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):  980814

3.  Authority for separation:

	a.  Regulation:  Chapter 8, NGR 600-200

	b.  Reason:  Unsatisfactory Participant

4.  Prior review(s):  NONE

PART III - SERVICE HISTORY

SECTION A - Period of Service Under Review

1.	Service data:                              2.  Awards and decorations:
			                          ARCOM                      
a.  Period entered for:  3 Years               AAM
b.  Entry date:  960607                        NDSM
c.  Age:  22 Years   DOB:  730704              ASR                         
d.  Educational level:  HS Grad                                                 
e.  Aptitude area score:
	    GT:  100                               3.  Highest grade achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E4
          2 Years  2 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:  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
	USAR	910625	920610	NA
	ADT	920611	921112	Uncharacterized
	USAR	921113	930106	NA
	RA	930107	960606	Honorable

PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW

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

	a.  The evidence of record shows that the applicant received notification of his unexcused absences on three separate occasions (i.e., 23 May 1998, 30 April 1998, and 3 March 1998) and failed to contact his unit.  On 22 May 1998, as a result of the applicant’s twelve (12) unexcused absences, the unit commander initiated the applicant’s separation under the provisions of Paragraph 8-24f, Chapter 8, NGR 600-200, by reason of unsatisfactory participation with a characterization of service of general, under honorable conditions.  Having received no response from the applicant, the unit commander, on 25 July 1998 recommended separation of the applicant.  The intermediate commanders reviewed the unit commander’s recommendation and recommended approval of the applicant’s separation action.  On 12 August 1998, Departments of the Army and the Air Force, Office of the Adjutant General of Virginia, Virginia National Guard, Richmond, Virginia, Orders 224-030 discharged the applicant from the Army National Guard, effective 14 August 1998 and assigned him to the USAR Control Group (Annual Training), St Louis, Missouri for the remainder of his obligation.  The record contains a properly constituted NGB Form 22 (Report of Separation and Record of Service).  It indicates that he was discharged under the provisions of Paragraph 8-24f, Chapter 8, NGR 600-200, by reason of unsatisfactory participant, with a characterization of service of general, under honorable conditions.

	b.  On 14 August 1998, the applicant was discharged.  At the time of discharge, the applicant had completed 2 years, 2 months, and 8 days of military service in the period under review and had 7 years, 1 month, and 21 days of total military service.

2.  Legal/Regulatory Basis for Separation Action:  National Guard Regulation (NGR) 600-200 and Army Regulation 135-91 govern procedures covering enlisted personnel management of the Army National Guard.  Chapter 8 of NGR 600-200 covers, in pertinent part, reasons for discharge and separation of enlisted personnel from the State Army Reserve National Guard.  Paragraph 8-27(f) of that regulation provides in pertinent part that individuals can be separated for being an unsatisfactory participant.  Army Regulation 135-91 states that a member is an unsatisfactory participant when nine or more unexcused absences from scheduled drills occur during a 1 year period.

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 030605, with 8 enclosures.
	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 18 February 2004.

	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:
	    (   )	Additional issue(s) identified during review/hearing as follows:

	b.  Request:  ( X ) Recharacterization     ( X ) 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.

        (1)  The issue is 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 the infractions of discipline, the extent thereof, and the seriousness of the offenses.  The Board noted the applicant’s contentions and the documents submitted in support of his request for upgrade; however, the Board did not find said contentions sufficiently mitigating to warrant an upgrade of the discharge under review.  Further, the Board determined that the applicant had many legitimate avenues through which to obtain assistance or relief, without becoming an unsatisfactory participant.  The Board concluded that the applicant's discharge was appropriate because the quality of his service was not consistent with the Army's standards for acceptable personal conduct and performance of duty by military personnel.  By his poor duty performance, the applicant diminished the quality of service below that meriting a fully honorable discharge.  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):  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                      .

	( 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       2         3   

	  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. RIVERA                              
Case Reviewing Official	

PART VIII - DIRECTIVE/CERTIFICATION
SECTION A - DIRECTIVE

NONE

SECTION B - CERTIFICATION

Approval Authority:

SPURGEON A. MOORE
Colonel, U.S. Army
President, Army Discharge
   Review Board

Official:

MARY E. SHAW    
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:  2003091628                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A9235
Date of Review:  040204                                   A9217
Character of Service:  GD                                 A9309
Date of Discharge:  980814                                A0113
Authority:  NGR 600-200 C8                                
Reason:  A8400                                            
Results of Board Action/                                  
Vote/Affirmation:  NC 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