PART II - APPLICATION DATA

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

1.  Character of Discharge:  Under Other Than Honorable Conditions

2.  Date of discharge (or REFRAD):  990602

3.  Authority for separation:

	a.  Regulation:  Chapter 7, AR 135-178

	b.  Reason:  Misconduct-Abuse of Illegal Drugs

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:  6 Years               
b.  Entry date:  990221                        
c.  Age:  27 Years   DOB:  710922                                          
d.  Educational level:  HS Grad                                                 
e.  Aptitude area score:
	    GT:  93                                3.  Highest grade achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E5
          0 Year(s)  3 Month(s)  12 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

Other discharge(s):

	Service	From	To	Type Discharge
	RA            910321    940320        HD
	USAR          940321    990220        HD

PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW

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

	a.  The evidence of record shows that on 17 March 1999, the unit commander notified the applicant of initiation of separation action under the provisions of Chapter 7, AR 135-178 by reason of misconduct-abuse of illegal drugs, with an honorable discharge.  He was advised of his rights and appointed a military counsel.  In the notification the unit commander advised the applicant that he was suspending the separation action for 30 days to give him the opportunity to exercise his rights.  The unit administrator mailed the notification of separation action to the applicant via certified mail with restricted delivery and returned receipt requested.  The applicant did not acknowledge notification.  On 19 March 1999, the unit commander subsequently recommended approval of separation with an honorable discharge deferred for one year pending consecutive negative urinalysis results every quarter and forwarded it through command channels to the separation authority.  On 2 June 1999, Orders 153-503, Department of the Army, Headquarters, US Army 90th Regional Support Command, Maurice L. Britt United States Army Reserve Center, Arkansas, discharged the applicant from the United States Army Reserve Center, effective 2 June 1999 with an under other than honorable conditions discharge.  The applicant was reduced to the lowest enlisted rank.

	b.  On 2 June 1999, the applicant was discharged.  He was credited with 
3 months and 12 days active service on the enlistment under review and 8 years, 2 months, and 13 days total time in service.

	c.  The unit commander recommended the applicant be separated from the Army due to his testing positive for cocaine.

2.  Legal/Regulatory Basis for Separation Action: Army Regulation 135-178 (Separation of Enlisted Personnel) provides for the separation of enlisted personnel of the Army Reserve and Army National Guard.  Paragraph 7-11c(1) of the regulation, contains the authority and outlines the procedures for discharging individuals because of abuse of illegal drugs.

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 991220.
	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 23 February 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:
	    ( X )	Additional issue(s) identified during review/hearing as follows:

        Board Issue:  (5)  The characterization of service was 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:

        (5)  The issue is accepted.  The Board carefully examined the applicant’s overall service record.  There was a full consideration of all service including the infraction of discipline, the extent thereof, and the seriousness of the offense.  While the applicant’s misconduct was a clear departure from acceptable Army standards, the Board found that the applicant’s lack of nonjudicial punishment and the overall length and quality of his service mitigated the misconduct.  In view of the foregoing, the Board determined that the characterization of service was inequitable.  Accordingly, the Board voted to grant partial relief in the form of an upgrade of characterization of service to general, under honorable conditions.  The Board determined that the reason for discharge was proper and equitable and voted not to change it.

        (1), (2), (3), and (4)  The issues are rejected.  The Board carefully examined the applicant's record of service during the period of enlistment under review.  There was a full consideration of all faithful and honorable service as well as infractions of discipline, the extent thereof, and the seriousness of the offenses.  However, 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.  See response to issue (5), above.

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                      .

	(   )	Equitable.
	( X )	Inequitable as to characterization.  Change characterization to General, Under Honorable Conditions.
	(   )	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	

MS. WADE                                                        
Case Reviewing Official	

PART VIII - DIRECTIVE/CERTIFICATION
SECTION A - DIRECTIVE

TO: ARBA Support Division-St Louis      Date:  25 February 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 )	Change the characterization of discharge to General, Under Honorable Conditions.

           ( X )	Other (see remarks below).

Remarks:  Restore grade to Sergeant/E5.

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:  2000035818                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A9218
Date of Review:  000223                                   A0100
Character of Service:  UD                                 A9439
Date of Discharge:  990602                                
Authority:  AR 635-200 C7                                 
Reason:  A6750                                            
Results of Board Action/                                  
Vote/Affirmation:  GD 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