DOHA Security Clearance Hearing: What to Expect and How to Prepare
By Kevin Courtney, Esq. | Former USMC Judge Advocate | California Attorney If you have received a Statement of Reasons and asked for a hearing, a DOHA security clearance hearing is the proceeding where an Administrative Judge decides whether you can keep your access to classified information....
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How to Remove Personality Disorder From Your DD-214
By Kevin Courtney, Esq. | Former USMC Judge Advocate | California Attorney If your DD-214 lists “personality disorder” as the reason you left the military, you are not stuck with it. You can petition to remove personality disorder from your DD-214 through one of two boards: your...
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Alcohol-Related Discharge Upgrade: The Childhood Trauma and Combat Connection
By Kevin Courtney, Esq. | Former USMC Judge Advocate | California Attorney If your less-than-honorable discharge traces back to drinking, you are not looking at a lost cause. An alcohol-related discharge upgrade is often possible. The key is showing that the drinking was a symptom of a condition the...
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Board of Inquiry Appeal: What to Do If You Lose
By Kevin Courtney, Esq. | Former USMC Judge Advocate | California Attorney A board of inquiry appeal is how an officer keeps fighting after losing the board. Strictly speaking, the military has no single “appeal” button for a board of inquiry. But you do have real post-board...
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Resignation in Lieu of Elimination: What Officers Should Know Before Signing
By Kevin Courtney, Esq. | Former USMC Judge Advocate | California Attorney If you are facing an officer elimination, resignation in lieu of elimination can feel like the fastest way out. It is not always the safest one. Resigning waives your board of inquiry, and you can...
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Retirement in Lieu of Elimination: Protecting Your Pension at a Board of Inquiry
By Kevin Courtney, Esq. | Former USMC Judge Advocate | California Attorney If your command has told you to show cause for retention, retirement in lieu of elimination may let you retire with a pension instead of nothing. It is a request, though, not a guarantee. Whether...
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Appealing a CRSC Denial From the Navy: Your Reconsideration and BCNR Options
By Kevin Courtney, Esq. | Former USMC Judge Advocate | California Attorney If you are a Navy or Marine Corps retiree, you have two clear paths to appeal a Navy CRSC denial: first, a request for reconsideration to the Secretary of the Navy’s Council of Review Boards,...
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Discharge Upgrade Denied? What to Do Next
By Kevin Courtney, Esq. | Former USMC Judge Advocate | California Attorney If your discharge upgrade was denied, take a breath. For most veterans, a denial is not the end of the road. Many veterans believe a discharge upgrade denied once is denied for good. That is...
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How to Choose Character Witnesses for a Board of Inquiry
By Kevin Courtney, Esq. | Former USMC Judge Advocate | California Attorney When an officer faces a show cause hearing, choosing the right Board of Inquiry character witnesses can decide whether a career survives. The temptation is to call the most senior person who will say yes....
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How to Respond to a Statement of Reasons in a Security Clearance Case
By Kevin Courtney, Esq. | Former USMC Judge Advocate | California Attorney If you just received a Statement of Reasons, you are likely anxious, and that reaction makes sense. A Statement of Reasons (SOR) is the government’s formal notice that it intends to deny or revoke your...
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How to Write an Administrative Separation Board Rebuttal
By Kevin Courtney, Esq. | Former USMC Judge Advocate | California Attorney Your administrative separation board rebuttal may be the most consequential document you ever submit. In most cases, you have only days to prepare it. When a command initiates separation proceedings, you receive a formal notification...
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Military Disability Retirement and the BCMR: What a 2026 Federal Court Case Means for Veterans
By Kevin Courtney, Esq. | Former USMC Judge Advocate | California Attorney If you are exploring military disability retirement through the BCMR, a January 2026 ruling from the United States Court of Federal Claims may significantly affect your case. In Meyer v. United States, No. 24-480 (Fed. Cl. Jan....
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