ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


IN THE CASE OF: 
BOARD DATE:  24 October 2019
DOCKET NUMBER: AR20170014840


APPLICANT REQUESTS: a correction to her DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or 
Discharge from Active Duty) box 24 Character of Service from Uncharacterized to 
Honorable.

APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD:

   *	DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record)
   *	DD Form 214 
FACTS:
1.	The applicant did not file within the three year time frame provided in Title 10, United 
States Code (USC), section 1552(b); however, the Army Board for Correction of Military 
Records (ABCMR) conducted a substantive review of this case and determined it is in 
the interest of justice to excuse the applicant's failure to timely file.

2.	The applicant states she was on active duty for more than 180 days. She would like 
for her character of service to be corrected to show honorable.

3.	A review of her service record shows:

   a.	Having had prior service in the Regular Army, her DD 214 shows she enlisted in 
the United States Army Reserves on 3 January 1995.

   b.	Her DD Form 214 for this period of active duty service shows she was released 
from active duty training under the authority of Army Regulation 635-200 (Personnel 
Separations-Enlisted Personnel), paragraph 4-2 (Discharge or release from the Active 
Army upon termination of enlistment and other periods of active duty or active duty for 
training), with a characterization of service of "uncharacterized," after completing
4 months and 11 days of active duty service.

c.	The applicant was honorably discharged from the USAR on 14 December 1999.



4.	Army Regulation 635-8 (Separation Processing and Documents), states in 
paragraph 5-6 (Rules for Completing the DD Form 214) that when a Reserve 
Component Soldier successfully completes IADT, the character of service is honorable 
unless directed otherwise by the separation approval authority.

BOARD DISCUSSION:

After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, to include the DoD 
guidance on liberal consideration when reviewing discharge upgrade requests, the 
Board determined that relief was warranted. Based upon a documentary review of the 
applicant’s military record, the Board concluded that the applicant completed a period of 
active duty while conducting initial entry training (IET). He was awarded a MOS at the 
completion of IET and was transferred back to the ARNG. Army Regulation 635-200 
provides that when a RC Soldier successfully completes IADT, the character of service 
is Honorable unless directed otherwise by the separation authority. Based upon 
regulatory guidance, the Board agreed the DD Form 214 should show his character of 
service as Honorable.

BOARD VOTE:

Mbr 1
Mbr 2
Mbr 3

X
X
X
GRANT FULL RELIEF
:
:
:
GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF
:
:
:
GRANT FORMAL HEARING
:
:
:
DENY APPLICATION

BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:

The Board determined the evidence presented is sufficient to warrant a 
recommendation for relief. As a result, the Board recommends that all Department of 
the Army records of the individual concerned be corrected by reissuing the applicant 
a DD Form 214 showing his characterization of service as Honorable.

1/22/2020



CHAIRPERSON
Signed by
I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the 
Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case.





REFERENCES:

1.	Army Regulation 635-200 (Personnel Separations) describes the different types of 
characterization of service. Chapter 3 of the version in effect at the time stated a 
separation will be described as an entry level separation with service uncharacterized if 
processing is initiated while a Soldier is in entry level status, except in the following 
circumstances:

   a.	When characterization Under Other Than Honorable Conditions is authorized 
under the reason for separation and is warranted by the circumstances of the case.

   b.	The Secretary of the Army, on a case–by–case basis, determines that 
characterization of service as Honorable is clearly warranted by the presence of 
unusual circumstances involving personal conduct and performance of duty. This 
characterization is authorized when the Soldier is separated by reason of selected 
changes in service obligation, convenience of the Government and Secretarial plenary 
authority.

   c.	For ARNG and USAR Soldiers, entry level status begins upon enlistment in the 
ARNG or USAR.  It terminates for:

*	Soldiers ordered to ADT for a continuous period - 180 days after beginning training
*	Soldiers ordered to ADT for the split or alternate training option -
90 days after beginning Phase II (AIT); Soldiers completing Phase I (Basic Training or 
Basic Combat Training) remain in entry level status until 90 days after beginning Phase 
II

NOTHING FOLLOWS