1. Applicant's Name: a. Application Date: 5 April 2018 b. Date Received: 9 April 2018 c. Counsel: None 2. REQUEST, ISSUES, BOARD TYPE, AND DECISION: The applicant requests an upgrade of general (under honorable conditions) discharge to honorable. The applicant seeking relief, did not provide any issues of equity or propriety for the Board's consideration. 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. The applicant does not have any VA records available for review. In summary, the applicant's BH diagnoses are not mitigating for the misconduct which led to separation from the Army. In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 15 November 2019, 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: Pattern of Misconduct / AR 635-200, Paragraph 14-12b / JKA / RE-3 / General (Under Honorable Conditions) b. Date of Discharge: 1 September 2006 c. Separation Facts: (1) Date of Notification of Intent to Separate: 27 June 2006 (2) Basis for Separation: The applicant was informed of the following reasons: On 10 December 2005, the applicant was derelict in the performance of his duties; he was disrespectful in language to SGT N. and SSG L., who were in the execution of their offices; and he wrongfully communicated a threat to SSG L. On 25 September 2005, he was disrespectful to SGT C. On 20 October 2005, he wrongfully used provoking words towards his peers; he was also derelict in the performance of his duties. On 27 October 2005, he failed to go at the prescribed time to his place of duty. On 6 January 2006, he violated a lawful general order, Paragraph 1 of USFK Command Policy letter# 46 by consuming alcohol while underage, and he was drunk and disorderly. On 22 January 2006, he was derelict in your performance of your duties; he was found sleeping in a booth in the dining facility; and he was disrespectful to SGT W, in language and deportment. On 29 March 2006, he violated the conditions of his suspended punishment by failing to go to his prescribed place of duty, to wit: his 0930hrs counseling appointment with the Army Substance Program. Finally, on 11 April 2006, without authority, he failed to go at the prescribed time to his place of duty, to wit: Staff duty at 1900. (3) Recommended Characterization: General (Under Honorable Conditions) (4) Legal Consultation Date: 6 July 2006 (5) Administrative Separation Board: NA (6) Separation Decision Date / Characterization: In an undated memorandum / General (Under Honorable Conditions) 4. SERVICE DETAILS: a. Date / Period of Enlistment: 12 January 2005 / 3 years, 20 weeks b. Age at Enlistment / Education / GT Score: 18 / HS Graduate / 96 c. Highest Grade Achieved / MOS / Total Service: E-3 / 92G10, Food Service Operations Specialist / 1 year, 7 months, 20 days d. Prior Service / Characterizations: None / NA e. Overseas Service / Combat Service: Korea / None f. Awards and Decorations: NDSM; GWOTSM; KDSM; ASR g. Performance Ratings: NA h. Disciplinary Action(s) / Evidentiary Record: Negative counseling statements for being disrespectful toward NCOs on numerous occasions; displaying conduct unbecoming of a Soldier; practicing the Army Values; disrespecting his peers; uniform not being in compliant with standard; failing to be at his appointed place of duty at the prescribed time on numerous occasions; underage drinking; being insubordinate on numerous occasions; and failing to attend his weekly group counseling sessions. MP Report, dated 10 December 2005, indicates the applicant was the subject of an investigation for communicating threats and failing to obey orders. MP Desk Blotter, dated 7 January 2006, indicates the applicant was the subject of an investigation for conduct unbecoming, underage drinking, and failing to obey orders. CG Article 15, dated 19 January 2006, for being derelict in the performance of his duties on two separate occasions on 10 December 2005 and 20 October 2005, being disrespectful towards SGT C on 25 September 2006, wrongfully using provoking words toward his peers on 20 October 2005, failing to go to his appointed place of duty at the prescribed time on 27 October 2005, being disrespectful in language toward SGT N. and SSG L. on 10 December 2005, and wrongfully communicating a threat to SSG L. on 10 December 2005. The punishment consisted of a reduction to E-2, forfeiture of $335 (suspended), and 14 days of extra duty and restriction. Record of Supplementary Action under Article 15, UCMJ, dated in February 2006, vacated the suspended punishment of forfeiture of $335, imposed on 19 January 2006, due being disrespectful towards SGT W. on 22 January 2006. FG Article 15, dated 8 March 2006, for violating a lawful