Applicant Name: ????? Application Receipt Date: 2008/07/31 Prior Review: Prior Review Date: ABCMR, 080424, 071025 I. Applicant Request: Upgrade Reason Change RE Code Change Issues: See DD Form 293 and supporting documents submitted by the Applicant. II. Were Proper Discharge and Separation Authority procedures followed? Tender Offer: NA See Attachments: Legal Medical Minority Opinion Exhibits III. Discharge Under Review Unit CDR Recommended Discharge: Date: 051007 Discharge Received: Date: 070511 Chapter: 14-12c AR: 635-200 Reason: Misconduct (Serious Offense) RE: SPD: JKQ Unit/Location: HHC, 81st RSC, Fort Campbell, KY Time Lost: None Article 15s (Charges/Dates/Punishment): None Courts-Martial (Charges/Dates/Punishment): None Counseling Records Available: Yes No IV. Soldier’s Overall Record Age at current enlistment: 47 Current ENL Date: 030602 Current ENL Term: Indef Years ????? Current ENL Service: 03 Yrs, 11Mos, 09Days ????? Total Service: 26 Yrs, 00Mos, 12Days Includes Inactive Service Previous Discharges: RA 780228-820226/HD IADT 770708-771001/HD USAR 870430-951104/NA USAR 951105-030601/NA Highest Grade: E-7 Performance Ratings Available: Yes No MOS: 79V40/Retention and Transition NCO GT: 103 EDU: BS Overseas: Germany, Honduras, El Salvador Combat: None Decorations/Awards: AAM, ARCAM, NDSM, NCOPDR-3, ASR V. Post-Discharge Activity City, State: Nashville, TN Post Service Accomplishments: None listed VI. Facts, Circumstances, and Legal Basis for Separation a. Facts and Circumstances: The evidence of record shows that on 7 October 2005, the unit commander notified the applicant of initiation of separation action under the provisions of Chapter 14, paragraph 14-12c, AR 635-200, by reason of misconduct—commission of a serious offense and for having been convicted by a civil court. Charges included assault multiple times, communicating a threat, and disrespect and disobeying a lawful order from an NCO on multiple occasions. On 10 July 2006, the unit commander once again, notified the applicant of his pending elimination action and stated additional grounds for such action as conviction of aggravated assault (000808), conviction of disobeying a court order (050909), failure to obey a lawful order to attend domestic violence counseling, civil conviction of aggravated assault (000808) which was dismissed, for being charged with multiple counts of assault on a family member, for communicating a threat to his wife on multiple occassions, and for being disrespectful and disobeying a lawful order from a NCO. The unit commander recommended separation with an under other than honorable conditions discharge. He was advised of his rights. The applicant consulted with legal counsel, was advised of the impact of the discharge action, requested an administrative separation board, and submitted a statement in his own behalf. The unit commander subsequently recommended separation from the service and waiver of further rehabilitative efforts. The intermediate commander’s recommendation is not contained in the available record. On 27 December 2005, the applicant appeared with counsel before the administrative separation board. The board recommended that the applicant be discharged with issuance of a character of service of general, under honorable conditions. The document that contains the separation authority’s decision and approval is not contained in the record and the analyst presumed government regularity in the discharge process. On 11 May 2007, the applicant was discharged with a characterization of service of general, under honorable conditions. b. Legal Basis for Separation: Army Regulation 635-200 sets forth the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel. Chapter 14 of this regulation 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 absence 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. c. Response to Issues, Recommendation and Rationale: After a careful review of the entire applicant’s military records, the issue, and documents submitted with the application, the analyst found no mitigating factors that would merit an upgrade of the applicant's discharge. The applicant’s discharge was appropriate because the quality of the former soldier’s service was not consistent with the Army's standards for acceptable personal conduct and performance of duty by military personnel. By his misconduct, the applicant diminished the quality of service below that meriting a fully honorable discharge. 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. Furthermore, the applicant was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 14, paragraph 14-12c, AR 635-200. The narrative reason specified by Army Regulations for a discharge under this paragraph is "Misconduct (Serious Offense)” and the separation code is "JKQ." Army Regulation 635-5, Separation Documents, governs preparation of the DD Form 214 and dictates that entry of the narrative reason for separation, entered in block 28 and separation code, entered in block 26 of the form, will be entered exactly as listed in tables 2-2 or 2-3 of AR 635-5-1, Separation Program Designator (SPD) Codes. The regulation further stipulates that no deviation is authorized. There is no provision for any other reason to be entered under this regulation. Therefore, the analyst determined that the reason for discharge and the characterization of service were both proper and equitable and recommends to the Board to deny relief. VII. Summary of Army Discharge Review Board Hearing Type of Hearing: Date: 6 May 2009 Location: Washington, D.C. Did the Applicant Testify? Yes No Counsel: NA Witnesses/Observers: NA Exhibits Submitted: NA VIII. Board Discussion, Determination, and Recommendation After carefully examining the applicant’s record of service during the period of enlistment under review and considering the analyst’s recommendation and rationale, the Board determined that the discharge was both proper and equitable and voted to deny relief. IX. Board Decision XI. Certification Signature Board Vote: Approval Authority: Character - Change 0 No change 5 Reason - Change 0 No change 5 (Board member names available upon request) EDGAR J. YANGER Colonel, U.S. Army X. Board Action Directed President, Army Discharge Review Board Issue a new DD Form 214 Change Characterization to: Change Reason to: NA Other: NA RE Code: Grade Restoration: No Yes Grade: NA ARMY DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD - CASE REPORT AND DIRECTIVE Case Number AR20080011910 ______________________________________________________________________________ Page 1 of 3 pages