1. Applicant’s Name: a. Application Date: 5 June 2015 b. Date Received: 8 June 2015 c. Counsel: None 2. REQUEST, ISSUES, BOARD TYPE, AND DECISION: The applicant requests an upgrade of his general, under honorable conditions discharge to honorable. The applicant seeks relief contending, in pertinent part and in effect, he previously served four years with the USMC and after completing three tours in Iraq, he was honorably discharged in 2009 at the NCO rank of corporal. He enlisted in the Army Reserve while attending vocational school in Phoenix because he wanted to further prepare for a civilian career. Upon graduating from MMI in 2012, and completing two years of Reserve duty, he relocated to San Diego for a professional civilian career. After six months, he began attending drill in California upon finding a drill location; however, he was unable to afford the costs of living. His scheduled work days included the days/times set for the drill weekends. Furthermore, having joint custody and child support arrangements conflicted with his Reserve service. He wrote two letters to the commander requesting to be sent to the IRR, but both were declined. He was unable to attend drills due to financial hardship in 2013 and subsequently he was discharged with a GD. Now that he is financially secure and stable, his current discharge status is negatively affecting his ability to rejoin the Reserve, and it is affecting his employment opportunities with local police departments. An upgrade would allow him to reenlist. In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 26 August 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: NA / AR 135-178 / NA / General, Under Honorable Conditions b. Date of Discharge: 25 February 2014 c. Separation Facts: (1) Date of Notification of Intent to Separate: NIF (2) Basis for Separation: NIF (3) Recommended Characterization: NIF (4) Legal Consultation Date: NIF (5) Administrative Separation Board: NIF (6) Separation Decision Date/Characterization: NIF / General, Under Honorable Conditions 4. SERVICE DETAILS: a. Date/Period of Enlistment: 7 July 2010 / 6 years (USAR) b. Age at Enlistment/Education/GT Score: 23 / HS Graduate / NIF c. Highest Grade Achieved/MOS/Total Service: E-4 / 25Q10, Multichannel Transmission Systems Operator-Maintainer / 9 years, 6 months, and 22 days d. Prior Service/Characterizations:  DEP, 4 August 2004 – 10 July 2005 / NA          USMC, 11 July 2005 – 10 July 2009 / HD          USMCR, 11 July 2009 – 6 July 2010 / NA e. Overseas Service/Combat Service: SWA / Iraq (19 August 2006 – 2 January 2007), (6 April 2007 – 18 November 2007, and 14 July 2008 – 30 January 2009) f. Awards and Decorations: ARCAM, NDSM, SSDR-3S, ICM, GWTSM, NUC g. Performance Ratings: N/A h. Disciplinary Action(s)/Evidentiary Record: NIF i. Lost Time: NIF j. Diagnosed PTSD/TBI/Behavioral Health: None 5. APPLICANT-PROVIDED EVIDENCE: Online application, dated 5 July 2015; discharge orders, dated 18 February 2014; DD Form 214; and Chronological Statement of Retirement Points and IWS Retirement Information, dated 12 April 2016. 6. POST SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: None submitted with the application. 7. REGULATORY CITATION(S): Army Regulation 135-178 sets forth the policies, standards, and procedures to ensure the readiness and competency of the U.S. Army while providing for the orderly administrative separation of Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) enlisted Soldiers for a variety of reasons. The separation policies throughout the different Chapters in this regulation promote the readiness of the Army by providing an orderly means to judge the suitability of persons to serve on the basis of their conduct and their ability to meet required standards of duty performance and discipline. Specific categories include minor disciplinary infractions, a pattern of misconduct, and commission of a serious offense, to include abuse of illegal drugs, and convictions by civil authorities. The characterization is based upon the quality of the Soldier’s service, including the reason for separation and determined in accordance with standards of acceptable personal conduct and performance of duty as found in the UCMJ, Army regulations, and the time-honored customs and traditions of the Army. The reasons for separation, including the specific circumstances that form the basis for the discharge are considered on the issue of characterization. Possible characterizations of service include an honorable, general (under honorable conditions), under other than honorable conditions, or uncharacterized if the Soldier is in entry-level status. However, the permissible range of characterization varies based on the reason for separation. 8. DISCUSSION OF ISSUE(S): The applicant requests an upgrade of his general, under honorable conditions discharge to honorable. The applicant’s available record of service, and the issues and documents submitted with his application were carefully reviewed. However, the service record is void of the specific facts and circumstances concerning the events which led to his discharge from the Army Reserve. Barring evidence to the contrary, it appears all requirements of law and regulation were met and the rights of the applicant were fully protected throughout the separation process. The applicant provided no independent corroborating evidence demonstrating that either the command's action was erroneous or sufficient evidence showing that his service mitigated the type of discharge he received from the U.S. Army Reserve. The applicant’s contentions were carefully considered. However, the facts and circumstances leading to the discharge are unknown. The burden of proof remains with the applicant to provide the appropriate documents such as the discharge packet or other evidence sufficient to explain the facts, circumstances, and reasons underlying the separation action, for the Board's consideration. If the applicant desires a personal appearance hearing, it would still be his responsibility to meet the burden of proof since the discharge packet is not available in the official record. In consideration of the applicant’s previous service accomplishments with the USMC, the Board can find that his complete period of service with the USMC was or was not sufficiently mitigating to warrant an upgrade of his characterization of service. The applicant contends that an upgrade of his discharge will allow him to reenlist and obtain better employment. However, the applicant was discharged with a GD, if reenlistment is desired, the applicant should contact a local recruiter to determine eligibility to reenlist. Recruiters can best advise a former Service member as to the needs of the Army at the time, and are required to process waivers of reentry eligibility, if appropriate. Further, the Board does not grant relief for the purpose of gaining employment or enhancing employment opportunities. Based on the available record, the discharge was consistent with the procedural and substantive requirements of the regulation, was within the discretion of the separation authority, and the applicant was provided full administrative due process. 9. BOARD DETERMINATION: In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 26 August 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 Separation Order: 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: No Change 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 AR20150009729 1