1. Applicant's Name: a. Application Date: 25 November 2016 b. Date Received: 5 December 2016 c. Counsel: None 2. REQUEST, ISSUES, BOARD TYPE, AND DECISION: The applicant requests an upgrade of her uncharacterized discharge to honorable. The applicant seeks relief contending, in effect, she does not believe she was discharged under the appropriate characterization of service. She states, she nearly broke her hip directly due to the fact that she was given a waiver to enlist only five months postpartum. While on leave, to see if time would heal the injury, she got severely sick. She was admitted into a civilian hospital in Saint Louis and immediately upon her mother hearing that the applicant would need to be admitted, her mother purchased a ticket the same day and flew to speak to her. While in the hospital, her mother only then revealed that the applicant was born with a congenital horseshoe kidney. Prior to that day, she had absolutely no knowledge of the condition. She had never once been sick before that day, had any issues and never was forced to have any limitations of any sort in her day to day living. She was completely in the dark about the situation and she was entirely honest and open about her health when she was enlisted. The civilian doctors informed the applicant that she had likely endured issues with the kidney due to the severe stress put on her body so soon after having a baby and enlisting that it likely triggered the sickness. She tried requesting to go to the CTMC on numerous occasions for the severe pain she had been encountering, but her drill sergeants, for more than a month, kept denying her requests to get medical attention. Once she was finally able to go, they initially only prescribed her ibuprofen. After this did not help, they finally prescribed an X-ray of her hip. Once the results came in, she was told it was extremely uncommon to see a fracture in an X-ray alone, but due to the severity of her fracture, they could see it extremely clear in the X-ray. She believes that giving her an uncharacterized discharge, is saying that she was dishonest and lied on her application in order to enlist, which was entirely not the case. She was completely honest and open about everything from the very beginning. In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 21 February 2018, 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: Failed Medical/Physical/Procurement Standards / AR 635-200, Paragraph 5-11 / JFW / RE-3 / Uncharacterized b. Date of Discharge: 16 January 2008 c. Separation Facts: (1) Date Entrance Physical Standards Board (EPSBD) convened: 17 December 2007 (2) EPSBD Findings: The findings of the evaluating physicians indicate the applicant was medically unfit for appointment or enlistment in accordance with current medical fitness standards and in the opinion of the evaluating physicians the condition existed prior to service. The applicant was diagnosed with: Horseshoe kidney. (3) Date Applicant Reviewed and Concurred with the Findings, and Requested Discharge without Delay: 4 January 2008 (4) Separation Decision Date / Characterization: 9 January 2008 / Uncharacterized 4. SERVICE DETAILS: a. Date / Period of Enlistment: 19 September 2007 / 6 years b. Age at Enlistment / Education / GT Score: 20 / HS Graduate / 112 c. Highest Grade Achieved / MOS / Total Service: E-1 / None / 3 months, 28 days d. Prior Service / Characterizations: None e. Overseas Service / Combat Service: None f. Awards and Decorations: None g. Performance Ratings: NA h. Disciplinary Action(s) / Evidentiary Record: EPSBD findings as described in previous paragraph 3c. Physical Profile, reflects the applicant had the following medical conditions: Congenital absence of kidney; Right hip stress fracture i. Lost Time / Mode of Return: None j. Diagnosed PTSD / TBI / Behavioral Health: None 5. APPLICANT-PROVIDED EVIDENCE: DD Form 293. 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 5-11 specifically provides that Soldiers who were not medically qualified under procurement medical fitness standards, when accepted for enlistment, or who became medically disqualified under these standards prior to entry on active duty or active duty training or initial entry training will be separated. A medical proceeding, regardless of the date completed, must establish that a medical condition was identified by appropriate medical authority within six months of the Soldier's initial entrance on active duty, that the condition would have permanently or temporarily disqualified the Soldier for entry into the military service had it been detected at that time, and the medical condition does not disqualify the Soldier from retention in the service under the provisions of AR 40-501, Chapter 3. The characterization of service for Soldiers separated under this provision of the regulation will normally be honorable. However for Soldiers in entry-level status, it will be uncharacterized. AR 635-200 states that a Soldier is in an entry-level status if the Soldier has not completed more than 180 days of creditable continuous active duty prior to the initiation of separation action. 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 proceedings of the EPSB revealed the applicant had a medical condition which was disqualifying for enlistment and existed prior to entry on active duty. These findings were approved by competent medical authority and the applicant agreed with the findings and proposed action for administrative separation from the Army. Further, the uncharacterized description of service accurately reflects the applicant's overall record of service. 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 Soldier has not been in the Army long enough for her character of service to be rated as honorable or otherwise. The applicant contends she was honest when she enlisted and did not know she had a medical condition. However, the record does not contain any indication or evidence of arbitrary or capricious actions by the command and all requirements of law and regulation were met and the rights of the applicant were fully protected throughout the separation process. The character of the applicant's discharge is commensurate with her overall service 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 21 February 2018, 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/Issue new Separation Order: No b. Change Characterization to: No Change c. Change Reason to: No Change d. Change Authority to: No Change e. SPD/RE Code Change to: No Change f. Restoration to Grade: No Change Authenticating Official: Legend: AWOL - Absent Without Leave GD - General Discharge NCO - Noncommissioned Officer 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 NOS - Not Otherwise Specified SPD - Separation Program Designator CG - Company Grade Article 15 IADT - Initial Active Duty Training OAD - Ordered to Active Duty TBI - Traumatic Brain Injury CID - Criminal Investigation Division MP - Military Police OMPF - Official Military Personnel File UNC - Uncharacterized Discharge ELS - Entry Level Status MST - Military Sexual Trauma PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder UOTHC - Under Other Than Honorable Conditions FG - Field Grade Article 15 NA - Not applicable RE - Reentry VA - Veterans Affairs ARMY DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD CASE REPORT AND DIRECTIVE AR20160019314 1