PART II - APPLICATION DATA

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

1.  Character of Discharge:  GD

2.  Date of discharge (or REFRAD):  880603

3.  Authority for separation:

	a.  Regulation:  Chapter 14, AR 635-200

	b.  Reason:  Misconduct-Drug Abuse

4.  Prior review(s):  NONE

PART III - SERVICE HISTORY

SECTION A - Period of Service Under Review

1.	Service data:                              2.  Awards and decorations:
			                          ASR                       
a.  Period entered for: 4 Years               
b.  Entry date: 870903                               
c.  Age: 17  Years   DOB: 691020                                                 
d.  Educational level:  HS Grad                                                 
e.  Aptitude area score:
	    GT: 93                                 3.  Highest grade achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E2
         0 Year(s)  9 Month(s) 1 Day(s)                                  
                                                           
                                               4.  Performance evaluations:  
                                                   NONE

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)
	880427	Wrongfully use some amount of marijuana, on or about (880306 to 880316)

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
NONE

Other discharge(s):

	Service	From	To	Type Discharge

PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW

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

	a.  Evidence of record shows that on 19 May 1988, the unit commander notified the applicant of initiation of separation action under the provisions of Chapter l4, AR 635-200, by reason of misconduct—drug abuse, with a general discharge.  He was advised of his rights.  The applicant consulted with legal counsel, was advised of the impact of the discharge action, and did not submit a statement in his 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.  On 20 May 1988, the separation authority waived further rehabilitative efforts and directed that the applicant be discharged with a general discharge.  

	b.  On 3 June 1988, the applicant was discharged with a general discharge. 
At the time of discharge, the applicant had 9 months, and 1 day service on his current enlistment.

	c.  The unit commander indicated that his specific reasons for initiating the applicant’s discharge were the following:  positive urinalysis on 19 April 1988 and 16 March 1988; and, a field grade Article 15 for violation of Article 112a, UCMJ.

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 990811, with one (1) enclosure.
	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:
	   ( X ) Records review             (   ) Hearing

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

	c. Review/hearing location and date:  Washington, DC on 15 September 1999.

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

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

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:  (14)  The narrative reason for discharge is inequitable.

	b.  Request:  ( X ) Recharacterization     ( X ) 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.

        (14)  The issue is accepted.  Regulations currently in effect list the reason for the applicant’s discharge as misconduct.  Accordingly, the Board voted to change the narrative reason on the DD Form 214 to misconduct.  The Board was satisfied that the characterization of service was proper and equitable, and voted not to change it.

        (1) and (4)  The issues are rejected.  The Board carefully reviewed the applicant’s record of service during the period of enlistment under review.  The Board congratulates him on his successful accomplishments since departing the Army.  However, good post service conduct alone is not normally a basis upon which the ADRB grants relief.

        (2), (3), (5), and (6)  The issues are rejected.  Even though the applicant claims that his offenses were minor and isolated, the Board concluded that the discrediting entries constituted a departure from the standards of conduct expected of soldiers in the Army.  The applicant, by violating the Army's policy not to possess or use illegal drugs, compromised the trust and confidence placed in a soldier.  The applicant, as a soldier, had the duty to support and abide by the Army's drug policies.  By abusing illegal drugs, the applicant knowingly risked a military career and diminished the quality of service below that meriting a fully honorable discharge.

        (7)  The issue is rejected.  The Board noted that the applicant met entrance qualification standards to include age.  The Board further found no evidence that the applicant was any less mature than other soldiers of the same age who successfully completed military service.

        (8), (9), (10), (11), (12), (13)  The issues are rejected.  The Board noted the applicant’s contentions that his performance of duty was impaired by his deprived background, personal problems, use of alcohol, and psychiatric problems.  Before initiating action to separate the applicant, the command ensured the applicant received appropriate legal counsel and that he was given proper mental and physical evaluations by competent medical authorities.  He was also provided an opportunity to submit written statements explaining any 

mitigating circumstances in his own behalf, which he waived after consultation with legal counsel.  The applicant did not indicate that he was suffering from a psychiatric condition at the time of separation, nor did he provide any evidence to indicate that his ability to serve was impaired by personal problems, a deprived background, or use of alcohol.  The evidence of record shows that the applicant was separated for illegal use of drugs on two occasions.  As the applicant did not conform to required standards of acceptable conduct, the command appropriately determined that the applicant should be separated for misconduct.   

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

    The Army Discharge Review Board cannot change the applicant’s reentry eligibility (also known as the reenlistment) (RE) code.  To obtain a change in an RE code, the applicant should provide supporting documentation to justify any change and submit the request to the Commander, US Army PERSCOM, ATTN:  TAPC-EPR-P, 2461 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia  22331-0450.  To obtain a waiver for reenlistment, the applicant should contact a local Army recruiter for assistance.

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.
	(   )	Inequitable as to characterization.  Change characterization to                               .
	( X )	Inequitable as to reason.  Change reason to Misconduct
		under AR 635-200.
	(   )	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       5         0  
    Characterization       1         4   

	  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	

Ms. McKim-Spilker                                                        
Case Reviewing Official	

PART VIII - DIRECTIVE/CERTIFICATION
SECTION A - DIRECTIVE

TO: ARBA Support Division-St Louis      Date:  17 September 1999     

     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 )	Change reason and authority for discharge to
       	Misconduct, under AR 635-200.

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:  1999030655                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A9442
Date of Review:  990915                                   A9301
Character of Service:  GD                                 A9305
Date of Discharge:  880603                                A9309
Authority:  AR 635-200 C14                                A9323
Reason:  A6770                                            A0100
Results of Board Action/                                  A9221
Vote/Affirmation:  MD 5-0 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