1. Applicant’s Name: a. Application Date: 15 May 2015 b. Date Received: 2 June 2015 c. Counsel: None 2. REQUEST, ISSUES, BOARD TYPE, AND DECISION: The applicant requests an upgrade of her uncharacterized discharge to general, under honorable conditions or honorable. The applicant seeks relief contending, in effect, she desires to qualify for USAA auto insurance, checking, and receive a veteran’s license plate. In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 5 August 2016, and by a 5-0 vote, the Board denied the request upon finding the separation was both proper and equitable. (Board member names available upon request) 3. DISCHARGE DETAILS: a. Reason/Authority/Codes/Characterization: Hardship / AR 635-200, Chapter 6, Paragraph 6-3a / KDB / RE-3 / Uncharacterized b. Date of Discharge: 16 February 2007 c. Separation Facts: (1) Date Requested Separation: 5 February 2007 (2) Basis for Separation: The applicant submitted a DA Form 4187 requesting she be discharged under provisions of Chapter 6, AR 635-200, due to not having anyone to properly care for her children. Her mother has cancer and can no longer provide long term care. She requested separation as soon as administratively possible. (3) Recommended Characterization: NIF (4) Legal Consultation Date: NIF (5) Administrative Separation Board: NA (6) Separation Decision Date/Characterization: 8 February 2007 / Uncharacterized 4. SERVICE DETAILS: a. Date/Period of Enlistment: 2 October 2006 / 4 years b. Age at Enlistment/Education/GT Score: 25 / HS Graduate / 86 c. Highest Grade Achieved/MOS/Total Service: E-2 / None / 4 months and 15 weeks d. Prior Service/Characterizations: None e. Overseas Service/Combat Service: None f. Awards and Decorations: None g. Performance Ratings: N/A h. Disciplinary Action(s)/Evidentiary Record: None i. Lost Time: None j. Diagnosed PTSD/TBI/Behavioral Health: None 5. APPLICANT-PROVIDED EVIDENCE: DD Form 293, dated 15 May 2015, and DD Form 214. 6. POST SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: None submitted with the application. 7. REGULATORY CITATION(S): Army Regulation 635-200, provides the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel. Paragraph 6-3a provides for the separation of Soldiers because of genuine hardship/dependency. Genuine hardship/dependency, for the purpose under this paragraph, is defined as when death or disability of a member of a Soldier’s (or spouse’s) immediate family causes that member to rely upon the Soldier for principal care or support. The regulation requires an uncharacterized separation of service when the separation is initiated while the Soldier is in entry level status. AR 635-200 states that a Soldier is in an entry-level status if the Soldier has not completed more than 180 days of creditable continuous active duty prior to the initiation of separation action. A general discharge (GD) under honorable conditions discharge is not authorized under ELS conditions and an honorable discharge (HD) is rarely ever granted. An HD may be given only in cases which are clearly warranted by unusual circumstances involving outstanding personal conduct and/or performance of duty. 8. DISCUSSION OF FACT(S): The applicant requests an upgrade of her uncharacterized discharge to general, under honorable conditions or honorable. The applicant’s record of service, the issues and documents submitted with her application were carefully reviewed. The record confirms that the applicant voluntarily requested separation from the Army due to hardship. Barring evidence to the contrary, all the requirements of law and regulation were met and the rights of the applicant were fully protected throughout the separation process. Army Regulation 635-200 provides in pertinent part, that a Soldier is in entry-level status for the first 180 days of continuous active duty. The purpose of the entry-level status is to provide the Soldier a probationary period. Army Regulation 635-200 also provides, except in cases of serious misconduct, that a Soldier’s service will be uncharacterized when the separation is initiated while the Soldier is in entry level status. A general discharge (GD) under honorable conditions discharge is not authorized under ELS conditions and an honorable discharge (HD) is rarely ever granted. An HD may be given only in cases which are clearly warranted by unusual circumstances involving outstanding personal conduct and/or performance of duty. The applicant requests an upgrade to qualify for USAA auto insurance, checking, and receive a veteran’s license plate. This contention is not a matter upon which the Army Discharge Review Board grants a change in discharge because it raises no matter of fact, law, procedure, or discretion related to the discharge process, nor is it associated with the discharge at the time it was issued. The uncharacterized description of service accurately reflects the applicant’s overall record of service. An uncharacterized discharge is neither positive nor negative and it is not meant to be a negative reflection of a Soldier’s military service. It merely means that the Soldier has not been in the Army long enough for her or her character of service to be rated as honorable or otherwise. The discharge was consistent with the procedural and substantive requirements of the regulation, was within the discretion of the separation authority, and the applicant was provided full administrative due process. 9. BOARD DETERMINATION: In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 5 August 2016, and by a 5-0 vote, the Board denied the request upon finding the separation was both proper and equitable. 10. BOARD ACTION DIRECTED: a. Issue a New DD-214: No b. Change Characterization to: No Change c. Change Reason to: No Change d. Change SPD/RE Code to: No Change e. Restore (Restoration of) Grade to: NA AUTHENTICATING OFFICIAL: COL, US ARMY Presiding Officer Army Discharge Review Board Legend: AWOL - Absent Without Leave GD - General Discharge NA - Not applicable SCM - Summary Court Martial BCD - Bad Conduct Discharge HS - High School NIF - Not in File SPCM - Special Court Martial BH – Behavioral Health HD - Honorable Discharge OAD - Ordered to Active Duty SPD - Separation Program Designator CG - Company Grade Article 15 IADT - Initial Active Duty Training OMPF - Official Military Personnel File TBI – Traumatic Brain Injury CID - Criminal Investigation Division MP – Military Police – PTSD – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder UNC - Uncharacterized Discharge ELS – Entry Level Status MST – Military Sexual Trauma RE - Reentry UOTHC - Under Other Than Honorable Conditions FG - Field Grade Article 15 ARMY DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD CASE REPORT AND DIRECTIVE AR20150009681 3