PART II - APPLICATION DATA

(Note: Part I deleted under the Privacy Act on Reading Room copy)

1.  Character of Discharge:  General, Under Honorable Conditions

2.  Date of discharge (or REFRAD):  960223

3.  Authority for separation:

	a.  Regulation:  Chapter 14, AR 635-200

	b.  Reason:  Misconduct

4.  Prior review(s):  Records/970314

PART III - SERVICE HISTORY

SECTION A - Period of Service Under Review

1.	Service data:                              2.  Awards and decorations:
			                          GCMDL                       
a.  Period entered for: 6 Years                OSR
b.  Entry date: 940222                               
c.  Age: 30 Years   DOB: 631112                                                 
d.  Educational level:  HS Grad                                                 
e.  Aptitude area score:
	    GT: 117                                3.  Highest grade achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E6
         2 Year(s)  0 Month(s)  2 Day(s)                                  
                                                           
                                               4.  Performance evaluations:  
                                                   See OMPF

PART III - SERVICE HISTORY
SECTION A - Period of Service Under Review - Continued

5.  Periods of unauthorized absence:  NONE
                                                                    
    Status       Inclusive dates                       
	AWOL                                                               

	Mil conf                                                           

	Civil conf                                                         

	Other                                                              

6.  Nonjudicial punishment:  

	Date 	Offense(s)
	950726	Failed to go to your appointed place of duty (950713); Derelict in the performance of your duties (950402)
	951123	Wrongfully used marijuana on or between (950912 and 951012)

7.  Court-Martial data:  NONE

	a.  SCM:  
		Date   Offense(s)

	b.  SPCM:  
		Date   Offense(s)

	c.  GCM:	 
		Date   Offense(s)

8.	Remarks:  NONE

SECTION B - Prior Service Data

Other discharge(s):

	Service	From	To	Type Discharge
	ARNGUS	NIF	NIF	NIF
	ADT	830417	830825	Honorable Released
	ARNGUS	830826	850218	NA
	RA	850219	880210	Honorable
	RA	880211	920420	Honorable
	RA	920421	940221	Honorable

PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW

SECTION A-ANALYST’S ASSESSMENT
l.  Facts and Circumstances:

	a.  Evidence of record shows that on 1 February 1996, the unit commander notified the applicant of initiation of separation action under the provisions of Chapter l4, AR 635-200, by reason of misconduct—commission of a serious offense, with a general discharge.  He was advised of his rights.  The applicant waived legal counsel, waived his rights, was advised of the impact of the discharge action, waived consideration of his case by an administrative separation board and did not submit a statement in his own behalf.  The unit commander subsequently recommended separation from the service, and waiver of further rehabilitative efforts.  The intermediate commander reviewed the proposed discharge action and recommended approval of the separation action with a general discharge.  On 5 February 1996, the separation authority waived further rehabilitative efforts and directed that the applicant be separated with a general discharge, and transferred to the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR).  

	b.  On 23 February 1996, the applicant was released from active duty.  At the time of discharge, the applicant had 2 years, and 2 days, service on his current enlistment and 11 years, 4 months and 5 days, total time in service.

	c.  The unit commander recommended separation due to the applicant’s urinalysis tested positive for marijuana.

2.  Legal/Regulatory Basis for Separation Action:  Army Regulation 635-200 sets forth the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel.  Chapter l4 establishes policy and prescribes procedures for separating members for misconduct.  Specific categories include minor disciplinary infractions, a pattern of misconduct, commission of a serious offense, to include abuse of illegal drugs, convictions by civil authorities and desertion or absence without leave.  Action will be taken to separate a member for misconduct when it is clearly established that rehabilitation is impractical or unlikely to succeed.  Army policy states that an under other than honorable conditions discharge is normally considered appropriate, but a general discharge under honorable conditions or an honorable discharge may be granted.

SECTION B-APPLICANT’S SUBMISSIONS

1.  Issue(s) of propriety and/or equity submitted by applicant or counsel.
    As stated on applicant’s DD Form 293.

2.  Exhibit(s) submitted:

	A-1:  DD Form 293, dated 990522.
	A-2:  Counsel Issues:  NONE
	B-l:  Other Documents: NONE

PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW (CONTINUED)

SECTION C - Medical and/or Legal Advisory Opinion

Referred to ( ) Medical Advisor      ( ) Legal Advisor

      a.  Medical prehearing comments (if applicable):

      b.  Legal prehearing comments (if applicable):

PART V - SUMMARY OF HEARING

SECTION A-Attendees and exhibits

1.  Review/hearing information:

	a. Type requested:
	   (   ) Records review             ( X ) Hearing

	b. Type Held:
	   (   )Records review              ( X ) Hearing
	                                    (   ) Tender Offer

	c. Review/hearing location and date:  
1.	Video Recording site:  Los Angeles, CA on 2 March 2000.
2.	Hearing Examination site:  Washington, DC on 9 March 2000.

