14 USC e - separation for cause

14 USC 321 - Review of records of officers

The Secretary may at any time convene a board of officers to review the record of any officer of the Regular Coast Guard to determine whether he shall be required to show cause for his retention on active duty
(1) because his performance of duty has fallen below the standards prescribed by the Secretary, or
(2) because of moral dereliction, professional dereliction, or because his retention is not clearly consistent with the interests of national security.

14 USC 322 - Boards of inquiry

(a) Boards of inquiry shall be convened at such places as the Secretary may prescribe to receive evidence and make findings and recommendations whether an officer who is required to show cause for retention under section 321 of this title should be retained on active duty.
(b) A fair and impartial hearing before a board of inquiry shall be given to each officer so required to show cause for retention.
(c) If a board of inquiry determines that the officer has failed to establish that he should be retained, it shall send the record of its proceedings to a board of review.
(d) If a board of inquiry determines that the officer has established that he should be retained, his case is closed. However, at any time after one year from the date of the determination in a case arising under clause (1) of section 321 of this title, and at any time after the date of the determination in a case arising under clause (2) of that section, an officer may again be required to show cause for retention.

14 USC 323 - Boards of review

(a) Boards of review shall be convened at such times as the Secretary may prescribe, to review the records of cases of officers recommended by boards of inquiry for removal.
(b) If, after reviewing the record of the case, a board of review determines that the officer has failed to establish that he should be retained, it shall send its recommendation to the Secretary for his action.
(c) If, after reviewing the record of the case, a board of review determines that the officer has established that he should be retained on active duty, his case is closed. However, at any time after one year from the date of the determination in a case arising under clause (1) of section 321 of this title and at any time after the date of the determination in a case arising under clause (2) of that section, an officer may again be required to show cause for retention.

14 USC 324 - Composition of boards

(a) A board convened under section 321, 322, or 323 of this title shall consist of at least three officers of the grade of commander or above, all of whom are serving in a grade senior to the grade of any officer considered by the board.
(b) No person may be a member of more than one board convened under section 321, 322, or 323 of this title to consider the same officer.

14 USC 325 - Rights and procedures

Each officer under consideration for removal under section 322 of this title shall be
(1) notified in writing at least thirty days before the hearing of the case by a board of inquiry of the reasons for which the officer is being required to show cause for retention;
(2) allowed reasonable time, as determined by the board of inquiry under regulations of the Secretary, to prepare his defense;
(3) allowed to appear in person and by counsel at proceedings before a board of inquiry; and
(4) allowed full access to, and furnished copies of, records relevant to the case at all stages of the proceeding, except that a board shall withhold any records that the Secretary determines should be withheld in the interests of national security. In any case where any records are withheld under this clause, the officer whose case is under consideration shall, to the extent that the national security permits, be furnished a summary of the records so withheld.

14 USC 326 - Removal of officer from active duty; action by Secretary

The Secretary may remove an officer from active duty if his removal is recommended by a board of review under section 323 of this title. The Secretarys action in such as case is final and conclusive.

14 USC 327 - Officers considered for removal; retirement or discharge; separation benefits

(a) At any time during proceedings under section 322 or 323 of this title, and before the removal of an officer, the Secretary may grant a request
(1) for voluntary retirement, if the officer is otherwise qualified therefor; or
(2) for discharge with separation benefits under section 286 (c) of this title.
(b) Each officer removed from active duty under section 326 of this title shall
(1) if on the date of removal the officer is eligible for voluntary retirement under any law, be retired in the grade for which he would be eligible if retired at his request; or
(2) if on that date the officer is ineligible for voluntary retirement under any law, be honorably discharged with separation benefits under section 286 (c) of this title, unless under regulations promulgated by the Secretary the condition under which the officer is discharged does not warrant an honorable discharge.