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):  950523

3.  Authority for separation:

	a.  Regulation:  Chapter 5, AR 635-200

	b.  Reason:  Personality Disorder

4.  Prior review(s):  NONE

PART III - SERVICE HISTORY

SECTION A - Period of Service Under Review

1.	Service data:                              2.  Awards and decorations:
			                          NDSM                       
a.  Period entered for:  3 Years               ASR
b.  Entry date:  930716                        
c.  Age:  18 Years   DOB:  741123                                          
d.  Educational level:  HS Grad                                                 
e.  Aptitude area score:
	    GT:  97                                3.  Highest grade achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E3
        1 Year  10 Months  8 Days                  
                                                   
                                               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)
	950213    Disobeying a lawful order.

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 the unit commander notified the applicant of initiation of separation action under the provisions of 
Chapter 5, AR 635-200, personality disorderly, with a recommendation for an honorable discharge (HD).  The applicant was advised of his rights, waived legal counsel, was advised of the impact of the discharge action, and elected not to submit a statement in his own behalf.  The intermediate commander reviewed the proposed discharge action and recommended approval with an HD.  On 27 April 1995, Staff Judge Advocate determined the separation action to be legally sufficient.  On 1 May 1995, the separation authority waived further rehabilitative efforts and directed that the applicant be discharged with a general, under honorable conditions discharge (GD).  

	b.  On 23 May 1995, the applicant was discharged with a GD.  At the time of discharge the applicant had completed 1 year, 10 months, and 8 days of active military service.

	c.  The applicant’s record shows that he completed almost 2 years of service and that the highest rank he attained while on active duty was private first class/E-3.  There are no documented acts of valor, significant achievement, or service warranting special recognition contained in the record.  His disciplinary record includes his acceptance of an Article 15 on 13 February 1994 for disobeying a lawful order which resulted in his reduction in rank to private/E-2.  The evidence of record shows the applicant was hospitalized for suicidal thoughts and was diagnosed with a personality disorder.  The applicant expressed his opinion that the military environment would prevent him from overcoming his personality disorder and requested separation from the Army.  The unit commander processed the applicant for separation, under the provisions of paragraph 5-13, AR 635-200 by reason of personality disorder and recommended an HD; however, the separation authority in his approval of the applicant’s separation directed he receive a GD. 

2.  Legal/Regulatory Basis for Separation Action:  Army Regulation 635-200 provides the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel.  Paragraph 5-13 provides that a soldier may be separated for personality disorder, not amounting to disability under Army Regulation 635-40, that interferes with assignment to or performance of duty. The regulation requires that the condition is a deeply ingrained maladaptive pattern of behavior of long duration that interferes with the soldiers ability to perform duty.  The regulation also directs that commanders will not take action prescribed in this chapter in lieu of disciplinary action, requires that the diagnosis concludes the disorder is so severe that the soldier’s ability to function in the military environment is significantly impaired, and states that separation for personality disorder is not appropriate when separation is warranted under chapter 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, or 15; Army regulation 604-10 or Army Regulation 635-40.  Army policy requires the award of a fully honorable discharge in such cases.

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 990201, with seven (7) 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 D.C. on 14 April 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:  (2)  The characterization of service is improper.

	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.

        (2)  The issue is accepted.  The Board noted that the applicant was discharged for a personality disorder under the provisions of Chapter 5, AR 635-200.  Soldiers discharged under this chapter normally receive an honorable discharge unless they were convicted at a general court-martial or have more than one special court-martial conviction.  Finding no evidence of such, the Board found that the characterization of the discharge was improper and voted an upgrade to fully honorable.  The Board noted that the reason for discharge was proper and equitable and voted not to change it.

	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.

        (1)  See Paragraph 3, below.  

3.  Response to item not addressed as a decisional issue:

   Eligibility for veteran's benefits, to include educational benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill, does not fall within the purview of the Army Discharge Review Board.  Accordingly, the applicant should contact a local office of the Department of Veterans Affairs for further assistance.

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

1.	Board conclusion(s):

	The discharge was:

	(   )	Proper.
	( X )	Improper as to characterization.  Change characterization to Honorable.
	(   )	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       5         0   

	  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. ADRIANCE                           
Case Reviewing Official	

PART VIII - DIRECTIVE/CERTIFICATION
SECTION A - DIRECTIVE

TO: ARBA Support Division-St Louis      Date:  16 April 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 the Characterization of the 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:  1999023739                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A0154
Date of Review:  990414                                   A9217
Character of Service:  GD                                 A9446
Date of Discharge:  950523                                
Authority:  AR 635-200 C5                                 
Reason:  A8600                                            
Results of Board Action/                                  
Vote/Affirmation:  HD 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. 	Mbr          X      X