The NDRB is a component of the Secretary of the Navy Council of Review Boards and has its offices located in the NCR. The NDRB conducts documentary reviews and personal appearance reviews in the NCR and, on a traveling basis, at selected sites within the 48 contiguous states. Regional site selection is predicated on the number of pending applications accumulated from a given geographical area and the resources available to support distant personal appearance reviews. The NDRB does not maintain facilities other than at its NCR offices. The primary sites of NCR are: Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; and San Francisco, CA.

To decide, in accordance with standards of naval law and discipline and the standards for discharge review set forth in subpart I, whether a discharge or dismissal from the naval service is proper and equitable, or whether it should be changed.

(a) Meet as frequently as necessary to provide expeditious review of naval discharges.

(b) Meet at locations within the 48 contiguous states as determined appropriate on the basis of the number of discharge review applications received from various geographical areas and of available resources and facilities.

(c) Review applications for review of discharges.

(d) In consonance with directives of higher authority and the policies set forth in this Manual, grant or deny change of discharges.

(e) Promulgate decisions in a timely manner.

(f) Maintain a system of records.

(g) Maintain liaison in discharge review matters with:

(1) General Counsel of the Navy.

(2) Commandant of the Marine Corps.

(3) Chief of Naval Operations.

(i) Commander, Naval Reserve Force.

(ii) Commander, Naval Medical Command.

(iii) Commander, Naval Military Personnel Command, under the Chief of Naval Personnel.

(4) Judge Advocate General of the Navy.

(5) Veterans' service organizations.

(6) Discharge review boards of the other services, using the Army Discharge Review Board as the focal point for service coordination.

(h) Protect the privacy of individuals whose records are reviewed.

(i) Maintain for public access a reading file and associated index of records of NDRB proceedings in all reviews undertaken subsequent to July 1, 1975.