IN THE CASE OF:  

BOARD DATE:  4 March 2022

DOCKET NUMBER:  AR20210014394


APPLICANT REQUESTS:  Correction of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or 
Discharge from Active Duty) for the period ending 29 October 1986 to show his service 
was characterized as honorable.

APPLICANT'S SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD: 

DD Form 293 (Application for the Review or Discharge from the Armed Forces of the 
United States), dated 19 May 2021

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, in effect, he would like his DD Form 214 to show his service 
was characterized as honorable in order to be credited toward his retirement from the 
Federal Government.  He aced Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual 
Training with 100 percent scores on all training received.  Following graduation from 
AIT, he returned to his U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) unit.  This DD Form 214 should be 
considered honorable, not entry level status.

3.  On 4 December 1985, the applicant enlisted in the USAR for a period of 8 years.  His 
records indicate he was called to active duty to active duty for training (ADT) to 
complete initial entry training (IET) from 15 July to 29 October 1986.  He was awarded 
military occupational specialty (MOS) 57E (Laundry and Bath Specialist) and released 
from ADT.  His DD Form 214 reflects:
*	Item 23 (Type of Separation) – Relief from ADT
*	Item 24 (Character of Service) – Entry Level Status
*	Item 25 (Separation Authority) – Army Regulation (AR) 635-200 (Personnel 
Separations – Enlisted Personnel), paragraph 4-2 (Separation for Expiration of 
Service Obligation)
*	Item 26 (Separation Code) – LBK (Expiration Term of Service)
*	Item 28 (Narrative Reason for Separation) – Expiration Term of Service
4.  In regards to his DD Form 214, received upon completion of IADT: 

      a.   At the time the applicant separated, regulatory guidance stated an 
uncharacterized character of service was given to separating Soldiers in an entry-level 
status; Soldiers remained in an entry-level status until they had completed more than 
180 days of continuous active duty.  However, the current separation regulation states 
Reserve Component (RC) Soldiers will receive an honorable character of service 
(unless directed otherwise by the separation approval authority) after they have 
completed IET, been awarded an MOS, and the RC Soldier then reports for duty at a 
follow-on unit of assignment. 
 
     b.  The available evidence shows the applicant was called to active duty for training 
and awarded an MOS.  Although his DD Form 214 properly reflects his characterization 
of service as "uncharacterized" in accordance with regulatory guidance in effect at the 
time, based on current guidance and in the interest of equity the characterization of 
service should read as honorable.

BOARD DISCUSSION:

After reviewing the application, all supporting documents, and the evidence found within 
the military record, the Board found that relief is warranted. The applicant’s contentions 
were carefully considered.  He 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 USAR.  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 him a DD Form 
214 for the period ending 29 October 1986 showing his character 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.


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)	AR20210014394


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ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

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