PART II - APPLICATION DATA

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

1.  Character of Discharge:  General, Under Honorable Conditions

2.  Date of discharge (or REFRAD):  980219

3.  Authority for separation:

	a.  Regulation:  Chapter 14, AR 635-200

	b.  Reason:  Misconduct

4.  Prior review(s):  NONE

PART III - SERVICE HISTORY

SECTION A - Period of Service Under Review

1.	Service data:                              2.  Awards and decorations:
			                          AAM                        
a.  Period entered for:  3 Years  (12 mos ext) GCMDL
b.  Entry date:  960328            (970424)    NCOPDR
c.  Age:  26 Years   DOB:  690925                                          
d.  Educational level:  HS Grad                                                 
e.  Aptitude area score:
	    GT:  120                               3.  Highest grade achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E5
          1 Year(s)  10 Month(s)  22 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)
	971031    Wrongfully used marijuana, between (970825 and 970925)

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
	USAR          921001    921112        NA
	RA            921113    960327        HD

PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW

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

	a.  Evidence of record shows that on 6 January 1998, the unit commander notified the applicant of initiation of separation action under the provisions of Chapter l4, AR 635-200, by reason of misconduct—commission of a serious offense, with a general, under honorable conditions discharge.  He was advised of his rights.  The applicant acknowledged notification, consulted with legal counsel, and was advised of the impact of the discharge action.  He waived consideration of his case by an administrative separation board contingent upon his receiving a characterization of service no less favorably than general, under honorable conditions and submitted a statement in his own behalf.  The unit commander subsequently recommended separation from the Army.  The intermediate commander reviewed the proposed discharge action and recommended approval of the separation action with a general, under honorable conditions discharge.  On 21 January 1998, the separation authority directed that the applicant be discharged with a general discharge.

	b.  On 19 February 1998, the applicant was discharged.  At the time of discharge, the applicant had 1 year, 10 months, and 22 days service on his current enlistment and 5 years, 3 months, and 8 days total time in service.

	c.  The unit commander recommended the applicant be separated from the Army because he tested positive for marijuana.  Although the unit commander cited him for twice-testing positive for marijuana, the evidence of record is not clear if it is a one time or two-time use.  The record does show that the misconduct occurred between 25 August and 25 September 1997.

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 000905.
	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 11 October 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:  (2)  The characterization of service is 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:

        (2)  The issue is accepted.  The Board carefully examined the applicant’s record of service during the period of enlistment under review.  There was a full consideration of all service including the infraction of discipline, the extent thereof, and the seriousness of the offense.  The Board determined that the characterization of service was inequitable because the applicant's generally acceptable personal conduct and performance of duty mitigated the discrediting entry in the service record.  Accordingly, the Board voted to grant relief in the form of an upgrade of characterization of service to fully honorable.  The Board determined that the reason for discharge was proper and equitable and voted not to change it.

        (1)  See Paragraph 3, below.

The issue is rejected.  The Board carefully examined the applicant’s record of service during the period of enlistment under review.  The applicant, by violating the Army's policy not to possess or use illegal drugs, compromised the special trust and confidence placed in a non-commissioned officer (NCO).  The applicant, as a NCO, 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 this misconduct diminished the quality of service below that meriting a fully honorable discharge.  Further, 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.  The Board, being convinced that the reason for discharge and the characterization of service were both proper and equitable, voted to deny relief.
3.  Response(s) to item(s) not addressed as decisional issue(s):

    Inasmuch as the Board voted to grant the full relief requested, response to the remaining issue is 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                      .

	( 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	

MS. WADE
Case Reviewing Official	

PART VIII - DIRECTIVE/CERTIFICATION
SECTION A - DIRECTIVE

NONE

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:  2000047199                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A9217
Date of Review:  001011                                   A0100
Character of Service:  GD                                 A9439
Date of Discharge:  980219                                A9445
Authority:  AR 635-200 C14                                
Reason:  A6730                                            
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