1. Applicant's Name: a. Application Date: 15 April 2017 b. Date Received: 18 April 2017 c. Counsel: None 2. REQUEST, ISSUES, BOARD TYPE, AND DECISION: The applicant requests an upgrade of her under other than honorable conditions discharge to honorable and a change to her narrative reason for discharge. The applicant seeks relief contending, in effect, that she is unsure as to the reason for discharge, she only has orders showing her discharge under the authority of AR 135- 178, with no chapter referenced. She was never notified of Administrative Separation, never given her election of rights, never told or taken to TDS as this was an UOTHC discharge. She believes if she was to be separated with an UOTHC her rights were violated in as much as the unit command never followed the board notification procedures as set forth in AR 135-178. She also contends her personnel file has very little scanned into it, there is no administrative separation and no other documents to support the type of discharge she received. In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 28 September 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: NIF / AR 135-178 / NA / Under Other Than Honorable Conditions b. Date of Discharge: 25 September 2007 c. Separation Facts: (1) Date of Notification of Intent to Separate: NIF (2) Basis for Separation: The applicant was informed of the following reasons: NIF (3) Recommended Characterization: NIF (4) Legal Consultation Date: NIF (5) Administrative Separation Board: NIF (6) Separation Decision Date / Characterization: NIF 4. SERVICE DETAILS: a. Date / Period of Enlistment: 1 December 2000 / 8 years b. Age at Enlistment / Education / GT Score: 18 / NIF / NIF c. Highest Grade Achieved / MOS / Total Service: E-3 / 88N10, Transportation Management Coordinator, 88H10, Cargo Specialist / 6 years, 9 months, 25 days d. Prior Service / Characterizations: NIF e. Overseas Service / Combat Service: None f. Awards and Decorations: NIF g. Performance Ratings: None h. Disciplinary Action(s) / Evidentiary Record: NIF i. Lost Time / Mode of Return: NIF j. Diagnosed PTSD / TBI / Behavioral Health: NIF 5. APPLICANT-PROVIDED EVIDENCE: Online application. 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 FACT(S): The applicant requests an upgrade of her under other than honorable conditions discharge to honorable and a change to her narrative reason for discharge. The applicant's available record of service, the issues and documents submitted with her application were carefully reviewed. The applicant's record is void of the specific facts and circumstances concerning the events which led to the former Soldier's discharge from the US Army Reserve. However, the record shows that on 25 September 2007, DA, HQS, Army Reserve Medical Command, Pinellas Park, FL, Orders 07-268-00051, discharged the applicant from the US Army Reserve, effective 25 September 2007, with an under other than honorable conditions discharge. Barring evidence to the contrary, the presumption of government regularity shall prevail, as all the requirements of law and regulation were met and the rights of the applicant were fully protected throughout the separation process. The applicant seeks relief contending, in effect, that she is unsure as to the reason for discharge, she only has orders showing her discharge under the authority of AR 135-178, with no chapter referenced. She was never notified of Administrative Separation, never given her election of rights, never told or taken to TDS as this was an UOTHC discharge. She believes if she was to be separated with an UOTHC her rights were violated in as much as the unit command never followed the board notification procedures as set forth in AR 135-178. She also contends her personnel file has very little scanned into it, there is no administrative separation and no other documents to support the type of discharge she received. The applicants contentions were noted; however, it is unknown if these contentions have merit because the facts and circumstances leading to the discharge are not contained in the service record. The burden of proof remains with the former Soldier 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 will still be her responsibility to meet the burden of proof since the discharge packet is not available in the official record. 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 that the applicant was provided full administrative due process. 9. BOARD DETERMINATION: In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 28 September 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 a New Separation Order: No b. Change Characterization to: No Change c. Change Reason to: No Change d. Change Authority to: No Change e. Change SPD / RE Code to: No Change Authenticating Official: 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 AR20170006263 3