1. Applicant’s Name: a. Application Date: 9 February 2015 b. Date Received: 18 May 2015 c. Counsel: None 2. REQUEST, ISSUES, BOARD TYPE, AND DECISION: The applicant requests an upgrade of her uncharacterized discharge to honorable. The applicant indicated no issues of equity or property to be considered by the board. In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 29 July 2016, 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: Physical Condition, Not A Disability / AR 635-200, Chapter 5, Paragraph 5-17 / JFV / RE-3 / Uncharacterized b. Date of Discharge: 27 October 2010 c. Separation Facts: (1) Date of Notification of Intent to Separate: 12 October 2010 (2) Basis for Separation: The applicant’s unit was notified by Ms. J.M.B., PT, CSCS, on 30 September 2010, that the applicant had received a bone scan which revealed she had a medical tibial plateau stress fracture. Ms. J.M.B. recommended the applicant be separated from the military due this injury (3) Recommended Characterization: Uncharacterized (4) Legal Consultation Date: Waived, 12 October 2010 (5) Administrative Separation Board: N/A (6) Separation Decision Date/Characterization: 20 October 2010 / Uncharacterized 4. SERVICE DETAILS: a. Date/Period of Enlistment: ADT, 31 August 2010 / NIF b. Age at Enlistment/Education/GT Score: 21 / HS Graduate / 91 c. Highest Grade Achieved/MOS/Total Service: E-2 / None / 6 months and 2 days d. Prior Service/Characterizations: USAR, 26 April 2010 – 30 August 2010 / NA (Concurrent Service) e. Overseas Service/Combat Service: None f. Awards and Decorations: None g. Performance Ratings: N/A h. Disciplinary Action(s)/Evidentiary Record: DA Form 4856 (Development Counseling), dated 13 October 2010, for recommendation of separation IAW AR 635-200, Chapter 5-17, physical/mental condition as a result of diagnosis of medical stress fracture i. Lost Time: None j. Diagnosed PTSD/TBI/Behavioral Health: None 5. APPLICANT-PROVIDED EVIDENCE: DD Form 149, dated 9 February 2015, and DD Form 214. 6. POST SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: None submitted with the application. 7. REGULATORY CITATION(S): Army Regulation (AR) 635-200 provides the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel. Paragraph 5-17 specifically provides that a Soldier may be separated for other physical or mental conditions not amounting to a disability, which interferes with assignment to or performance of duty and requires that the diagnosis be so severe that the Soldier’s ability to function in the military environment is significantly impaired. AR 635-200, paragraph 5-1, states that a Soldier being separated under this paragraph will be awarded a characterization of service of honorable, under honorable conditions, or an uncharacterized description of service if in entry-level status. A general, under honorable conditions discharge is normally inappropriate for individuals separated under the provisions of Chapter 5-17 unless properly notified of the specific factors in the service that warrant such characterization. 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 her uncharacterized discharge to honorable. The applicant’s record of service, the issues and documents submitted with her application were carefully reviewed. The evidence of record shows the applicant, while in a training status, was diagnosed by competent medical authority with a medical tibial plateau stress fracture and was recommended for separation from the military due this injury. The applicant’s service was uncharacterized because she was in an entry-level status and there are no unusual circumstances present in the applicant’s record and her service did not warrant an honorable discharge. An uncharacterized discharge is neither positive nor negative and it is not meant to be a negative reflection of a Soldier’s military service. It merely means that the applicant had not been in the Army long enough for her character of service to be rated as honorable or otherwise. The record does not contain any evidence of arbitrary or capricious actions by the command and it appears that all requirements of law and regulation were met and the applicant’s rights were fully protected throughout the separation process. The applicant indicated no issues of equity or property to be considered by the board. The discharge was consistent with the procedural and substantive requirements of the regulation, was within the discretion of the separation authority and that the applicant was provided full administrative due process. 9. BOARD DETERMINATION: In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 29 July 2016, and by a 5-0 vote, the Board denied the request upon finding the separation was both proper and equitable. 10. BOARD ACTION DIRECTED: a. Issue a New DD-214: No b. Change Characterization to: No Change c. Change Reason to: No Change d. Change SPD/RE Code to: No Change e. Restore (Restoration of) Grade to: NA AUTHENTICATING OFFICIAL: COL, US ARMY Presiding Officer Army Discharge Review Board Legend: AWOL - Absent Without Leave GD - General Discharge NA - Not applicable 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 OAD - Ordered to Active Duty SPD - Separation Program Designator CG - Company Grade Article 15 IADT - Initial Active Duty Training OMPF - Official Military Personnel File TBI – Traumatic Brain Injury CID - Criminal Investigation Division MP – Military Police – PTSD – Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder UNC - Uncharacterized Discharge ELS – Entry Level Status MST – Military Sexual Trauma RE - Reentry UOTHC - Under Other Than Honorable Conditions FG - Field Grade Article 15 ARMY DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD CASE REPORT AND DIRECTIVE AR20150008762 4