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):  021125

3.  Authority for separation:

	a.  Regulation:  Chapter 12, AR 135-178

	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 (2nd Awd)                       
a.  Period entered for: 6 Years                NCOPDR
b.  Entry date: 991003                         C/Ach (4)        
c.  Age: 39 Years   DOB: 601001                                                 
d.  Educational level:  HS Grad                                                 
e.  Aptitude area score:
	    GT: NIF                                3.  Highest grade achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E6
         3 Year(s)  1 Month(s)  23 Day(s)                                  
                                                           
                                               4.  Performance evaluations:  
                                                   See OMPF 

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	820112	820216	NA
	ADT	820217	820525	NA
	USAR	820526	991002	NA
	       (Concurrent Service)

PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW

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

	a.  Evidence of record shows that on 23 February 2002, the unit commander notified the applicant of initiation of separation action under the provisions of Chapter l2, Paragraph 12-1d, AR 135-178, by reason of misconduct—abuse of illegal drugs, with a general, under honorable conditions discharge.  He was advised of his rights.  The applicant consulted with legal counsel, was advised of the impact of the discharge action, voluntarily waived consideration of his case by an administrative separation board contingent upon him receiving a characterization of service no less favorable than a general, under honorable conditions discharge and did not submit a statement in his own behalf.  The unit and intermediate commander’s recommendation for separation from the United States Army Reserve are not contained in the available records.  On 13 December 2002, DA, HQ, 108th Division (Institutional Training) 1330 Westover Street; Charlotte, NC, Orders 02-347-00001 discharged the applicant from the United States Army Reserve with a characterization of service of general, under honorable conditions, effective date 25 November 2002.   

	b.  On 25 November 2002, the applicant was discharged.  At the time of discharge, the applicant had completed 3 years, 1 month, and 23 days of active military service in the period under review and had a total of 20 years, 10 months and 13 days of active military service.

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.  Chapter 12, paragraph 12-1 of the regulation, in effect at the time, governed separation for misconduct.  When discharged under this provision, Army policy states that the characterization of service will normally be under other than honorable conditions.  The regulation also permitted the characterization of service as general, under honorable conditions.

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 030122, with fourteen (14) enclosure(s).
	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 3 December 2003.  

	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 faithful and honorable service as well as the infraction of discipline, the extent thereof, and the seriousness of the offense.  The Board does not condone the applicant’s misconduct; however, 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.

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                      .

	(   )	Equitable.
	( X )	Inequitable as to characterization.  Change characterization to Honorable.
	(   )	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	

MR. RIVERA                       
Case Reviewing Official	

PART VIII - DIRECTIVE/CERTIFICATION
SECTION A - DIRECTIVE

TO: ARBA Support Division-St Louis      Date:  5 December 2003         

     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 the applicant a new separation order from the Reserve of the Army which reflects the following directed change(s):

           ( X )	Change characterization of discharge to
                  Honorable.
           ( X )	Other (see remarks below).

Remarks:  This action entails issuing the applicant a new separation order
          from the Reserve of the Army.

SECTION B - CERTIFICATION

Approval Authority:

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

Official:

JOHN F. LONG    
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:  2003098303                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A9406
Date of Review:  031203                                   A9218
Character of Service:  GD                                 A0113
Date of Discharge:  021125                                
Authority:  AR 135-178 C12                                
Reason:  A6000                                            
Results of Board Action/                                  
Vote/Affirmation:  HD 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