Correction of Military Records | Military Lawyers | Military Record Changes | U.S. Military Lawyers James Culp & Timothy Litka

Law Offices of James Culp & Timothy Litka, LLP | Worldwide Representation | Call now for a FREE Consultation - Available 24/7 (888) 246-1515


	Correction of Military Records The BCMR - Board for Correction of Military Records The Board of Corrections of Military Records (BCMR) is set up to correct errors in your military records or upgrade a discharge that was issued over 15 years ago based on the standards of clemency. The Army and Air Force BCMRs, and the Board for Correction of Naval Records, are authorized to change your military personnel records in many ways. The only thing these Boards are prohibited from doing is to overturn a court-martial conviction. The BCMR can: review and change the decision of a DRB regarding a discharge; review and change discharges, including Bad Conduct Discharges or Dishonorable Discharges and/or Dismissals, resulting from General Courts-martial; change discharges to/from medical/disability retirement, enabling a VA pension; change re-enlistment (RE) codes; eliminate disciplinary actions (fines, reductions in rank, etc.); remove bad performance evaluations, counseling entries, etc.; re-instate service member; and make other changes to personnel records. Again, the BCMR cannot overturn, pardon, or otherwise eliminate a court-martial conviction. However, Mr. Culp can help you get the board to consider changing the reason for discharge and enable you to receive VA benefits, for example. The BCMR also has a time restriction regarding applications. You must apply to the BCMR within three years of the date of your discharge, a negative DRB decision, or discovery of the error or injustice in your records. Your application may still be accepted and reviewed after the three-year limit if you can show "good cause" regarding why you missed the deadline and that it is in the "interests of justice" for the BCMR to accept and review your application. If you have missed the deadline, an experienced, military attorney can help you overcome this restriction to have the board hear your case. Also, if a DRB is unwilling to review your case regarding a discharge due to its time restriction, Mr. Culp can apply for relief to the BCMR. BCMR hearings are only held in Washington D.C., and personal appearances are rarely granted. The authority and powers granted to the BCMR by Congress are vast and exist to correct the injustices that often occur in the military context. Though the BCMR cannot disturb findings of courts-martial, the BCMR can upgrade punitive discharges as a matter of clemency. If you are contemplating filing a petition to the BCMR you may do it on your own, but you should also give serious consideration to hiring an attorney to help you prepare your argument. In most instances, you will get only one chance to have your case heard before the BCMR. Mr. Culp is experienced in drafting and submitting matters to the BCMR of all branches of the military. If you feel that you or a loved one has an issue that can be corrected by the BCMR, do not hesitate to contact Mr. Culp for an initial free consultation.

HADITHA
LCpl Justin Sharratt was one of four Marines charged with murder on December 21, 2006 in connection with the killing of 24 Iraqi men, women and children in Haditha, Iraq. It was the U.S. military's deadliest criminal case to emerge from the Iraq war. LCpl Sharratt faced a life sentence if convicted.

ISKANDARIYAH
On July 1, 2007 Army Sergeant Evan Vela, a Ranger qualified sniper with the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, was charged with the premeditated murder of an Iraqi who had compromised his team’s hide position in the Triangle of Death. Sergeant Vela faced a life sentence if convicted.

RAMADI
On June 25, 2006 the Army charged Specialist Nathan Lynn of the 1st Battalion, 109th Infantry Regiment with the wrongful killing of an Iraqi who was shot to death while moving tactically on SPC Lynn’s position. SPC Lynn was also charged with conspiracy for his alleged role in planting an AK-47 at the scene.

CHARLES JENKINS
In the early morning hours of January 5, 1965, Sergeant Charles Robert Jenkins deserted his U.S. Army unit in South Korea and walked across the DMZ to North Korea where he remained until 2004. When he escaped North Korea in the summer of 2004, he was charged with desertion and aiding the enemy and faced a possible life sentence.

MAHMUDIYAH
The Al-Mahmudiyah killings occurred on March 12, 2006 in a house located south of Baghdad, Iraq in which four United States soldiers with the 101st Airborne Division raped and murdered a 14 year-old Iraqi girl after murdering her mother, father and 5 year old sister. All four Soldiers faced the possibility of the death sentence.

JALALABAD
On March 4, 2007, a convoy of Special Operations Marines was attacked outside of Jalalabad, Afghanistan. They responded in self defense. After the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission issued a report stating that 12 civilians were killed and 35 wounded, the NCIS initiated an investigation

BAGHDAD
In the Spring of 2007, an infantry First Sergeant, a Platoon Sergeant, and the company medic executed four Iraqi detainees in South Baghdad. SSG Jesse Cunningham revealed the murders and erroneously became one of seven Army soldiers charged with the killings. He faced a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison.

The information on military courts-martial, military appeals, military parole and clemency, military boards of correction, military discharge upgrade, veterans administration claims, military administrative discharge hearings, and claims against the federal government under the federal tort claims act provided by this Military Defense Attorney /Law Firm website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this or associated pages, documents, comments, answers, e-mails, or other communications should be taken as legal advice from these military attorneys/lawyers, for any individual case or situation, civilian or military. This information on this website is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing of this information does not constitute an attorney-client relationship with these U.S. military attorneys/lawyers for any civilian or military purpose, including military courts-martial, military appeals, military parole and clemency, military boards of correction, military discharge upgrade, veterans administration claims, military administrative discharge hearings, and claims against the federal government under the federal tort claims act. The attorney-client relationship with these military attorneys/lawyers will be formed when this office sends out an engagement letter, you (the client) sign and return that letter with the fee agreed upon by you and this office for one or both of these military attorneys/lawyers to represent you as your military attorney/lawyer at locations worldwide such as Fort Hood, Fort Bragg, Iraq, Quantico, Washington, DC, Fort Drum, Fort Stewart, Fort Lewis, Camp Pendleton, Camp LeJune, Schofield Barracks, Norfolk Naval Station, Fort Sam Houston, Fort Bliss, Germany, Korea, Iraq or Afghanistan. The civilian military defense attorneys/lawyers of this firm do not discriminate amongst the U.S. armed services and are prepared to represent U.S. military servicemen and servicemen from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and U.S. Coast Guard.

16238 Highway 620 Suite F-397 Austin, TX 78717 Toll Free: (800) 246-1515