1. Applicant's Name: a. Application Date: 9 July 2017 b. Date Received: 17 July 2017 c. Counsel: None 2. REQUEST, ISSUES, BOARD TYPE, AND DECISION: The applicant requests an upgrade of the characterization of service from general (under honorable conditions) to honorable. However, the evidence of record shows the applicant received an uncharacterized discharge at the time of separation. Therefore, the applicant did not properly annotate the enclosed application requesting a possible discharge upgrade. The applicant seeks relief contending, in effect, desires the opportunity to join the American Legion to have a small sense of pride. The applicant did not submit any issues of equity or propriety to be considered by the Board. Per the Board's Medical Officer, a voting member, based on the information available for review at the time in the service record, the Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application (AHLTA), and Joint Legacy Viewer (JLV), notes indicate diagnoses of Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood and Personality Disorder. In summary, the applicant's discharge was appropriate. In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 14 August 2019, and by a 5-0 vote, the Board determined the narrative reason for the applicant's separation is improper based on the current standard. Therefore, the Board directed the issue of a new DD Form 214 changing the separation authority to AR 635-200, paragraph 5-17, and the narrative reason for separation to Condition, Not a Disability, with a corresponding separation code to JFV. The board determined the RE code was proper and equitable and voted not to change it. (Board member names available upon request) 3. DISCHARGE DETAILS: a. Reason / Authority / Codes / Characterization: Personality Disorder / AR 635-200 / Chapter 5, Paragraph 5-13 / JFX / RE-3 / Uncharacterized b. Date of Discharge: 4 April 2003 c. Separation Facts: Yes (1) Date of Notification of Intent to Separate: 28 March 2003 (2) Basis for Separation: The applicant was informed of the following reason for his discharge; he was diagnosed with a personality disorder. (3) Recommended Characterization: Uncharacterized (4) Legal Consultation Date: NIF, consulted with legal counsel. (5) Administrative Separation Board: NA (6) Separation Decision Date / Characterization: 2 April 2003 / Uncharacterized 4. SERVICE DETAILS: a. Date / Period of Enlistment: 2 October 2002 / 3 years b. Age at Enlistment / Education / GT Score: 18 years / GED Certificate / 111 c. Highest Grade Achieved / MOS / Total Service: E-1 / None / 6 months, 3 days / however, at the time of discharge initiation the applicant had completed 5 months, 27 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: The applicant received two negative counseling statements for self-injury without intent to avoid service. i. Lost Time / Mode of Return: None j. Diagnosed PTSD / TBI / Behavioral Health: Report of Mental Status Evaluation, dated 12 March 2003, revealed the applicant had an Axis I diagnosis of adjustment disorder with mixed emotional features, rule out malingering and Axis II, personality disorder not otherwise specified (NOS) with borderline and dependent features. His condition and the problems presented by him do not appear amenable to hospitalization, treatment, transfer, disciplinary action, training, or reclassification to another type of duty within the military. He would likely continue to have significant problems while on active duty. It was unlikely that efforts to rehabilitate him or develop him into a satisfactory member of the military will be successful. It was recommended that the applicant be administratively separated from the military as soon as possible. 5. APPLICANT-PROVIDED EVIDENCE: DD Form 293 (two pages). 6. POST SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: None submitted with the application 7. REGULATORY CITATION(S): Army Regulation 635-200 provides the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel. Paragraph 5-13 in effect at the time, provided that a Soldier may be separated for a personality disorder, not amounting to disability, when the condition interfered with assignment to or performance of duty. The regulation requires that the condition is a deeply ingrained maladaptive pattern of behavior of long duration that interferes with the Soldier's ability to perform military duties. The regulation also directs that commanders will not take action prescribed in this Chapter in lieu of disciplinary action and requires that the disorder is so severe that the Soldier's ability to function in the military environment is significantly impaired. Army policy requires the award of a fully honorable discharge in such case. 