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):  980416

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:
			                          NONE                       
a.  Period entered for: 3 Years               
b.  Entry date: 970702                               
c.  Age: 20 Years   DOB: 761020                                                 
d.  Educational level:  GED                                                 
e.  Aptitude area score:
	    GT: 101                                3.  Highest grade achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E1
         0 Year(s)  7 Month(s)  24 Day(s)                                  
                                                           
                                               4.  Performance evaluations:  
                                                   NONE

PART III - SERVICE HISTORY
SECTION A - Period of Service Under Review - Continued

5.  Periods of unauthorized absence:  
                                                                    
    Status       Inclusive dates                       
	AWOL         971021-971117;                                                      

	Mil conf     971126-971218;                                                      

	Civil conf   0                                                      

	Other        0                                                      

6.  Nonjudicial punishment:  

	Date 	Offense(s)
	970808	Disrespectful in language or action towards two Sgt.’s. (970804).

7.  Court-Martial data:  

	a.  SCM:  
		Date   Offense(s)
        971125 Absent without leave; dereliction in the performance of your duties, two specifications; failure to obey regulations.             
	
	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.  Evidence of record shows that on 13 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—pattern of misconduct, with a general discharge.  He was advised of his rights.  The applicant waived legal counsel, was advised of the impact of the discharge action, and did not submit a statement in his own behalf.  The unit commander subsequently recommended separation from the service, and waiver of further rehabilitative efforts.  The intermediate commander reviewed the proposed discharge action and recommended approval of the separation action with a general discharge.  On 17 March 1998, the separation authority waived further rehabilitative efforts and directed that the applicant be discharged with characterization of service classified as entry level separation with an uncharacterized discharge.  

	b.  On 16 April 1998, the applicant was discharged.  At the time of discharge, the applicant had 7 months and 24 days service on his current enlistment under review.

	c.  The unit commander recommended the applicant be separated from the Army because he refused to soldier and he went AWOL for 27 days.  The evidence of record indicates that separation action was initiated after 180 days of 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 000907.
	A-2:  Counsel Issues:  NONE
	B-l:  Other Documents: NONE
	C-1:  DD Form 149, dated 000902.

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 8 November 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:  (1)  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 l, above:

        (1)  The issue is accepted.  The Board carefully examined the applicant’s record of service during the period of enlistment under review.  The evidence of record shows that the applicant was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 14, Army Regulation 635-200 for misconduct with an uncharacterized discharge.  The Board noted that the unit commander initiated separation after the applicant had served 180 days of active military service and was no longer in an entry-level status.  The unit commander appropriately recommended separation with a characterization of service of general, under honorable conditions.  The intermediate commander concurred with the unit commander’s recommendation.  Notwithstanding the aforementioned, the approving authority improperly directed that the applicant’s service be uncharacterized.  The Board concluded that the regulatory requirement for an uncharacterized discharge was not met and that the characterization of service was improper.  Accordingly, in view of the applicant’s record of misconduct, the Board voted to grant partial relief by changing the characterization of service to general, under honorable conditions.  However, the Board found that the reason for discharge was proper and equitable and voted not to change it.

	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                      .

	(   )	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       3         2   

	  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	

MRS. WADE
Case Reviewing Official	

PART VIII - DIRECTIVE/CERTIFICATION
SECTION A - DIRECTIVE

TO: ARBA Support Division-St Louis      Date:  10 November 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 )	Other (see remarks below).

Remarks:  This action does not include a restoration of grade.

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:  2000047842                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A0156
Date of Review:  001108                                   A9217
Character of Service:  EL                                 A9500
Date of Discharge:  980416                                
Authority:  AR 635-200 C14                                
Reason:  A6750                                            
Results of Board Action/                                  
Vote/Affirmation:  GD 3-2 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