ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 17 May 2019 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20180000807 APPLICANT REQUESTS: an upgrade of his discharge APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: DD Form 293 (Application for the Review of Discharge from the Armed Forces of the United States) 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 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 his under other than honorable discharge characterization should not be held against him for the rest of his life. He realizes that he made a mistake when he was young by getting out of the army. 3. A review of his service record shows: a. He enlisted in the Regular Army on 21 October 1977. b. On 4 January 1978, he departed his unit in an absent without leave (AWOL) status and was dropped from rolls on 3 February 1978, returned to military control on 6 June 1978, and was marked present for duty on 13 June 1978. c. According to his DD Form 458 (Charge Sheet) dated, 13 June 1978, court-martial charges were preferred against him for one specification of AWOL from 4 January 1978 to 6 June 1978. d. On 14 June 1978, he consulted with legal counsel who advised him of the contemplated trial by court-martial and the maximum permissible punishment authorized under UCMJ, of the possible effects of a bad conduct or dishonorable discharge, if the request is approved and of the procedures and rights available to him. a. e. Following consultation with counsel, he requested discharge under the provisions of Army Regulation (AR) 635-200 (Personnel Separations – Enlisted Personnel), chapter 10, for the good of the service in lieu of trial by court-martial. In his request for discharge, he indicated: * he was making this request of his own free will and he had not been subjected to any coercion whatsoever by any person * he understood that by requesting discharge he was admitting guilt to the charges against him or of a lesser-included offense that also authorized the imposition of a bad conduct discharge or a discharge under other honorable conditions * he acknowledged he understood if his discharge request was approved he could be deprived of many or all Army benefits, he could be ineligible for many or all benefits administered by the Veterans Administration * he acknowledged he understood he could be deprived of his rights and benefits as a veteran under both Federal and State laws * he elected not to submit a statement on his own behalf f. On 14 June 1978, under the provisions of AR 635-200, chapter 10, his chain of command recommended that the applicant be discharged for the good of the service and receive an under other than honorable conditions discharge. g. Consistent with the chain of command's recommendation, the separation authority approved his request for discharge under the provisions of AR 635-200, chapter 10, and directed the issuance of an under other than honorable conditions discharge. h. According to his DD Form 214, he was discharged on 31 August 1978 for the good of the service in lieu of trial by court martial, with a characterization of service of under other than honorable conditions. i. He completed 5 months and 9 days of active service with lost time from 4 January 1978 to 6 June 1978 and 16 June 1978 to 31 August 1978. His record also shows he was awarded or authorized the Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar (M-16). 4. By regulation, a member who has committed an offense or offenses, the punishment for any of which, under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the Manual for Courts- Martial, United States 1969 (Revised Edition), includes a bad conduct or dishonorable discharge, may submit a request for discharge for the good of the Service. 1. 5. In reaching its determination, the Board can consider the applicant’s petition and his service record in accordance with the published equity, injustice, or clemency determination guidance. . BOARD DISCUSSION: After review of the application and all evidence, to include the DoD guidance on liberal consideration when reviewing discharage upgrade requests, the Board determined there is insufficient evidence to grant relief. Based upon the short term of service completed prior to a lengthy AWOL offense, the Board concluded that the characterization of service received at the time of discharge was appropriate. BOARD VOTE: Mbr 1 Mbr 2 Mbr 3 : : : GRANT FULL RELIEF : : : GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF : : : GRANT FORMAL HEARING X X X DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice. Therefore, the Board determined the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis for correction of the records of the individual concerned. 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. Title 10, USC, section 1552(b), provides that applications for correction of military records must be filed within three years after discovery of the alleged error or injustice. This provision of law also allows the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) to excuse an applicant's failure to timely file within the three-year statute of limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so. 2. Army Regulation 635-200 (Personnel Separations - Enlisted Personnel), in effect at the time, sets forth the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel. a. Paragraph 1-13a provides that an honorable discharge is a separation with honor. Issuance of an honorable discharge certificate is predicated upon proper military behavior and proficient performance of duty during the member’s current enlistment or period of obligated service with due consideration for the member’s age, length of service, grade, and general aptitude. b. Paragraph 1-13b provides that a general discharge is a separation from the Army under honorable conditions. It is issued to a member whose military record is satisfactory but not sufficiently meritorious to warrant an honorable discharge. The recipient of a general discharge is normally a member whose military record and performance is satisfactory. The member may have had frequent non-judicial punishments but not for serious infractions. c. Chapter 10 of that regulation provides, in pertinent part, that a member who has committed an offense or offenses, the punishment for any of which, under the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the Manual for Courts-Martial, United States, 1969 (Revised Edition), includes a bad conduct or dishonorable discharge, may submit a request for discharge for the good of the service. The provisions of the Table of Maximum Punishments, Section B, paragraph 127c MCM 1969 (Rev) are not applicable to requests for discharge pursuant to this chapter. The request for discharge may be submitted at any time after court-martial charges are preferred against the member, regardless of whether the charges are referred to a court-martial and regardless of the type of court-martial to which the charges may be referred. The request for discharge may be submitted at any stage in the processing of the charges until final action on the case by the court-martial convening authority. 3. On 25 July 2018, the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness issued guidance to Military Discharge Review Boards and Boards for Correction of Military/Naval Records (BCM/NRs) regarding equity, injustice, or clemency determinations. Clemency generally refers to relief specifically granted from a criminal sentence. BCM/NRs may grant clemency regardless of the type of court-martial. However, the guidance applies to more than clemency from a sentencing in a court-martial; it also applies to other corrections, including changes in a discharge, which may be warranted based on equity or 1. relief from injustice. This guidance does not mandate relief, but rather provides standards and principles to guide Boards in application of their equitable relief authority. In determining whether to grant relief based on equity, injustice, or clemency grounds, BCM/NRs shall consider the prospect for rehabilitation, external evidence, sworn testimony, policy changes, relative severity of misconduct, mental and behavioral health conditions, official governmental acknowledgement that a relevant error or injustice was committed, and uniformity of punishment. Changes to the narrative reason for discharge and/or an upgraded character of service granted solely on equity, injustice, or clemency grounds normally should not result in separation pay, retroactive promotions, and payment of past medical expenses or similar benefits that might have been received if the original discharge had been for the revised reason or had the upgraded service characterization.