Applicant Name: ????? Application Receipt Date: 2009/04/22 Prior Review: Prior Review Date: NA I. Applicant Request: Upgrade Reason Change RE Code Change Issues: See DD Form 293 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: NIF Discharge Received: Date: 010810 Chapter: 5-17 AR: 635-200 Reason: Personality Disorder RE: SPD: JFX Unit/Location: Co A, 309th MI BN, Ft Hauchuca, AZ 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: 21 Current ENL Date: 010321 Current ENL Term: 4 Years ????? Current ENL Service: 00 Yrs, 04Mos, 20Days ????? Total Service: 00 Yrs, 04Mos, 20Days ????? Previous Discharges: None Highest Grade: E2 Performance Ratings Available: Yes No MOS: None GT: 129 EDU: HS Grad Overseas: None Combat: None Decorations/Awards: None V. Post-Discharge Activity City, State: Albuquerque, NM Post Service Accomplishments: The applicant stated the he has finished his degree, but provides no further details. VI. Facts, Circumstances, and Legal Basis for Separation a. Facts and Circumstances: The specific facts and circumstances leading to the applicant's discharge from the Army are not contained in the available records. However, the record does contain a DD Form 214, (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), which was authenticated by the applicant's signature. His DD Form 214 indicates that he was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 5, paragraph 5-17, AR 635-200, for personality disorder, with service uncharacterized. Furthermore, the DD Form 214 shows a Separation Code of JFX (i.e., personality disorder), with a reentry eligibility (RE) code of 3. On 7 August 2001, Orders 219-0108, DA, USA Intelligence Center and Ft Huachuca, Ft Huachuca, AZ, discharged the applicant from the Regular Army, effective date: 10 August 2001. However, the analyst noted an error on the applicant's DD Form 214, block 25, separation authority entered as 5-17. The applicant was discharged under para 5-13, Personality Disorder. b. Legal Basis for Separation: Army Regulation 635-200 provides the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel. Paragraph 5-13 provides that a Soldier may be separated for personality disorder, not amounting to disability under Army Regulation 635-40, that interferes 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 duty. The regulation also directs that commanders will not take action prescribed in this Chapter in lieu of disciplinary action; requires that the diagnosis concludes the disorder is so severe that the Soldier’s ability to function in the military environment is significantly impaired; and states that separation for personality disorder is not appropriate when separation is warranted under Chapter 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, or 15; Army Regulation 604-10 or Army Regulation 635-40. Army policy requires the award of a fully honorable discharge in such case. c. Response to Issues, Recommendation and Rationale: After a careful review of all the applicant’s available records for the period of enlistment under review, and the issue and documents he submitted, the analyst found no mitigating factors that would merit an upgrade of the applicant's discharge. The applicant’s record is void of the specific facts and circumstances concerning the events that led to his discharge from the Army; however the DD Form 214 identifies the reason and characterization of the discharge and the analyst presumed government regularity in the discharge process. Furthermore, the analyst noted the applicant's issue and determined that the applicant was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 5, paragraph 5-13, AR 635-200. The narrative reason specified by Army Regulations for a discharge under this paragraph is "Personality Disorder", and the separation code is "JFX." 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 Further, notwithstanding the propriety of the applicant's discharge, the analyst found that someone in the discharge process erroneously entered on the applicant's DD Form 214, block 25, separation authority as AR 635-200, paragraph 5-17. In view of the foregoing, the analyst recommends to the Board that an administrative change be made to block 25, to read separation authority: “AR 635-200, paragraph 5-13”. Additionally, the analyst determined that the applicant’s Official Military Personnel File (OMPF) does not contain all the specific documents that would indicate the reason for the separation action from the United States Army. If the applicant desires to appear before a personal appearance Board, the burden of proof remains with the former Soldier to provide the appropriate documents or other evidence sufficient to explain the facts, circumstances, and reasons underlying the separation action, for the Board’s consideration. Except for the foregoing modification to the applicant's separation code, the analyst found 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: ????? Location: Washington, DC 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. The Board noted an error on the DD Form 214 and directed ARBA Support Division-St. Louis, to administratively correct block 25, separation authority to "5-13." 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: No Change Other: Change block 25 to AR 635-200, para 5-13 RE Code: Grade Restoration: No Yes Grade: NA ARMY DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD - CASE REPORT AND DIRECTIVE Case Number AR20090008173 ______________________________________________________________________________ Page 1 of 3 pages