Florida Administrative Separation Defense Lawyers for Enlisted Service Members – Florida UCMJ Attorneys

Elite Civilian Attorneys Defending Enlisted Service Members at Separation Boards Across All Florida Installations

Administrative separations are one of the military’s most powerful and dangerous tools. They allow commands to remove enlisted service members without a court-martial, often based on unproven allegations, biased investigations, exaggerated misconduct, or command pressure. In Florida — home to dozens of major military installations — separation boards occur at extremely high frequency.

Florida is unique. With massive Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Army, Space Force, and Coast Guard populations spread across Jacksonville, Pensacola, Tampa, Orlando, Miami, the Panhandle, Cocoa Beach, and Key West, the state produces one of the highest rates of enlisted separations in the nation.

Gonzalez & Waddington, Attorneys at Law aggressively defends enlisted service members facing administrative separation — whether the basis is “misconduct,” “substandard performance,” “drug abuse,” “pattern of behavior,” “civilian conviction,” “domestic incident,” “alcohol rehab failure,” or “command-directed elimination.”

We represent service members in every branch and at every Florida base. When your career, benefits, GI Bill, disability rating, and future are on the line, you cannot afford weak representation.

➤ Get a Confidential Separation Board Strategy Session

What Is an Administrative Separation?

An administrative separation (“admin sep” or “chapter board” or “ADSEP board”) is a formal process where the military tries to discharge you based on alleged misconduct or performance issues.

Consequences of Being Separated:

• Loss of military career
• Loss of GI Bill
• Loss of VA disability benefits
• Loss of retirement benefits (if nearing 20 years)
• General or OTH discharge that follows you forever
• Difficulty obtaining civilian employment
• Permanently damaged reputation

With stakes this high, Florida service members must take separation boards as seriously as court-martials.

Why Florida Is the #1 Hotspot for Enlisted Separations

Florida bases are saturated with command climate factors that cause “quick separation decisions.” These include:

• High alcohol environments in Jacksonville Beach, Destin, Pensacola Beach, Miami Beach, and Tampa’s Ybor City
• Civilian police involvement triggering separation despite dismissed charges
• Student populations at Pensacola, Whiting Field, NDSTC, and tech schools
• SOF units (AFSOC, 7th Group) with zero-tolerance policies
• High-clearance missions in Tampa (SOCOM/CENTCOM) and at Patrick SFB
• Coast Guard law enforcement operations leading to boarding team allegations
• Training attrition pressure
• Public visibility in misconduct involving tourists and civilians

Commands in Florida often separate enlisted members quickly to “protect the service image.” We stop that from happening.

Where Separation Boards Occur in Florida

Major Navy/Marine Corps Commands:

• NAS Jacksonville
• NS Mayport
• NAS Pensacola
• NAS Whiting Field
• NAS Key West
• NSA Panama City / NDSTC
• MCB & USMC detachments statewide

Air Force / Space Force Bases:

• Eglin AFB
• Hurlburt Field
• Tyndall AFB
• Patrick Space Force Base
• MacDill AFB
• Homestead ARB

Coast Guard Sectors & Air Stations:

• Sector Miami
• Sector Jacksonville
• Sector Key West
• AIRSTA Clearwater

Our firm appears before boards at ALL Florida installations, statewide.

Types of Administrative Separations We Defend

All branches categorize enlisted separations under specific bases (Army “Chapters,” Navy/USMC “ADSEP,” Air Force “AFI 36-3208,” Coast Guard “Board of Review,” etc.). We defend ALL of them, including:

Misconduct-Based Separation

• Pattern of misconduct
• Minor disciplinary infractions
• Drug abuse (THC vapes, edibles, cocaine, CBD confusion)
• Domestic disputes
• Alcohol incidents
• Disrespect, dereliction, fraternization

Civilian Conviction or Police Involvement

• Florida police often arrest someone even when no crime occurred
• Commands initiate admin sep even when charges are dismissed

Performance / Fitness / Training-Based Separation

• Failure to adapt
• Unsatisfactory performance
• Failure in A-School, tech school, NDSTC, flight training
• Loss of security clearance
• Loss of rating/MOS disqualifications

Commission of a Serious Offense

• Sexual misconduct allegations
• Domestic violence accusations
• Fraud, theft, BAH issues
• Alcohol incidents involving civilians

Medical, Mental Health, and Rehab Failure

• Alcohol rehabilitation failure
• Medical discharge attempts disguised as misconduct

Burden of Proof: Why Admin Separations Are So Dangerous

Court-martials require proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Administrative separations do NOT.

Standard at separation boards:

• Preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not)

This means a weak or unproven allegation can still get you kicked out.

Other dangers:

• Hearsay is allowed
• Rumors and personality conflicts influence decisions
• Bias and political pressure from command
• No guarantee of impartial investigators
• Your military lawyer is overworked and often inexperienced

How Gonzalez & Waddington Defends Admin Separation Boards

We treat separation boards like high-stakes trials. Our approach includes:

• Cross-examining every government witness
• Introducing digital and forensic evidence to dismantle accusations
• Exposing dishonest or intoxicated witnesses
• Attacking flawed investigations by NCIS, OSI, CID, CGIS, or command
• Introducing character statements and service history
• Forcing the command to prove misconduct — not insinuate it
• Presenting mitigation for retention if needed

Our goal is simple: Win retention or secure the best possible discharge characterization.

Pro Tips for Enlisted Members Facing Administrative Separation in Florida

• Do NOT speak to investigators alone.
• Do NOT admit blame to your chain of command.
• Save every screenshot, text, message, and video.
• Avoid nightlife until your case is resolved.
• Do NOT assume JAG will have time to prepare fully.
• Create a timeline immediately.
• Hire a civilian military lawyer early — before the board is convened.

➤ Speak with a Florida Administrative Separation Defense Attorney

Florida Administrative Separation (Enlisted) – Frequently Asked Questions