PART II - APPLICATION DATA

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

1.  Character of Discharge:  Uncharacterized

2.  Date of discharge (or REFRAD):  970723

3.  Authority for separation:

	a.  Regulation:  Chapter 5, AR 635-40

	b.  Reason:  Disability, Existed Prior to Service-Medical Board

4.  Prior review(s):  NONE

PART III - SERVICE HISTORY

SECTION A - Period of Service Under Review

1.	Service data:                              2.  Awards and decorations:
			                          NONE                       
a.  Period entered for:  8 Years               
b.  Entry date:  970625                        
c.  Age:  18 Years   DOB:  780503                                          
d.  Educational level:  HS Grad                                                 
e.  Aptitude area score:
	    GT:  108                               3.  Highest grade achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E1
          0 Year(s)  0 Month(s)  29 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:  NONE

	Date 	Offense(s)

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.  The evidence of record shows that on 21 July 1997, Orders 202-1314, DA, HQ, US Army Training Center and Fort Jackson, SC, discharged the applicant from the USAR, effective date: 23 July 1997.  The applicant was available to sign her DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty).  Her DD Form 214 indicates that she was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 5, AR 635-40 by reason of disability, existed prior to service-medical board with uncharacterized service.  Furthermore, the DD Form 214 shows a Separation Code of KFN (i.e., disability, existed prior to service-medical board).  The specific facts and circumstances leading to the applicant’s discharge are not contained in the available records. 

	b.  On 23 July 1997, the applicant was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 5, AR 635-40, by reason of disability, existed prior to service-medical board.  She was credited with 29 days active service on the enlistment under review.  

2.  Legal/Regulatory Basis for Separation Action:  Army Regulation 635-40 governs the evaluation for physical fitness of soldiers who may be unfit to perform their military duties because of a physical disability.  Chapter 5 provides for the separation of enlisted soldiers for non-service aggravated conditions that existed prior to service (EPTS) when the soldier requests a waiver of a Physical Evaluation Board (PEB).  The characterization of service for soldiers separated under the provisions of Chapter 5, AR 635-40 will normally be honorable unless the soldier is in an entry-level status.  The service of soldiers in an entry-level status will be uncharacterized.  A soldier is in an entry-level status if the soldier has not completed more than 180 days of creditable continuous active duty prior to the initiation of separation action.

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 991201, with one (1) enclosure(s).
	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 28 January 2000.

	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:
	    (   )	Additional issue(s) identified during review/hearing as follows:

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

        (1)  The issue is rejected.  The applicant’s record is void of facts and circumstances concerning the events that led to her discharge from the Army.  The Board noted that the applicant’s record contains a properly constituted DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) which was authenticated by the applicant’s signature.  This document identifies the reason and characterization of the discharge and the Board presumed Government regularity in the discharge process.  Notwithstanding the fact that the applicant’s pre-induction physical examination and report of medical history did not reveal that the applicant had an asthmatic condition, the evidence of record shows the applicant was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 5, AR 635-40, by reason of disability, existed prior to service-medical board, with service uncharacterized.  In connection with such a discharge, the applicant would have been diagnosed with a physical disability that existed prior to service (EPTS) and subsequently requested waiver of a Physical Evaluation Board (PEB).  Upon waiving the PEB, the applicant would have been advised of her right to apply for discharge.  The characterization of service for this type of discharge is normally honorable unless the soldier is in an entry-level status.  Since the applicant was in an entry-level status, her service was uncharacterized.  The Board, being convinced that the reason for discharge and the characterization of service were both proper and equitable, voted to deny relief.

	b.  Equity:	The applicant has not submitted an issue of equity and the ADRB has not otherwise relied upon an issue of equity to change the discharge.  The major factors upon which the discharge was based are set forth in Parts III and IV of this decisional document.

3.  Response(s) to item(s) not addressed as decisional issue(s):  NONE

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                      .

	( X )	Equitable.
	(   )	Inequitable as to characterization.  Change characterization to                               .
	(   )	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       0         5   

	  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. RIVERA                 
Case Reviewing Official	

PART VIII - DIRECTIVE/CERTIFICATION
SECTION A - DIRECTIVE

NONE

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:  1999034768                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A0143
Date of Review:  000128                                   A0101
Character of Service:  EL                                 A9217
Date of Discharge:  970625                                
Authority:  AR 635-40 C5                                  
Reason:  A2800                                            
Results of Board Action/                                  
Vote/Affirmation:  NC 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