1. Applicant's Name: a. Application Date: 27 July 2016 b. Date Received: 1 August 2016 c. Counsel: None 2. REQUEST, ISSUES, BOARD TYPE, AND DECISION: The applicant requests an upgrade of his uncharacterized discharge to honorable. The applicant states, in pertinent part and in effect, he was discharged due to debilitating joint pains from his service with the ROTC. He was a contracted, scholarship cadet who served justly and honorably with a State University ROTC. He maintained good grades, exceeded in physical fitness, and completed all four years of ROTC. He was not required to pay back any of the scholarship funds he received due to being discharged for a legitimate medical reason that developed in ROTC, medical conditions that did not exist prior to ROTC. He conducted himself honorably during the four years, despite the medical setbacks he had to endure. He completed his degree and all other requirements to be commissioned. He believes his time in the university ROTC contributed to his medical condition that led to his discharge. In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 8 September 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: (Per discharge orders, dated 3 November 2011) Medical Disqualification / AR 145-1, Paragraph 3-43a(5) / NA / NA / (no characterization cited) b. Date of Discharge: 2 November 2011 c. Separation Facts: (1) Date of Notification of Intent to Separate: NA (2) Basis for Separation: Medical determination that "Joint pain, Asthma, palpitations" medical conditions precluded his appointment as a commissioned officer (3) Recommended Characterization: NA (4) Legal Consultation Date: NA (5) Administrative Separation Board: NA (6) Separation Decision Date / Characterization: 2 November 2011 / Uncharacterized 4. SERVICE DETAILS: a. Date / Period of Enlistment: IWS shows an accession date of 28 August 2007 and Grade as CSR, MISTAT as OJ, and Date MISTAT as 081219 b. Age at Enlistment / Education / GT Score: NIF / Bachelor's degree in May 2011 / NA c. Highest Grade Achieved / MOS / Total Service: CSR / None / NIF (however, based on the IWS accession date and discharge effective date, it shows 4 years, 2 months, 4 days) d. Prior Service / Characterizations: None / NA e. Overseas Service / Combat Service: None / None f. Awards and Decorations: None g. Performance Ratings: None h. Disciplinary Action(s) / Evidentiary Record: Applicant's documentary evidence: memorandum, dated 2 November 2011, subject: Cadet Action Request for Medical Determination - [the applicant], rendered by the Command Surgeon, instructed to dis-enroll the applicant from the ROTC program according to AR 145-1, paragraph 3-43a(5), based on medical conditions of joint pain, asthma, palpitations, which precluded his appointment as a commissioned officer; to discharge without further obligation with service uncharacterized according to AR 135-178, paragraph 5-6d; and to issue orders according to AR 600-8-105, figure 5-5 format. Applicant's documentary evidence shows, Orders #111101, dated 3 November 2011, with discharge information. i. Lost Time / Mode of Return: None / NA j. Diagnosed PTSD / TBI / Behavioral Health: Medical Advisory Opinion, dated 5 December 2016, indicates the applicant had a prescription of "Wellbutrin" for anxiety. 5. APPLICANT-PROVIDED EVIDENCE: DD Form 293 (Application for the Review of Discharge), dated 3 November 2011 with receipt date of 1 August 2016; letter, dated 6 May 2011, subject; Completion of Degree Requirements; discharge Orders; memorandum, dated 2 November 2011; Report of Medical History, dated 1 July 2011; medical records, dated 2 and 1 July 2011; Initial Medical Review, dated 26 April 2011; Report of Medical Examination (incomplete); Report of Medical History, dated 27 April 2011; LDAC Cadet Medical Dismissal Action, dated 2 July 2011; email correspondence, dated 2 July 2011; and memorandum, dated 2 July 2011, subject: Warrior Forge 2011 Behavioral Health Evaluation for [the applicant]. 6. POST SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: None provided with the application. 7. REGULATORY CITATION(S): AR 135-178, paragraph 5-6, providing for separation of cadets on disenrollment from the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps or an Reserve Officers' Training Corps Scholarship Program, states that the disposition of a cadet who is dis-enrolled from the ROTC program is prescribed by AR 145-1, Chapter 3, Section VI, and AR 135-91, paragraph 3-12; that the separation authority may order a cadet be discharged from the USAR citing this paragraph as authority; that the service of cadets discharged will be described as uncharacterized; that the procedures for separation of cadets under this paragraph will be governed by AR 135-91, paragraph 3-12, and AR 145-1, chapter 3, section VI; and that the notification procedures of chapter 3 of AR 135-178 are not applicable to separation under this paragraph. Army Regulation 145-1 prescribes policies and general procedures for administering the Army's Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (SROTC) Program. Section VI as it pertains to dis- enrollment, discharge, separation, transfer, and leave of absence, paragraph 4-43, provides for dis-enrollment, and in pertinent part, stipulates that a scholarship cadet may be dis-enrolled for medical disqualification when determined and approved by HQ, ROTCCC, or higher authority, and that a medical condition that precludes appointment will be cause for disenrollment. Secretary of Defense