IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 20 October 2021 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20210011327 APPLICANT REQUESTS: Correction of her DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), for the period ending 12 August 1996, to show her service was characterized as honorable. APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: DD Form 293 (Application for the Review of Discharge from the Armed Forces of the United States), dated 31 December 2020 FACTS: 1. The applicant did not file within the three-year time frame provided in Title 10, U.S. Code (USC), Section 1552 (b); however, the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) conducted a substantive review of this case and determined it is in the interest of justice to excuse the applicant's failure to timely file. 2. The applicant states her uncharacterized discharge is causing her a great deal of stress. When her DD Form 214 is shown to potential employers, she is denied employment because they think she has an other than honorable discharge. 3. The applicant enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) on 11 January 1996. She entered active duty for training (ADT) on 15 February 1996, for the purpose of completing her initial entry training. Her records indicate she completed initial entry training and was awarded military occupational specialty (MOS) 91B (Medical Specialist). 4. The applicant was released from active duty on 12 August 1996, by Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) self-terminating orders, dated 15 February 1996, for completion of period of ADT. The DD Form 214 she was issued shows she completed five months and 28 days of net active service this period and her service was uncharacterized. 5. With respect to the applicant's request: a. Soldiers are considered to be in an entry-level status when they are within their first 180 days of active duty service. The evidence of record shows the applicant was in an entry-level status at the time of her release from ADT. b. An uncharacterized separation is an entry-level separation; for Soldiers ordered to initial ADT, entry-level status terminates 180 days after beginning training. However, current guidance states Reserve Component (RC) Soldiers completing active duty that results in the award of an MOS, even when the active duty period was less than 90 days (e.g., completion of the advanced individual training component of the Army National Guard (ARNG) of the U.S. (ARNGUS) Alternate Training Program or USAR Split Training Program), will receive a character of service of Honorable unless directed otherwise by the separation approval authority. c. The available evidence shows the applicant was called to active duty for training and awarded an MOS. Although her DD Form 214 properly reflects her characterization of service as "uncharacterized" in accordance with regulatory guidance in effect at the time, based on current guidance and in the interest of equity the characterization of service should read honorable. BOARD DISCUSSION: After review of the application and all evidence, the Board determined there is sufficient evidence to grant full relief. The Board carefully considered the applicants request, supporting documents, evidence in the records and regulatory guidance. The Board considered the applicant’s statement, her military service record and documents provided by the applicant. Evidence in the record show she completed a period of active duty while conducting initial active duty training (IADT). She was awarded a 91B (Medical Specialist) at the completion of IET and was transferred back to the USAR. Regulatory guidance indicates that USAR and ARNG Soldiers are granted an honorable discharge if they complete their active duty training, receive an MOS and are returned to their units. This is the applicant’s case. Therefore, the Board agreed that the applicant’s discharge should be upgraded to “honorable” for this term of service. BOARD VOTE: Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 X :X :X GRANT FULL RELIEF : : : GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF : : : GRANT FORMAL HEARING : : : DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The Board determined the evidence presented is 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 reissuing the applicant a DD Form 214 showing her characterization of service as honorable. 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. ADMINISTRATIVE NOTE(S): Not Applicable REFERENCES: 1. Title 10, USC, Section 1552(b), provides that applications for correction of military records must be filed within three years after discovery of the alleged error or injustice. This provision of law also allows the ABCMR to excuse an applicant's failure to timely file within the three-year statute of limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so. 2. Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents), in effect at the time, prescribed the separation documents that were prepared for individuals upon retirement, discharge, or release from active military service or control of the Army. It established standardized policy for preparing and distributing DD Form 214. Paragraph 1-4 provided that a DD Form 214 would be prepared for the personnel listed below at the time of their retirement, discharge, or release from the Active Army. Personnel included were members of the ARNG of the U.S. (ARNGUS) and USAR separated after completing 90 days or more of continuous ADT, and those separated after completing initial active duty for training that resulted in the award of an MOS, even though the active duty was less than 90 days. 3. Army Regulation 635-8 (Separation Processing and Documents), currently in effect, prescribes policy and procedural guidance relating to transition management. Specifically, it references instruction related to the preparation of the DD Form 214. a. Paragraph 5-1f states that a DD Form 214 will be prepared for RC Soldiers completing active duty that results in the award of an MOS, even when the active duty period was less than 90 days (e.g., completion of the advanced individual training component of ARNGUS Alternate Training Program or USAR Split Training Program). b. Paragraph 5-6x (1) states: "When a RC Soldier successfully completes initial active duty training the character of service is Honorable unless directed otherwise by the separation approval authority." 4. Army Regulation 635-200, in effect at the time, set forth the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel. Chapter 3 described the different characterizations of service. a. Paragraph 3-7a states that an honorable discharge is a separation with honor. The honorable characterization is appropriate when the quality of the Soldier's service generally has met the standards of acceptable conduct and performance of duty for Army personnel or is otherwise so meritorious that any other characterization would be clearly inappropriate. Only the honorable characterization may be awarded a Soldier upon completion of his/her period of enlistment or period for which called or ordered to active duty or active duty for training, or where required under specific reasons for separation, unless an entry-level status separation (uncharacterized) is warranted. b. Paragraph 3-9, of the regulation in effect at the time of his separation, stated that a separation would be described as an entry-level separation with service uncharacterized if processing is initiated while a Soldier is in an entry-level status, except in the following circumstances: (1) when characterization of under other than honorable conditions is authorized under the reason for separation and is warranted by the circumstances of the case or (2) when the Secretary of the Army, on a case-by-case basis, determines that an honorable characterization of service is clearly warranted by the presence of unusual circumstances involving personal conduct and performance of duty. c. Section II (Terms) of the glossary states that entry-level status for Soldiers in the ARNG and USAR begins upon enlistment in the ARNG or USAR and, for those Soldiers ordered to IADT for one continuous period, terminates 180 days after the commencement of IADT. 5. Army Regulation 635-200 (Personnel Separations – Enlisted Personnel), effective 19 January 2004, set forth the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel. Chapter 3 describes the different characterizations of service. Paragraph 3-9a (Entry- level-status separation) provides that a separation will be described as entry-level, with service uncharacterized, if processing is initiated while a Soldier is in entry-level status, except when: a. characterization under other than honorable conditions is authorized under the reason for separation and is warranted by the circumstances of the case; b. the Secretary of the Army, on a case-by-case basis, determines that a Honorable characterization of service is clearly warranted by the presence of unusual circumstances involving personal conduct and performance of duty; or c. the Soldier has less than 181 days of continuous active military service, has completed Initial Entry Training, has been awarded an MOS, and has reported for duty at a follow-on unit of assignment. //NOTHING FOLLOWS// ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20210011327 5 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEDING 1