general regulation by wrongfully drinking alcohol on 6 January 2006, being drunk and disorderly on 6 January 2006, being derelict in the performance of his duties on 22 January 2006, and being disrespectful in language towards SGT W. on 22 January 2006. The punishment consisted of a reduction to E-1 (suspended), forfeiture of $640 pay per month for two months (suspended), and 45 days of extra duty and restriction. Record of Supplementary Action under Article 15, UCMJ, dated in June 2006, vacated the suspended punishments of a reduction to E-1 and forfeiture of $640 pay per month for two months, imposed on 8 March 2006, due to the applicant failing to go to his appointed place of duty at the prescribed time on two separate occasions on 29 March 2006 and 11 April 2006. i. Lost Time / Mode of Return: None / NA j. Diagnosed PTSD / TBI / Behavioral Health: Mental Status Evaluation, dated 15 March 2006, indicates "Axis I" diagnoses as an "Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood" and "Alcohol Abuse." 5. APPLICANT-PROVIDED EVIDENCE: DD Form 293 (Application for the Review of Discharge), dated 5 April 2018. 6. POST SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: None provided with the application. 7. REGULATORY CITATION(S): Army Regulation 635-200 sets forth the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel. Chapter 14 establishes policy and prescribes procedures for separating members for misconduct. Specific categories include minor disciplinary infractions, a pattern of misconduct, and commission of a serious offense, to include abuse of illegal drugs, convictions by civil authorities and desertion or being absent without leave. Action will be taken to separate a member for misconduct when it is clearly established that rehabilitation is impractical or unlikely to succeed. Army policy states that an under other than honorable conditions discharge is normally considered appropriate; however, a general (under honorable conditions) or an honorable discharge may be granted. Paragraph 14-12b addresses a pattern of misconduct consisting of either discreditable involvement with civilian or military authorities or discreditable conduct and conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline including conduct violating the accepted standards of personal conduct found in the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Army Regulations, the civilian law and time-honored customs and traditions of the Army. Army Regulation 635-5-1 (Separation Program Designator (SPD) Codes) provides the specific authorities (regulatory or directive), reasons for separating Soldiers from active duty, and the SPD codes to be entered on the DD Form 214. It identifies the SPD code of "JKA" as the appropriate code to assign enlisted Soldiers who are discharged under the provisions of Army Regulation 635-200, Chapter 14, paragraph 14-12b, pattern of misconduct. The SPD Code/RE Code Cross Reference Table shows that a Soldier assigned an SPD Code of "JKA" will be assigned an RE Code of 3. 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 his general (under honorable conditions) discharge to honorable. The applicant's available record of service and the issues submitted with his application were carefully reviewed. The record confirms that the applicant's discharge was appropriate because the quality of his service was not consistent with the Army's standards for acceptable personal conduct and performance of duty by military personnel. It brought discredit on the Army, and was prejudicial to good order and discipline. By the pattern of misconduct, the applicant knowingly risked a military career and marred the quality of his service that ultimately caused his discharge from the Army. The applicant provided no independent corroborating evidence demonstrating that either the command's action was erroneous or that the applicant's service mitigated the misconduct or poor duty performance, such that he should have been retained on Active Duty. Although the applicant did not present any behavioral health issues, a careful review of the available record indicates the applicant's behavioral health issues symptoms existed. If the Board determines the applicant's behavioral health issues were significant contributing factors to his misconduct, it can grant appropriate relief by changing the reason for separation and/or the characterization of service. 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 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 15 November 2019, 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: 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 AR20180006351 1