Memorandum for Secretaries of the Military Departments (Subject: Supplemental Guidance to Military Boards for Correction of Military/Naval Records Considering Discharge Upgrade Requests by Veterans Claiming Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, dated September 3, 2014), provided guidance to help ensure consistency across the military services in consideration of PTSD relevant to Service Members' discharges. "Liberal consideration will be given in petitions for changes in characterization of service to service treatment record entries which document one of more symptoms which meet the diagnostic criteria of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or related conditions. Special consideration will be given to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) determinations which document PTSD or PTSD-related conditions connected to military services. In cases where Service Records or any document from the period of service substantiated the existence of one or more symptoms of what is now recognized as PTSD or PTSD-related condition during the time of service, liberal consideration will be given to finding that PTSD existed at the time of service. Liberal consideration will also be given in cases where civilian providers confer diagnoses of PTSD or PTSD-related conditions, when case records contain narratives that support symptomatology at the time of service, or when any other evidence which may reasonably indicate that PTSD or a PTSD-related disorder existed at the time of discharge which might have mitigated the misconduct that caused the under other than honorable conditions characterization of service. This guidance in not applicable to cases involving pre- existing conditions which are determined not to have been incurred or aggravated while in military service." "Conditions documented in the record that can reasonably be determined to have existed at the time of discharge will be considered to have existed at the time of discharge. In cases in which PTSD or PTSD related conditions may be reasonably determined to have existed at the time of discharge, those conditions will be considered potential mitigating factors in the misconduct that caused the under other than honorable conditions characterization of service. Correction boards will exercise caution in weighing evidence of mitigation in cases in which serious misconduct precipitated a discharge with a characterization of service other than honorable conditions. Potentially mitigating evidence of the existence of undiagnosed combat related PTSD or PTSD-related conditions as a causative factor in the misconduct resulting in discharge will be carefully weighed against the severity of the misconduct. PTSD is not a likely cause of premeditated misconduct. Correction Boards will also exercise caution in weighing evidence of mitigation in all cases of misconduct by carefully considering the likely causal relationship of symptoms to the misconduct." 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. Although the record is void of the specific facts and circumstances concerning the events which led to the applicant's discharge from the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Program, the applicant's documentary evidence confirms that on 2 November 2011, the Command Surgeon of the US Army Cadet Command, directed to dis-enroll the applicant from the ROTC program under the provisions of AR 145-1, paragraph 3-43a(5), based on his medical conditions of joint pain, asthma, and palpitations, which precluded him from being appointed as a commissioned officer. Further guidance included discharging the applicant as a cadet from the USAR (ROTC Control Group) without further obligation and with service uncharacterized according to AR 135- 178, paragraph 5-6d. Barring evidence to the contrary, it appears that all requirements of law and regulation were met when it was determined that the applicant's medical condition precluded him from serving further in the USAR. Further, a discharge with an uncharacterized discharge is neither positive nor negative and it is not meant to be a negative reflection of a military service. In the applicant's case, the uncharacterized service was in accordance with regulatory guidance, as he was dis-enrolled from the ROTC program and discharged from the US Army Reserve (ROTC Control Group) due to a medical condition which precluded his appointment as a commissioned officer. Additionally, the Board's Medical Advisor, based on a careful review of the applicant's discharge and its available documentation, found no evidence of a medical disability or condition which would support a change to the character or reason for the applicant's discharge. Based on the available record, the discharge was consistent with the procedural and substantive requirements of the applicable regulations, and was within the discretion of the separation authority based on the applicant's medical condition that precluded further service. 9. BOARD DETERMINATION: In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 8 September 2017, and by a 5-0 vote, the Board denied the request upon finding the separation was both proper and equitable. 9. BOARD DETERMINATION: 10. BOARD ACTION DIRECTED: a. Issue new Separation Order: No b. Change Characterization to: No Change c. Change Reason to: No Change d. Change Authority to: No Change e. SPD/RE Code Change to: No Change f. Restoration to Grade: 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 AR20160014065 5