

DARB affords Service members the opportunity to request an upgrade to the characterization of a discharge or dismissal that was not granted by their Service Discharge Review Board (DRB) and the Board of Corrections of Military/Naval Records (BCM/NR).

** Note that the DARB only applies to discharges or dismissals with a date on or after December 20, 2019.

• For a discharge or dismissal dated on or after December 20, 2019, through December 31, 2020, a request for relief must be submitted on or before January 1, 2022, or within 365 calendar days of receipt of the BCM/NR decision, whichever is later. A request filed later than this date is untimely and may be denied by the DARB on that basis.
• For a discharge or dismissal date on or after January 1, 2021, a request for relief must be submitted within 365 calendar days of the date of receipt of the BCM/NR decision. A request filed more than 365 calendar days after the date of the respective BCM/NR decision is untimely and may be denied by the DARB on that basis.

Department of Defense (DoD) Discharge Appeal Review Board (DARB) https://afrba-portal.cce.af.mil/#resources

Department of Defense (DoD) Discharge Appeal Review Board (DARB) Application Instructions https://afrba-portal.cce.af.mil/#application-submission-darb

The current governing instruction for the DARB process is in the Deputy Secretary of Defense “ Memorandum, dated 29 January 2021 ”

https://afrba-portal.cce.af.mil/app/assets/DOD_SECTION_523.pdf