1. Applicant's Name: a. Application Date: 10 December 2015 b. Date Received: 15 December 2015 c. Counsel: None 2. REQUEST, ISSUES, BOARD TYPE, AND DECISION: The applicant requests an upgrade of his uncharacterized discharge to honorable. The applicant seeks relief contending, in pertinent part and in effect, while serving as a 09L for the Army, his family's safety was compromised due to his family receiving, at an Iraqi post office, correspondence relating to benefits for his family, such as TRICARE Choices healthcare and how to obtain a military ID card. The documents were reviewed by postal employees who distributed the information and documents throughout the community. His family then started to receive death threats and were in a constant state of transitioning from one location to another. In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 24 February 2017, 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, Paragraph 6- 3a / KDB / RE-3 / Uncharacterized b. Date of Discharge: 28 March 2014 c. Separation Facts: (1) Date of DA Form 4187 (Personnel Action) - Request for Voluntary Separation: 5 March 2014 (2) Basis for Separation: Pursuant to the applicant's request for separation under the provisions of paragraph 6-3a, AR 635-200, for hardship. (3) Recommended Characterization: Uncharacterized (4) Legal Consultation Date: None (5) Administrative Separation Board: NA (6) Separation Decision Date / Characterization: 24 March 2014 / Uncharacterized 4. SERVICE DETAILS: a. Date / Period of Enlistment: 12 November 2013 / 3 years, 34 weeks b. Age at Enlistment / Education / GT Score: 28 / HS Graduate / 75 c. Highest Grade Achieved / MOS / Total Service: E-4 / None / 4 months, 17 days d. Prior Service / Characterizations: None e. Overseas Service / Combat Service: None f. Awards and Decorations: None g. Performance Ratings: None h. Disciplinary Action(s) / Evidentiary Record: Discharge Orders, dated 26 March 2014 i. Lost Time / Mode of Return: None / NA j. Diagnosed PTSD / TBI / Behavioral Health: None 5. APPLICANT-PROVIDED EVIDENCE: DD Form 293; self-authored statement; letter of commendation; memorandum for employment verification; two Certificates of Appreciation; separation authority's decision memorandum with memoranda of recommendations, dated 24 March 2014, 17 March 2014, and 1 March 2014; Processee/Enlistee Record data, dated 12 November 2013; e-mail correspondence, dated 26 February 2014; applicant's authored statement, dated 27 February 2014; photocopy depicting picture of applicant; DA Form 4187 (Personnel Action), dated 5 March 2014; applicant's memorandum, dated 5 March 2014; and e- mail correspondence, dated 27 February 2014. 6. POST SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: None submitted with the application. 7. REGULATORY CITATION(S): Chapter 6, AR 635-200 provides for separation for the convenience of the Government. An uncharacterized service description is normally granted to Soldiers who are in an entry level status, and honorable or under honorable conditions if the Soldier is beyond ELS, for separation under this chapter. Paragraph 6-3a provides for separation due to dependency, when disability of a member of a Soldier's immediate family causes that member to rely upon the Soldier for principal care or support. Paragraph 6-3b provides for separation due to hardship. Hardship exists when in circumstances not involving death or disability of a member of the Soldier (spouse's) immediate family, separation from the Service will materially affect the care or support of the family by alleviating undue and genuine hardship. 8. DISCUSSION OF FACT(S): The applicant requests an upgrade of his uncharacterized discharge to honorable. The applicant's available record of service, and the issues and documents submitted with his application were carefully reviewed. The record confirms that the applicant voluntarily requested separation from the Army due to dependency or hardship. 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. A Soldier is in entry-level status (ELS) 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 his separation is initiated while the Soldier is in entry level status. In this case, the applicant requested separation within four months of his service. Further, a general, under honorable conditions discharge is not authorized under ELS conditions and an honorable discharge may be granted only in cases which are clearly warranted by unusual circumstances involving outstanding personal conduct and/or performance of duty. No such unusual circumstances were present in the applicant's record and his service did not warrant an honorable discharge. Although the applicant presented documentary evidence of his service accomplishments, the Board can find that his service was uncharacterized because he was in entry-level status and there are no unusual circumstances present in the applicant's record and his service did not warrant an honorable discharge. 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 his 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 24 February 2017, 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 / Issue a New Separation Order: 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: No Change AUTHENTICATING OFFICIAL: Legend: AWOL - Absent Without Leave GD - General Discharge NCO - Noncommissioned Officer 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 NOS - Not Otherwise Specified SPD - Separation Program Designator CG - Company Grade Article 15 IADT - Initial Active Duty Training OAD - Ordered to Active Duty TBI - Traumatic Brain Injury CID - Criminal Investigation Division MP - Military Police OMPF - Official Military Personnel File UNC - Uncharacterized Discharge ELS - Entry Level Status MST - Military Sexual Trauma PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder UOTHC - Under Other Than Honorable Conditions FG - Field Grade Article 15 NA - Not applicable RE - Reentry VA - Veterans Affairs ARMY DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD CASE REPORT AND DIRECTIVE AR20160000910 1