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):  890314

3.  Authority for separation:

	a.  Regulation:  Chapter 14, AR 635-200

	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:  3 Years               
b.  Entry date:  861106                        
c.  Age:  28 Years   DOB:  571113                                          
d.  Educational level:  HS Grad                                                 
e.  Aptitude area score:
	    GT:  117                               3.  Highest grade achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E4
          2 Year(s)  4 Month(s)  9 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)
	880122	Article 15 (NIF)

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            820406    861105        HD

PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW

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

	a.  Evidence of record shows that on 8 March 1989, Orders 45-11, DA, HQ, US Army Air Defense Artillery Center and Fort Bliss, TX, discharged the applicant from the Regular Army, effective date: 14 March 1989.  The applicant was available to sign his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty).  His DD Form 214 indicates that he was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 14, Paragraph 14-12(c), AR 635-200 by reason of misconduct-abuse of illegal drugs with a characterization of service of under other than honorable conditions.  Furthermore, the DD Form 214 shows a Separation Code of JKK (i.e., misconduct – abuse of illegal drugs).  The specific facts and circumstances leading to the applicant’s discharge are not contained in the available records.  

	b.  On 14 March 1989, the applicant was discharged.  At the time of discharge, the applicant had 2 years, 4 months, and 9 days, service on his current enlistment and 6 years, 11 months and 9 days, total time in service.

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 990902.
	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 21 June 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 Issues:  (3)  The characterization of service was too harsh.
                       (4)  The narrative reason for discharge is inequitable.

	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)  See Paragraph 3, below.
	
	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.

        (3)  The issue is accepted.  The Board carefully examined the applicant’s available records for the period of service under review.  The applicant’s record is void of the specific facts and circumstances leading to the applicant’s discharge.  However, the applicant’s record contains a properly constitute DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) which was authenticated by the applicant’s signature.  That DD Form 214 indicates that the applicant was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 14, paragraph 14-12c(2), AR 635-200, by reason of misconduct- abuse of illegal drugs.  Absent evidence to the contrary, the Board presumed government regularity in the discharge process. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, the Board found that the length and quality of the applicant’s service mitigated his misconduct.  In view of the foregoing, the Board determined that the characterization of service was inequitable.  Accordingly, the Board voted to grant relief in the form of an upgrade of characterization of service to general, under honorable conditions.  

        (4)  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.  

        (1)  See 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 the remaining issues are 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 General, Under Honorable Conditions.
	( X )	Inequitable as to reason.  Change reason to Misconduct
		under AR 635-200, Chapter 14.
	(   )	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       4         1   

	  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:  23 June 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 characterization of discharge to General, Under
                  Honorable Conditions.
           ( X )  Change reason and authority for discharge to Misconduct,
       	AR 635-200.
           ( X )  Other (see remarks below).

Remarks:  Restore grade to private first class/E-3.

SECTION B - CERTIFICATION

Approval Authority:

WILSON A. SHATZER
Colonel, U.S. Army
President, Army Discharge
   Review Board

Official:

EARNEST C. SMITH, JR.    
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:  2000039964                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A9406
Date of Review:  000621                                   A9218
Character of Service:  UD                                 A9442
Date of Discharge:  890314                                A0139
Authority:  AR 635-200 C14                                A0100
Reason:  A6770                                            
Results of Board Action/                                  
Vote/Affirmation:  GD 4-1 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