IN THE CASE OF:
BOARD DATE: 9 May 2013
DOCKET NUMBER: AR20130006452
THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE:
1. Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any).
2. Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any).
THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE:
1. The applicant requests correction of item 24 (Character of Service) of his DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to show his service as honorable.
2. The applicant states he attended and completed advanced individual training and he does not understand why item 24 is uncharacterized.
3. The applicant provides his DD Form 214.
CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE:
1. Title 10, U.S. Code, section 1552(b), provides that applications for correction of military records must be filed within 3 years after discovery of the alleged error or injustice. This provision of law also allows the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) to excuse an applicant's failure to timely file within the 3-year statute of limitations if the ABCMR determines it would be in the interest of justice to do so. While it appears the applicant did not file within the time frame provided in the statute of limitations, the ABCMR has elected to conduct a substantive review of this case and, only to the extent relief, if any, is granted, has determined it is in the interest of justice to excuse the applicant's failure to timely file. In all other respects, there are insufficient bases to waive the statute of limitations for timely filing.
2. The applicant's records show he enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) on 25 July 1990 and was ordered to initial active duty for training on 30 July 1991.
3. On 9 December 1991, he was released from ADT. His DD Form 214 shows in:
* item 12c (Net Active Service This Period) 4 months and 10 days (133 days)
* item 23 (Type of Separation) Release from ADT
* item 24 (Character of Service) Uncharacterized
* item 28 (Narrative Reason for Separation) Expiration Term of Service
4. Army Regulation 635-200 (Personnel Separations) sets forth the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel. It states an uncharacterized separation is an entry-level separation. A separation will be described as an entry-level separation if processing is initiated while a member is in an entry-level status, except when characterization under other than honorable conditions is authorized under the reason for separation and is warranted by the circumstances of the case or when the Secretary of the Army, on a case-by-case basis, determines that characterization of service as honorable is clearly warranted by the presence of unusual circumstances involving personal conduct and performance of duty.
5. Army Regulation 635-5 (Separation Documents) states a DD Form 214 is a summary of a Soldier's most recent period of continuous active duty. It provides a brief, clear-cut record of active duty service at the time of release from active duty, retirement, or discharge.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:
1. The applicant's contention that his character of service should be honorable was carefully reviewed.
2. During the first 180 days of continuous active military service, a member's service is under review. When separated within the first 180 days, service is usually not characterized unless the circumstances of the separation warrant a discharge under other than honorable conditions. An honorable characterization may be given only if the service clearly warrants that characterization by unusual circumstances of personal conduct and performance of military duty and is approved by the Secretary of the Army.
3. The evidence of record shows the applicant was in a Reserve status at the time of his release from ADT on 9 December 1991. He was properly issued a DD Form 214 for the period he was ordered to ADT. He had not completed 180 days of continuous active service prior to his release from ADT.
4. An uncharacterized discharge is not meant to be a negative reflection of a Soldier's military service. It merely means that the Soldier has not served on active duty long enough for his or her character of service to be rated. As a result, there is no basis for granting the applicant's request for an honorable discharge.
BOARD VOTE:
________ ________ ________ GRANT FULL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF
________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING
____x___ ____x___ ____x____ DENY APPLICATION
BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION:
The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice. Therefore, the Board determined the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis for correction of the records of the individual concerned.
_______ _ _x______ ___
CHAIRPERSON
I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case.
ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20130006452
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