IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 12 October 2010 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20100009581 THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE: 1. Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any). 2. Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any). THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant requests that the information in item 28 (Narrative Reason for Separation) of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) be deleted or changed. 2. The applicant states his records were recently corrected and his discharge was upgraded. He further states the information in item 28 is unjust and serves as an insult and stain on record. 3. The applicant provides his DD Form 214, an Honorable Discharge Certificate, and the cover letter sent with documents he was issued upon the upgrade of his discharge. CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant's military personnel records show he enlisted in the Regular Army on 23 January 1961, the day after his 17th birthday, for a period of 3 years. He completed basic combat training and advanced individual training and was awarded the military occupational specialty of 293.10 (Radio Relay and Carrier Operator). 2. On 11 July 1962, the applicant's commander recommended that he be discharged from the service for frequent incidents of character and behavior disorder. The commander stated the applicant, with no thought of consequences, had consistently committed numerous acts of misconduct within the military such as being drunk and disorderly, being disrespectful towards a superior officer, and that he willfully destroyed private property. The commander stated the applicant, for reasons that apparently took place during his childhood, rebelled against discipline and good order and he felt the applicant lacked the ability and stability to adjust to Army standards. The commander stated that all efforts to assist the applicant in adjusting to military life had been useless. 3. On 16 July 1962, the appropriate authority approved the applicant's discharge under the provisions of Army Regulation 635-209 (Personnel Separations, Discharge, Unsuitability) for unsuitability and directed that he be issued a general discharge. On 25 July 1962, the applicant was discharged. He had completed 1 year, 6 months, and 3 days of active service that was characterized as under honorable conditions. 4. The DD Form 214 issued to the applicant at the time of his discharge shows in item 11c (Reason and Authority) "AR 635-209 SPN 264." The form does not provide a narrative reason for his discharge. 5. On 22 October 2009, the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) recommended approval of the applicant's request for upgrade of his discharge to honorable in Docket Number AR20090006803. The ABCMR did not recommend correction of the reason and authority for his discharge. On 28 October 2009, the ABCMR's recommendation was approved. The applicant's original DD Form 214 was voided, and he was issued a new DD Form 214 showing his characterization of service was honorable. Item 28 (Narrative Reason for Separation) of the new DD Form 214 contains the phrase "unsuitability-character and behavior disorders." 6. Army Regulation 635-209, in effect at the time, set forth the policy and prescribed procedures for eliminating enlisted personnel for unsuitability. Unsuitability included character and behavior disorders. Evaluation by a medical officer was required and, when psychiatric indications were involved, the medical officer must have been a psychiatrist, if one was available. A general or honorable discharge was considered appropriate. 7. Army Regulation 635-5 (Personnel Separations, Separation Forms) prescribes forms to be used in the separation of Army personnel. The version of the regulation in effect at the time of the applicant's discharge specified that the following reasons for discharge would not be stated in words on DD Form 214: unsuitability, inaptitude, unfitness, misconduct, homosexual, elimination or resignation in lieu thereof, resignation for good of the service, and any other reason involving mental or moral issues upon which the discharge of the individual may be predicated. 8. The current version of Army Regulation 635-5 states each block of the DD Form 214 must have an entry. When data is not applicable, enter “NA,” “NONE” or hyphens, as appropriate. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The applicant's request for deletion of the information in item 28 of his DD Form 214 is supported by the evidence. 2. The DD Form 214 issued upon upgrade of the applicant's characterization of service includes a narrative reason for separation that was not included on his original DD Form 214 and was not to be entered on the form under the regulation in effect at the time of his discharge. As a matter of equity, he is entitled to a new DD Form 214 that does not show a narrative reason for separation. BOARD VOTE: ________ ________ ________ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ________ ________ ________ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined that the evidence presented was sufficient to warrant a recommendation for relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by issuing a new DD Form 214 with item 28 lined through with hyphens. _______ _ ________ ___ CHAIRPERSON I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case. ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20090006803 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20100009581 2 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1