. Separation instead of trial by court-martial Policies and regulations set forth in SECNAVINST 1920.6A   are   not   intended   to   prevent   trial   by court-martial  when  appropriate. Revocation  of  Commission SECNAV may revoke the commission of a Regular Navy officer who holds a permanent appointment above W-4,  provided  the  officer  has  less  than  3  years’ continuous   commissioned   service.   Naval   Reserve officers  and  the  warrant  or  chief  warrant  officers  and temporary officers are subject to revocation at any time, regardless of the length of service. The right to revoke a commission is deliberately held to the junior officer level since the first 3 years of a junior officer’s career is a probationary period. Should the  officer  prove  unsatisfactory,  the  officer  may  be removed from the naval service with a minimum of red tape. Using   fitness   reports,   recommendations   from commanding  officers  (COs),  or  other  sources  of information,   the   Chief   of   Naval   Personnel (CHNAVPERS) may determine whether an officer will be  processed  for  dropping  from  the  rolls,  revocation  of commission,  termination  of  appointment,  or  such separation from the naval service as maybe appropriate. COs who have officers attached to their command who, in their opinion, should not retain their status as an officer or should be released from active duty must forward   an   appropriate   recommendation   with substantiating information to CHNAVPERS via the chain of command. A special fitness report covering the officer’s   performance   of   duty   to   the   date   of recommendation  must  accompany  the  recommendation as an enclosure. The very nature of the recommendation is adverse and, before forwarding, must be referred to the officer for comment and statement according to Navy   Regulations,   1990.   Before   forwarding   a recommendation  that  an  officer  be  released  from  active duty or separated from the service for cause, it should be  determined  whether  the  officer  desires  to  submit  a resignation for an appropriate type of discharge. If the officer submits a resignation, whether considered an appropriate  type  or  not,  it  must  be  forwarded  for consideration  together  with  the  CO’s  recommendation concerning acceptance. Any resignation solicited by either  the  command  or  CHNAVPERS  must  enclose  a special  fitness  report  covering  the  officer’s  performance of duty to the date of the resignation request. If the officer does not submit a request for resignation, the fact that  the  officer  was  afforded  the  opportunity  and declined to do so must be stated. In   some   cases   an   officer   who   has   been recommended  for  revocation  of  commission  is  entitled to a hearing. If a command recommends to SECNAV that a commission be revoked for the following reasons, the officer is normally not entitled to a hearing: .  Failure  to  satisfactorily  complete  a  course  of instruction that the officer has been ordered to undergo or  is  a  condition  to  qualifying  for  promotion,  designa- tion,  or  duty  assignment . Unsatisfactory performance of duty, reported by at least two reporting seniors l Temperamental unsuitability or unfitness for service  as  established  by  a  medical  examination l An officer’s request for a hearing will normally be granted for any of the following reasons: . Failure to support a dependent adequately l Violation of any criminal statute .  Malfeasance  in  performance  of  duty l Violation of a regulation The reasons stated in both of the previous groups are not inclusive, but given for general guidance. An officer granted a hearing is merely there in an informal capacity to present a personal version of the problem, Detailed  information  and  guidance  for  processing officers   for   separation   because   of   misconduct, unsatisfactory   or   poor   performance   of   duty, unsuitability,  or  other  conditions  that  render  the continuation  of  officers  in  their  present  status undesirable are contained in SECNAVINST 1920.6A. Dropping From the Rolls It has happened on occasion that enlisted members have  gone  over  the  hill,  remained  AWOL  for  months, finally  returned  to  naval  jurisdiction,  and,  after completing their punishment, have remained in the Navy after a retraining period to serve well, and, but for this one mistake, honorably. An  officer  doesn’t  usually  get  a  second  chance  for an offense either of this type or for a major civil offense. Under Sections 1161, 1163, and 6408, Title 10, USC,  the  President  or  SECNAV,  depending  upon  the applicable statute, may drop from the rolls of an armed force a Regular or Reserve officer at any time who has 12-4