	d. Appearance by:
	   Applicant                 ( X ) Yes   (   ) No
	   Counsel                   (   ) Yes   ( X ) No

	e.  Applicant testified:     ( X ) Yes   (   ) No
	
	f.  Counsel presentation:    (   ) Yes   ( X ) No
	
	g.  Witness(es) testified:   (   ) Yes   ( X ) No
	                                                
2.  Exhibit(s) submitted at hearing:  three (3) new issues.

PART VI - ISSUES AND FINDINGS

1.  a.  Applicant's issue(s) of propriety and/or equity:

	    ( X )	Same as those listed on DD Form 293 and Part IV, Section A of this case report and directive.
	    (   )	Revised issue(s) furnished in writing by applicant as follows:
	    ( X )	Additional issue(s) identified during review/hearing as follows:

        Board Issue:  (4)  Characterization of service is too harsh.

	b.  Request:  ( X ) Recharacterization     (   ) Change of Reason

2.  Finding(s), conclusion(s), and reason(s) for the Board's decision(s) on issues of propriety and/or equity:

	a.  Propriety:	The applicant has not submitted an issue of propriety and the ADRB has not otherwise relied upon an issue of propriety to change the discharge.

	b.  Equity:	The parenthetical number(s) below correspond(s) to the issue number(s) on the DD Form 293, or in Part VI, Paragraph 1, above.

        (4)  The issue is accepted.  The Board carefully examined the applicant’s record of service during the period of enlistment under review and his military career.  There was a full consideration of all service including the infraction of discipline, the extent thereof, and the seriousness of the offense.  Based on the applicant’s total honorable service of almost 12 years, the numerous awards/decorations received, and his faithful service in Southwest Asia, the Board determined that the characterization of service was inequitable because the applicant's overall performance of duty and personal conduct mitigated the discrediting entries in the service record.  Accordingly, the Board voted to grant relief in the form of an upgrade of characterization of service to fully honorable.  The Board determined that the reason for discharge was proper and equitable and voted not to change it.

        (1), (2), and (3) See response to paragraph 3, below.

3.  Response(s) to item(s) not addressed as decisional issue(s):  

    Inasmuch as the Board voted to grant the full relief requested responses to remaining issues is neither required nor rendered.

PART VII - BOARD ACTION
SECTION A - Conclusions/Decisions/Vote

1.	Board conclusion(s):

	The discharge was:

	( X )	Proper.
	(   )	Improper as to characterization.  Change characterization to                                     .
	(   )	Improper as to reason.  Change reason to                         under                      .

	(   )	Equitable.
	( X )	Inequitable as to characterization.  Change characterization to Honorable.
	(   )	Inequitable as to reason.  Change reason to                       
		under                                 .
	(   )	Both proper and equitable, but characterization/reason for separation cited was an administrative/clerical error and should be changed to                      under                         .

2.  Voting record:      Change   No Change
	            Reason       0         5  
    Characterization       3         2   

	  The names and votes of the members of the Board are recorded in Part IX of this document and can be obtained by writing to the address below.  The request must contain the CASE NO. located in the upper right corner of this document.

                  Department of the Army Review Boards Agency
                  ATTN:  Promulgation Team
                  1941 Jefferson Davis Highway, 2nd Floor
                  Arlington, VA  22202-4508

3.  Minority views:  NONE  

PART VII - BOARD ACTION
SECTION B - Verification and Authentication

Case report reviewed and verified	

MR. RON WILLIAMS                                    
Case Reviewing Official	

PART VIII - DIRECTIVE/CERTIFICATION
SECTION A - DIRECTIVE

TO: ARBA Support Division-St Louis      Date:  14 March 2000   

     The Army Discharge Review Board, established under the provisions of Section 30, Public Law 346, 78th Congress, 22 June 1944 and codified as Title 10, United States Code, Section 1553, in the case of the applicant named in Part I directs that the ARBA Support Division-St Louis issue a new DD Form 2l4 to the applicant which reflects the following directed change(s):

           ( X )	Changed the characterization of discharge to Honorable.

SECTION B - CERTIFICATION

Approval Authority:

THOMAS J. ALLEN
Colonel, U.S. Army
President, Army Discharge
   Review Board

Official:

SUZANNE WALKER    
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army
Chief, Secretary Recorder

EXHIBITS:
A - Application for review of discharge              	C - Other 
B - Material submitted by applicant

INDEX RECORD:

AR Number:  1999027144                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A9218
Date of Review:  000309                                   A9302
Character of Service:  GD                                 A9406
Date of Discharge:  960223                                A0100
Authority:  AR 635-200 C14                                
Reason:  A6730                                            
Results of Board Action/                                  
Vote/Affirmation:  HD 3-2 A                               

PART IX - VOTING RECORD

    Name                                   Reason          Characterization
                                           CHANGE   NC     HON  UHC   NC  UNCHAR

    1. 	Mbr          X       X                 

    2. 	Mbr          X       X                 

    3. 	Mbr          X                 X       

    4. 	Mbr          X       X                 

    5. 	PO           X                 X