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. National Defense Authorization Act 2017 provided specific guidance to the Military Boards for Correction of Military/Naval Records and Discharge Review Boards when considering discharge upgrade requests by Veterans claiming Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in connection with combat or sexual assault or sexual harassment as a basis for discharge review. Further, it provided that Boards will include, as a voting board member, a physician trained in mental health disorders, a clinical psychologist, or a psychiatrist when the discharge upgrade claim asserts a mental health condition, including PTSD; TBI; as a basis for the discharge. In August 2017, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness provided further clarifying guidance to the Military Discharge Review Boards and Boards for Correction of Military/Naval Records when considering requests by Veterans for modification of their discharge due to mental health conditions, including PTSD; TBI; sexual assault; or sexual harassment. Liberal consideration will be given to Veterans petitioning for discharge relief when the application for relief is based in whole or in part on matters relating to mental health conditions, including PTSD; TBI; sexual assault; or sexual harassment. Special consideration will be given to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) determinations that document a mental health condition, including PTSD; TBI; or sexual assault/harassment potentially contributed to the circumstances resulting in a less than honorable discharge characterization. Special consideration will also be given in cases where a civilian provider confers diagnoses of a mental health condition, including PTSD; TBI; or sexual assault/harassment if the case records contain narratives supporting symptomatology at the time of service or when any other evidence which may reasonably indicate that a mental health condition, including PTSD; TBI; or sexual assault/harassment existed at the time of discharge might have mitigated the misconduct that caused a discharge of lesser characterization. Conditions documented in the service 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 a mental health condition, including PTSD; TBI; or sexual assault/harassment 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 characterization of service in question. All Boards will exercise caution in weighing evidence of mitigation in cases in which serious misconduct precipitated a discharge with a less than Honorable characterization of service. Potentially mitigating evidence of the existence of undiagnosed combat related PTSD, PTSD-related conditions due to TBI or sexual assault/harassment as causative factors 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. Caution shall be exercised 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 the characterization of service from general (under honorable conditions) to honorable. However, the evidence of record shows the applicant received an uncharacterized discharge at the time of separation. Therefore, the applicant did not properly annotate the enclosed application requesting a possible discharge upgrade. The applicant's record of service and the issues submitted with his application were carefully reviewed. The evidence of record shows the applicant, while in training status was diagnosed by competent medical authority with a personality disorder. His condition and the problems presented by him do not appear amenable to hospitalization, treatment, transfer, disciplinary action, training, or reclassification to another type of duty within the military. He would likely continue to have significant problems while on active duty. It was unlikely that efforts to rehabilitate him or develop him into a satisfactory member of the military would be successful. It was recommended that the applicant be administratively separated from the military as soon as possible. A Soldier is in entry-level status (ELS) for the first 180 days of continuous active duty. The purpose of the entry-level status is to provide the Soldier a probationary period. Army Regulation 635-200 also provides, except in cases of serious misconduct, that a Soldier's service will be uncharacterized when the separation is initiated while the Soldier is in entry level status. An honorable discharge (HD) is rarely ever granted. An HD may be given only in cases which are clearly warranted by unusual circumstances involving outstanding personal conduct and/or performance of duty. The applicant seeks relief contending, he desires the opportunity to join the American Legion to have a small sense of pride in himself. However, this contention is not a matter upon which the Army Discharge Review Board grants a change in discharge because it raises no matter of fact, law, procedure, or discretion related to the discharge process, nor is it associated with the discharge at the time it was issued. The applicant did not submit any issues of equity or propriety to be considered by the Board. 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 his or her character of service to be rated as honorable or otherwise. 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 14 August 2019, and by a 5-0 vote, the Board determined the narrative reason for the applicant's separation is improper based on the current standard. Therefore, the Board directed the issue of a new DD Form 214 changing the separation authority to AR 635-200, paragraph 5-17, and the narrative reason for separation to Condition, Not a Disability, with a corresponding separation code to JFV. The board determined the RE code was proper and equitable and voted not to change it. 10. BOARD ACTION DIRECTED: a. Issue a New DD-214: Yes b. Change Characterization to: No Change c. Change Reason to: Condition, Not a Disability d. Change Authority to: AR 635-200, paragraph 5-17 e. Change SPD / RE Code to: JFV / 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 AR20170010971 1