RESIGNATION  FOR  THE  GOOD  OF  THE SERVICE.– Resignation of an officer for the good of the service provides a means of separating those few officers  who  are  not  considered  fit  to  continue  as members of the Navy officer corps. Just as a dishonest policeman  reflects  adversely  on  the  entire  police  force, or a troublemaking sailor gives his or her shipmates a bad name, so does one misfit wearing gold cast doubt in the  minds  of  enlisted  personnel  toward  officers  in general. Resignation of an officer for the good of the service is normally accepted when it is known that an officer is guilty  of  wrongdoing,  but  where  trial  by  general court-martial may not be warranted. An  officer  who  elects  to  resign  in  this  reamer receives  a  discharge  characterized  as  being  under conditions  other  than  honorable. RESIGNATION TO ESCAPE TRIAL BEFORE A GENERAL COURT-MARTIAL.– An officer may be separated instead of trial by court-martial upon the officer’s request if charges have been preferred with respect to an offense for which a punitive discharge is authorized. This form of resignation is submitted by the officer concerned as an alternative to facing trial before a general  court-martial.  This  avoids  subjecting  himself  or herself to the ever-present possibility that such a trial may result in a conviction with an ensuing sentence perhaps extending to dismissal from the naval service and  imprisonment.  Whenever  practical,  an  officer desiring to submit such a resignation should be given, and  should  receipt  for,  a  copy  of  the  charges  and specifications  preferred;  or  if  charges  and  specifications actually  have  not  been  preferred,  he  or  she  should  be given, and should receipt for, a set of sample charges and specifications alleging offenses for which he or she might be brought to trial. It usually will be required before permitting an officer to resign in this manner, that he  or  she  submit  with  the  resignation  a  complete, detailed statement in the nature of a confession of the offenses  concerned  and  matters  pertaining  thereto.  A statement by a naval psychiatrist or by a naval medical officer if a psychiatrist is not conveniently available is required setting forth a professional observation and impression concerning the apparent mental and physical condition of the officer submitting the resignation. This is the only type of resignation acceptable once court-martial  charges  have  been  preferred.  An  officer whose resignation for the good of the naval service and to escape trial before a general court-martial is accepted will subsequently be awarded a certificate of discharge under  other  than  honorable  conditions. Separation  for  Cause Officers  who  do  not  maintain  required  standards  of performance  or  professional  or  personal  conduct  may be processed for separation for cause when there is reason to believe that one or more of the following circumstances exist: . Substandard performance of duty. Inability of an officer  to  maintain  adequate  levels  of  performance  or conduct  as  evidenced  by  one  or  more  of  the  following: Failure  to  demonstrate  acceptable  qualities  of leadership  required  of  an  officer  in  the member’s  grade Failure  to  achieve  or  maintain  acceptable standards  proficiency  required  of  an  officer  in the member’s grade Failure to properly discharge duties expected of officers of the member’s grade and experience Failure to satisfactorily complete any course of training,  instruction,  or  indoctrination  that  the officer has been ordered to undergo A record of marginal service over an extended time as reflected in fitness reports covering two or more positions and signed by at least two reporting  seniors Personality  disorders,  when  such  disorders interfere with the officer’s performance of duty and have been diagnosed by a physician or clinical  psychologist  according  to  regulations An officer who has been referred to a program of rehabilitation for personal abuse of drugs fails, through inability or refusal, to participate in or successfully complete such a program Officers in this category are given the opportunity to submit an unqualified resignation and to receive an honorable discharge. They are said to be separated for cause; the cause being that they are either physically or mentally  incapable  of  performing  their  duties  properly, through no fault of their own. Although their separation is an honorable one, they may never again serve as an officer in the armed forces. Misconduct  or  moral  or  professional  dereliction Retention not consistent with the interests of national  security 12-3