IN THE CASE OF:  

BOARD DATE:  15 June 2022

DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20210014095


APPLICANT’S REQUEST: Correction of her DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or 
Discharge from Active Duty), for the period ending 3 June 1988, to show her service 
was characterized as honorable.

APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: 

*	DD Form 149 (Application for Correction of Military Record), dated 19 August 
2021
*	DD Form 214, for the period ending 3 June 1988
*	DD Form 241, for the period ending 24 May 1991
*	NGB Form 22 (National Guard Bureau, Report of Separation and Record of 
Service), Effective date 2 March 1998

FACTS:

1.  The applicant did not file within the three-year time frame provided in Title 10, U.S. 
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:

	a.  Her character of service is listed as Entry Level Status and she is requesting that 
it be changed to an honorable discharge. The dates of this DD Form 214 are 19 
January 1988-3 June 1988. She completed Army Basic Training and a 9 weeks 
Petroleum Specialist School. Upon completion, she returned to San Diego, California 
and served in the 316th Quarter Master Army Reserve for 6 years. She is requesting the 
character of service be corrected to read honorable. 

	b. She is in the early stages of preparing for retirement and received notification from 
the Army benefits center that the DD Form 214 for the period ending 3 June 1988 
reflects a character of service as Entry Level Status. She need this to be changes in 
order to receive creditable service towards retirement.

3.  The applicant enlisted in the USAR on 4 September 1987.  She entered active duty 
for training (ADT) on 25 January 1988, for the purpose of completing her initial entry 
training.  Her records indicate she completed her initial entry training, was awarded 
military occupational specialty (MOS) 77F (Petroleum Supply Specialist), and was 
released from active duty (REFRAD).

4.  The applicant was REFRAD on 3 June 1988, under the provisions of Army 
Regulation 635-200 (Personnel Separations – Enlisted Personnel), Chapter 4, by 
reason of expiration term of service.  The DD Form 214 she was issued shows she 
completed four months and 15 days of net active service this period and her service 
was listed as “Entry Level Status”.

5.  The applicant provides:

	a.  DD Form 214 for the period ending 24 May 1991, which shows that she served in 
South West Asia from 31 October 1990 through 27 April 1991 in support of Operation 
Desert Storm. She was REFRAD on 24 May 1991 and return to her USAR unit of 
assignment.

	b. DD for NGB 22 which shows that the applicant enlisted in the Air Force Army 
National Guard on 29 July 1993 and was honorably discharged on 2 March 1998.

6.  The applicant requests an upgrade. The available evidence shows the applicant was 
called to active duty for training and awarded an MOS.  Although the DD Form 214 
properly reflects the characterization of service as "uncharacterized" in accordance with 
regulatory guidance in effect at the time, however,  effective 1 March 2014 regulatory 
guidance changed and provides entry level soldier who complete IADT and are 
awarded an MOS will be given an honorable discharge; unless other characterization is 
directed by the separation authority; based on this and in the interest of equity the 
characterization of service should read as honorable.


BOARD DISCUSSION:

After reviewing the application and all supporting documents, the Board found that relief 
was warranted. The Board carefully considered the applicant's record of service, 
documents submitted in support of the petition and executed a comprehensive and 
standard review based on law, policy and regulation. The governing regulation provides 
that a separation will be described as an entry-level separation, with service 
uncharacterized, if the separation action is initiated while a Soldier is in entry-level 
status. Upon review of the applicant’s petition and available military records the Board 
determined the applicant was awarded military occupational specialty (MOS) 77F 
(Petroleum Supply Specialist) and was released from active-duty training (REFRAD).  
Regulatory guidance indicates that USAR and ARNG Soldiers are granted an honorable 
discharge if they complete their active-duty training, receive an MOS and are returned 
to their units.  This is the applicant’s case.  Therefore, the Board agreed that the 
applicant’s discharge should be upgraded to “honorable” for this term of service.


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 her characterization of service as honorable


		 

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.


ADMINISTRATIVE NOTE(S):  N/A




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 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 states 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 under specific circumstances.  For Army National Guard 
(ARNG) and USAR Soldiers, entry level status begins upon enlistment in the Army 
National Guard or U.S. Army Reserve and terminates for Soldiers ordered to IADT for 
one continuous period-180 days after beginning training or Soldiers ordered to IADT for 
the split or alternate training option-90 days after beginning Phase II (advanced 
individual training). (Soldiers completing Phase I (basic training or basic combat 
training) remain in entry level status until 90 days after beginning Phase II.  
 
3.  Army Regulation 635-8 (Separation Processing and Documents), currently in effect, 
prescribes the transition processing function of the military personnel system.  It states 
a DD Form 214 will be prepared for Reserve Component (RC) Soldiers awarded an 
MOS even if active duty is less than 90 days.  RC Soldiers completing active duty that 
results in the award of a military occupational specialty (MOS), even when the active 
duty period was less than 90 days (for example, completion of the advanced individual 
training component of the Army National Guard of the United States (ARNGUS) 
Alternate Training Program or USAR Split Training Program).  When a RC Soldier 
successfully completes initial active duty training the character of service is Honorable 
unless directed otherwise by the separation approval authority. 

//NOTHING FOLLOWS//

ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont)	 AR20210014095



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ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS


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