Gonzalez & Waddington, Attorneys at Law defend Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard officers worldwide in Boards of Inquiry (BOIs), administrative separation boards, appeals, and courts-martial. A BOI is one of the most dangerous proceedings an officer can face—it can end a 20+ year career and tarnish a reputation permanently. This guide outlines how to win a BOI through preparation, evidence, and aggressive advocacy.

Why BOIs Are So Serious

• Retirement loss: An adverse BOI can terminate a pension earned over decades of service.
• Characterization: A General or Other Than Honorable discharge can eliminate VA benefits and career opportunities.
• Reputation: BOI findings follow you in clearance checks and post-service employment.
• No appeals guaranteed: While appeals exist, the best chance to win is at the board itself.

Preparation: The Key to Winning

• Know the allegations: Demand and review the government’s evidence early.
• Timeline mastery: Understand when the incident occurred, what regulations applied, and who knew what.
• Identify weaknesses: Look for contradictions in statements, procedural flaws, and missing documentation.
• Build a narrative: Frame your service and integrity as the context for evaluating allegations.

Defense Strategies That Work at BOI

• Challenge evidence: Cross-examine witnesses on inconsistencies, motives, and biases.
• Expert witnesses: Use medical, forensic, or digital experts to counter technical government claims.
• Document excellence: Present FITREPs, awards, and endorsements to show long-standing integrity.
• Alternative explanations: Provide logical, documented alternatives to the government’s theory.
• Mitigation: If partial findings occur, argue for retention based on mission need and rehabilitation.

BOI Defense Framework

1. Introduction
   - Respectful acknowledgment of the process.
   - Assert innocence and commitment to fairness.

2. Background & Service Record (Exhibits A–E)
   - Deployments, billets, leadership positions, awards, FITREPs.

3. Challenge Allegations (Exhibits F–H)
   - Factual contradictions, unreliable testimony, missing evidence.

4. Procedural Errors (Exhibits I–J)
   - Witnesses denied, improper documents, command influence.

5. Mitigation & Retention Argument (Exhibits K–L)
   - Post-incident performance, counseling, PME, readiness impact.

6. Requested Outcome
   - Full retention; or
   - At minimum, Honorable discharge to preserve benefits.

Conclusion:
   - Reinforce value to mission, fairness, and equity.

Common Mistakes Officers Make at BOIs

• Going in unprepared or without experienced counsel.
• Relying on emotion instead of evidence and exhibits.
• Not cross-examining witnesses aggressively.
• Failing to submit rehabilitation or mitigation evidence.
• Not anticipating how findings will affect retirement and benefits.

Advanced BOI Defense Tactics

• Procedural leverage: File motions to exclude unreliable hearsay or improper evidence.
• Bias exposure: Highlight panel member conflicts of interest, if present.
• Readiness framing: Stress how losing a fully trained officer harms mission capability.
• Comparative equity: Show similar cases where officers were retained or discharged honorably.

Video: How to Win a Board of Inquiry

We Defend Officers at BOIs Worldwide

Your best chance to win a BOI is before it reaches appeal. We build evidence-heavy defenses, cross-examine government witnesses, and present mitigation that preserves careers and retirements.

Gonzalez & Waddington — ucmjdefense.com — 1-800-921-8607

FAQs: Winning a BOI