(a) Preliminary. Prior to a review, applicants or their representatives may obtain copies of military records by submitting a Standard Form 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records, to the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), 9799 Page Boulevard, St. Louis, MO. 72132. The request to the NPRC should be submitted prior to submitting the application for review, so that relevant information from the record can be included with the application.

(b) Initiation of review. Review may be initiated by an applicant or by the DRB. The applicant may apply for DRB review of discharge by submitting DD Form 293, Application for Review of Discharge or Separation from the Armed Forces of the United States, along with any other statements, affidavits or documentation desired by the applicant. The application must be received by the DRB within fifteen (15) years of the date of the discharge. The application form can be obtained, along with explanatory matter, from Commandant (CG-12), Attn: Personnel Management Directorate, U.S. Coast Guard Stop 7907, 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20593-7907, any regional VA office, or by writing to the Armed Forces Review/Correction Board Reading Room, Pentagon Concourse, Washington, DC 20310.

(c) Notice. (1) The DRB will provide notification advising the former member of—

(i) Receipt of the applicant's request;

(ii) The right to appear before the board in person or by counsel; and

(iii) The date of review.

(2) Prior to the initiation of the decision process, the DRB will notify the former member of the date by which requests to examine the documents to be considered by the board must be received. This notice will also state the date by which a request for a hearing must be made and the deadline for filing responses to the board.

(3) An applicant who requests a hearing will be notified of the time and place of the hearing. All expenses incurred by the applicant in DRB proceedings and hearings are the sole responsibility of the applicant and are not obligations of the U.S. Coast Guard or the Department of Transportation. If the applicant fails to appear, except as provided in § 51.9(f), the DRB will review the discharge and reach a decision based upon the evidence of record.

(d) Withdrawal of application. An applicant may withdraw an application without prejudice at any time before the scheduled review. An application which is withdrawn will not stay the running of the 15 year statutory limitation imposed on the authority of the DRB to review the discharge.

(e) The DRB will consider the records and other data submitted by the applicant. The DRB may consider other probative evidence provided that all materials relied on by the DRB, except classified documents, are made available to the applicant and applicant's representative prior to the hearing date (or review date if no hearing is requested). The DRB shall not consider a classified document in the review of a discharge unless a summary of, or extract from, the document (deleting all reference to sources of information and other matters, the disclosure of which would, in the opinion of the classifying authority, be detrimental to the security interests of the United States) is made available to the applicant.

(f) Postponement of review or hearing. At any time before the date of scheduled review or hearing, an applicant may be granted a continuance, provided the applicant or the applicant's counsel makes a written request for additional time to the DRB which shows good cause to justify the postponement.

(g) Hearing procedures. The following procedures apply to DRB hearings:

(1) DRB hearings are not public. Presence at hearings is limited to persons authorized by the Commandant or expressly requested by the applicant, subject to reasonable limitations based upon available space.

(2) The Federal Rules of Evidence are not applicable to DRB proceedings. The presiding officer rules on matters of procedure and ensures that reasonable bounds of relevancy and materiality are adhered to in the taking of evidence.

(3) An applicant is permitted to make a sworn or unsworn statement. Witness testimony will only be taken under oath or affirmation. An applicant or witness who makes a statement may be questioned by the DRB.

(4) An applicant may make oral or written argument personally or through his or her representative.

(h) Reconsideration. The decision of the DRB may not be reconsidered unless—

(1) The only previous consideration of the case was on the motion of the DRB;

(2) Changes in discharge policy occur; or

(3) New, substantial, relevant evidence, not available to the applicant at the time of the original review, is submitted to the DRB.