Applicant Name: ????? Application Receipt Date: 2010/06/16 Prior Review: Prior Review Date: NA I. Applicant Request: Upgrade Reason Change RE Code Change Issues: The applicant states, in effect, that as a noncommissioned officer in the US Army, he realized what he did was wrong and know that the punishment was set forth in accordance with Army Regulations. After spending 13 years and six months on active duty, and this is in reference to an isolated event, he hopes that the board would reconsider and accept his request for an upgrade of his discharge to honorable. He knows what he did was wrong and there was no excuse for it, and he has paid the price by not being able to defend his country in an honorable fashion. He regrets this and would like that it never had happened, because he spent 13 years and six months on active duty, and hoped to have spent another 13 years defending his country. He ask that the board take into consideration his military record based on the time he spent in the military. II. Were Proper Discharge and Separation Authority procedures followed? Tender Offer: NA See Attachments: Legal Medical Minority Opinion Exhibits III. Discharge Under Review Unit CDR Recommended Discharge: Date: NIF Discharge Received: Date: 971009 Chapter: 14-12c AR: 635-200 Reason: Misconduct RE: SPD: JKQ Unit/Location: A Battery, 1st Battalion, (MLRS), 12th Field Artillery, Fort Sill, OK Time Lost: None Article 15s (Charges/Dates/Punishment): NIF Courts-Martial (Charges/Dates/Punishment): NIF Counseling Records Available: Yes No IV. Soldier’s Overall Record Age at current enlistment: 34 Current ENL Date: Reenl/970527 Current ENL Term: 6 Years ????? Current ENL Service: 0 Yrs, 4 Mos, 13 Days ????? Total Service: 13 Yrs, 5 Mos, 28 Days ????? Previous Discharges: USAR 840315-840411/NA RA 840412-890202/HD RA 890203-930822/HD RA 930823-970526/HD Highest Grade: E-6 Performance Ratings Available: Yes No MOS: 13M20 MLRS Crewmember GT: 98 EDU: HS Grad Overseas: NIF Combat: None Decorations/Awards: ARCOM (2), AAM (2), GCMDL (4), NDSM, NCOPDRw/Num 2, ASR, OSR (3) V. Post-Discharge Activity City, State: ????? Post Service Accomplishments: None submitted by the applicant. VI. Facts, Circumstances, and Legal Basis for Separation a. Facts and Circumstances: The applicant’s record is void of the specific facts and circumstances concerning the events which led to the discharge from the Army. However, the record does contain a properly constituted DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), which was authenticated by the applicant’s signature. The DD Form 214 indicates the applicant was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 14, AR 635-200, paragraph 14-12c by reason of misconduct commission of a serious offense, with a characterization of service of general, under honorable conditions. Furthermore, the DD Form 214 shows a Separation Code of JKQ (i.e., misconduct- serious offense) with a reentry eligibility (RE) code of "3." The record further shows that on 24 September 1997, DA, US Army Field Artillery School, Fort Sill, OK issued Orders 267-0126 discharging the applicant from the Regular Army with an effective date of 9 Octoer 1997. b. Legal Basis for Separation: Army Regulation 635-200 sets forth the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel. Chapter 14 of this regulation establishes policy and prescribes procedures for separating members for misconduct. Specific categories include minor disciplinary infractions, a pattern of misconduct, and 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, however, a general, under honorable conditions or an honorable discharge may be granted. c. Response to Issues, Recommendation and Rationale: After a careful review of all the applicant’s available military records, the issue submitted with the application, the analyst found no mitigating factors which would merit an upgrade of the applicant’s discharge. The applicant’s record is void of the specific facts and circumstances concerning the events which led to the applicant's discharge from the Army. However, the applicant’s record does contain a properly constituted DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), which was authenticated by the applicant's signature. This document identifies the reason and characterization of the discharge and the analyst presumed government regularity in the discharge process. The DD Form 214 indicates the applicant was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 14, AR 635-200, paragraph 14-12c by reason of misconduct—commission of a serious offense, with a characterization of service of general, under honorable conditions. Barring evidence to the contrary, the analyst was satisfied that all requirements of law and regulation were met and the rights of the applicant were fully protected throughout the separation process. The applicant's contentions were carefully considered. However, the analyst is unable to determine whether these contentions have merit because the facts and circumstances leading to the discharge are unknown. The burden of proof remains with the applicant to provide the appropriate documents or other evidence sufficient to explain the facts, circumstances, and reasons underlying the separation action, for the Board's consideration. If the applicant desires a personal appearance hearing, it will still be his responsibility to meet the burden of proof since the evidence is not available in the official record. Therefore, based on the available evidence, the analyst presumes government regularity in the discharge process determined that the reason for discharge and the characterization of service were both proper and equitable and recommends to the Board to deny relief. VII. Summary of Army Discharge Review Board Hearing Type of Hearing: Date: 4 March 2011 Location: Washington, DC Did the Applicant Testify? Yes No Counsel: None Witnesses/Observers: NA Exhibits Submitted: DD Form 293 dated 1 June 2010. VIII. Board Discussion, Determination, and Recommendation After carefully examining the applicant’s record of service during the period of enlistment under review and considering the analyst’s recommendation and rationale, the Board determined that the discharge was both proper and equitable and voted to deny relief. IX. Board Decision XI. Certification Signature Board Vote: Approval Authority: Character - Change 0 No change 5 Reason - Change 0 No change 5 (Board member names available upon request) EDGAR J. YANGER Colonel, U.S. Army X. Board Action Directed President, Army Discharge Review Board Issue a new DD Form 214 Change Characterization to: Change Reason to: No Change Other: No Change RE Code: Grade Restoration: No Yes Grade: No Change Legend: AWOL Absent Without Leave GCM General Court Martial NA Not applicable SCM Summary Court Martial BCD Bad Conduct Discharge GD General Discharge NIF Not in the file SPCM Special Court Martial CG Company Grade Article 15 HD Honorable Discharge OAD Ordered to Active Duty UNC Uncharacterized Discharge DD Dishonorable Discharge HS High School Graduate OMPF Official Military Personnel File UOTH Under Other Than Honorable FG Field Grade Article 15 IADT Initial Active Duty Training RE Reentry Code Conditions ARMY DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD - CASE REPORT AND DIRECTIVE Case Number AR20100017039 ______________________________________________________________________________ Page 1 of 3 pages