1. Applicant's Name: a. Application Date: 20 September 2018 b. Date Received: 18 October 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 seeks relief contending, in effect, that the current discharge does not reflect the applicant's experience in the service. The applicant contends a good disciplinary record was maintained while on active duty. 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 Occupational Problem, FAP involvement, and Adjustment Disorder. The applicant does not have any VA records available for review. In summary, the applicant's type of discharge was appropriate. In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 29 January 2020, and by a 5-0 vote, the Board determined that the characterization of service was improper. The record indicates the applicant was not notified of any specific factors which would warrant a general (under honorable conditions) characterization of service. Therefore, the characterization not being proper and equitable, the Board granted relief in the form of an upgrade of the applicant's characterization of service to honorable. The Board determined the narrative reason, SPD code and RE code were proper and equitable and voted not to change them. (Board member names available upon request) 3. DISCHARGE DETAILS: a. Reason / Authority / Codes / Characterization: Condition, Not a Disability / AR 635- 200, Chapter 5-17 / JFV / RE-3 / General (Under Honorable Conditions) b. Date of Discharge: 2 March 2017 c. Separation Facts: (1) Date of Notification of Intent to Separate: 8 February 2017 (2) Basis for Separation: The applicant was informed of the following reason: for being diagnosed on 24 January 2017, with an adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct. (3) Recommended Characterization: General (Under Honorable Conditions) (4) Legal Consultation Date: 8 February 2017 (5) Administrative Separation Board: NA (6) Separation Decision Date / Characterization: 10 February 2017 / General (Under Honorable Conditions) 4. SERVICE DETAILS: a. Date / Period of Enlistment: 24 November 2015 / 4 years b. Age at Enlistment / Education / GT Score: 22 / GED / 112 c. Highest Grade Achieved / MOS / Total Service: E-2 / 68W10, Health Care Specialist / 1 year, 3 months, 9 days d. Prior Service / Characterizations: None e. Overseas Service / Combat Service: None f. Awards and Decorations: ASR g. Performance Ratings: None h. Disciplinary Action(s) / Evidentiary Record: The unit commander's recommendation memorandum which makes reference in section "O" to the applicant having multiple incidents of domestic disturbances and traits of an unstable personality, following recommendation of BH providers. The applicant also had two open cases; weapon on post, DUI off post. i. Lost Time / Mode of Return: None j. Diagnosed PTSD / TBI / Behavioral Health: Report of Mental Status Evaluation, dated 24 January 2017, shows the applicant was diagnosed with an Axis I for adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct. It was noted that the applicant met the retentions standard prescribed in AR40-501, and there was no psychiatric disease or defect that warrant disposition through medical channels at the time. The applicant was recommended for expeditious discharge IAW AR 635-200 Chapter 5-17, "Acute Adjustment Disorder." Initial recommendation for Chapter 5-17 was made on 8 November 2016. The applicant had been given sufficient time to address this condition with therapy and remained unable to perform military duties. The applicant was cleared from a behavioral health standpoint for any administrative action deemed appropriate by his command. 5. APPLICANT-PROVIDED EVIDENCE: DD Form 293. 6. POST SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: None submitted with his application. 7. REGULATORY CITATION(S): Army Regulation (AR) 635-200 provides the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel. Paragraph 5-17 specifically provides that a Soldier may be separated for other physical or mental conditions not amounting to a disability, which interferes with assignment to or performance of duty and requires that the diagnosis be so severe that the Soldier's ability to function in the military environment is significantly impaired. AR 635-200, paragraph 5-1, states that a Soldier being separated under this paragraph will be awarded a characterization of service of honorable, under honorable conditions, or an uncharacterized description of service if in entry-level status. A general, under honorable conditions discharge is normally inappropriate for individuals separated under the provisions of Chapter 5-17 unless properly notified of the specific factors in the service that warrant such characterization. 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 her general (under honorable conditions) discharge to honorable. The applicant's record of service, the issues and documents submitted with her application were carefully reviewed. The evidence of record shows that separation action was initiated on the applicant for being diagnosed on 24 January 2017, with an adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct. After carefully examining the applicant's record of service during the period of enlistment under review, it appears the applicant's characterization is improper. The applicant was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 5-17, AR 635-200, by reason of a condition, not a disability, with a general (under honorable conditions) discharge. AR 635-200, paragraph 5-1, states that a Soldier being separated under this paragraph will be awarded a characterization of service of honorable, under honorable conditions, or an uncharacterized description of service if in entry- level status. A general, under honorable conditions discharge is normally inappropriate for individuals separated under the provisions of Chapter 5-17 unless properly notified of the specific factors in the service that warrant such characterization. The applicant was not properly notified as to the specific reasons for which he would not get an honorable characterization as required by paragraph 5-1b, AR 635-200. Therefore, it appears the discharge was not consistent with the procedural and substantive requirements of the regulation, was not within the discretion of the separation authority, and the applicant was not provided full administrative due process. 9. BOARD DETERMINATION: In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 29 January 2020, and by a 5-0 vote, the Board determined that the characterization of service was improper. The record indicates the applicant was not notified of any specific factors which would warrant a general (under honorable conditions) characterization of service. Therefore, the characterization not being proper and equitable, the Board granted relief in the form of an upgrade of the applicant's characterization of service to honorable. The Board determined the narrative reason, SPD code and RE code were proper and equitable and voted not to change them. 10. BOARD ACTION DIRECTED: a. Issue a New DD-214: Yes b. Change Characterization to: Honorable 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 AR20180014936 3