PART II - APPLICATION DATA

      (Note: Part I deleted under the Privacy Act on Reading Room copy)

1.  Character of Discharge:  Under Other Than Honorable Conditions

2.  Date of discharge (or REFRAD):  881209

3.  Authority for separation:

      a.  Regulation:  Chapter 14, AR 635-200

      b.  Reason:  Misconduct-Commission of a Serious Offense

4.  Prior review(s):  NONE



                         PART III - SERVICE HISTORY

                 SECTION A - Period of Service Under Review

1.    Service data:                              2.  Awards and
    decorations:
                                           ASR
    a.  Period entered for:  3 Years
    b.  Entry date:  860828
    c.  Age:  17 Years   DOB:  690202
    d.  Educational level:  HS Grad
    e.  Aptitude area score:
          GT:  88                                3.  Highest grade
achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E3
          2 Years  3 Months  12 Days

                                               4.  Performance evaluations:

                                                   NONE

                         PART III - SERVICE HISTORY
           SECTION A - Period of Service Under Review - Continued

5.  Periods of unauthorized absence:  NONE

    Status       Inclusive dates
      AWOL

      Mil conf

      Civil conf

      Other


6.  Nonjudicial punishment:

      Date  Offense(s)
      870813     Assault a SPC (870723)(Company Grade)
      880606     With intent to deceive, sign an official record (Record
             Fire Score Card), which was known to be false (880505)(Field
             Grade)

7.  Court-Martial data:  NONE

      a.  SCM:
            Date   Offense(s)


      b.  SPCM:
            Date   Offense(s)


      c.  GCM:
            Date   Offense(s)


8.    Remarks:  Local Bar to Reenlistment approved on 880621.
Justification: two Article 15s and numerous negative counseling statements.


                       SECTION B - Prior Service Data
                                    NONE

Other discharge(s):

      Service    From  To    Type Discharge





                         PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW

                       SECTION A-ANALYST’S ASSESSMENT
l.  Facts and Circumstances:

      a.  Evidence of record shows that the unit commander notified the
applicant of initiation of separation action under the provisions of
Chapter l4, AR 635-200, by reason of misconduct—commission of a serious
offense, with an under other than honorable conditions discharge.  The
specific reasons for the action included disobeying a lawful order from a
MG, one company grade Article 15 for assault, and one field grade Article
15 for falsifying official records.  He was advised of his rights.  The
applicant consulted with legal counsel, was advised of the impact of the
discharge action, and submitted a statement in his own behalf. The
applicant was entitled to an administrative separation board; however, he
submitted a request for conditional waiver of a board contingent upon
receiving a characterization of service of no less than general.  The unit
commander subsequently recommended separation from the service and waiver
of further rehabilitative efforts.  The intermediate commanders reviewed
the proposed discharge action and recommended approval of the separation
action with an under other than honorable conditions discharge.  On 18
November 1988, the applicant consulted with legal counsel and submitted his
unconditional waiver of an administrative separation board.  On 5 December
1988, the separation authority directed that the applicant be discharged
with a characterization of service of under other than honorable conditions
and reduction to the lowest enlisted grade.

      b.  On 9 December 1988, the applicant was discharged.  At the time of
discharge, the applicant had completed 2 years, 3 months, and 12 days of
active military service in the period under review.

2.  Legal/Regulatory Basis for Separation Action:  Army Regulation 635-200
sets forth the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel.
Chapter l4 establishes policy and prescribes procedures for separating
members for misconduct.  Specific categories include minor disciplinary
infractions, a pattern of misconduct, 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, but
a general discharge under honorable conditions or an honorable discharge
may be granted.


                      SECTION B-APPLICANT’S SUBMISSIONS


1.  Issue(s) of propriety and/or equity submitted by applicant or counsel.
    As stated on applicant’s DD Form 293.

2.  Exhibit(s) submitted:

      A-1:  DD Form 293, dated 030728, with no enclosure(s).
      A-2:  Counsel Issues:  NONE
      B-l:  Other Documents: NONE


                   PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW (CONTINUED)

              SECTION C - Medical and/or Legal Advisory Opinion


Referred to ( ) Medical Advisor      ( ) Legal Advisor



      a.  Medical prehearing comments (if applicable):


      b.  Legal prehearing comments (if applicable):











                         PART V - SUMMARY OF HEARING

                      SECTION A-Attendees and exhibits

1.  Review/hearing information:


      a. Type requested:
         ( X ) Records review             (   ) Hearing

      b. Type Held:
         ( X )Records review              (   ) Hearing
                                          (   ) Tender Offer

      c. Review/hearing location and date:  Washington, DC on 14 April
2004.

      d. Appearance by:
         Applicant                 (   ) Yes   ( X ) No
         Counsel                   (   ) Yes   ( X ) No

      e.  Applicant testified:     (   ) Yes   ( X ) No

      f.  Counsel presentation:    (   ) Yes   ( X ) No

      g.  Witness(es) testified:   (   ) Yes   ( X ) No

2.  Exhibit(s) submitted at hearing:
                        PART VI - ISSUES AND FINDINGS

1.  a.  Applicant's issue(s) of propriety and/or equity:

          ( X )  Same as those listed on DD Form 293 and Part IV, Section A
              of this case report and directive.
          (   )  Revised issue(s) furnished in writing by applicant as
              follows:
          ( X )  Additional issue(s) identified during review/hearing as
              follows:

        Board Issue:  (2)  The characterization of service is improper.
                      (3)  The narrative reason for separation is
inequitable.

      b.  Request:  ( X ) Recharacterization     ( X ) Change of Reason

2.  Finding(s), conclusion(s), and reason(s) for the Board's decision(s) on
issues of propriety and/or equity:

      a.  Propriety:   The parenthetical number(s) below correspond(s) to
                   the issue number(s) on the DD Form 293, or in Part VI,
                   Paragraph 1, above.

        (2)  The issue is accepted.  The Board carefully examined the
applicant’s record of service during the period of enlistment under review.
 There was a full consideration of all faithful and honorable service as
well as the infractions of discipline, the extent thereof, and the
seriousness of the offenses.  The evidence of record shows that the
separation authority improperly considered, for the purpose of
characterization, evidence of a Summary Court-Martial conviction that the
Office Of The Staff Judge Advocate found “not legally sufficient.”
Further, the record confirms that all rights, privileges and property
affected (i.e., the imposed reduction and confinement) were restored to the
applicant.  In view of the foregoing, the Board determined that the
characterization of service is improper.  Accordingly, the Board voted to
grant relief in the form of an upgrade of characterization of service to
fully honorable.

      b.  Equity:      The parenthetical number(s) below correspond(s) to
                   the issue number(s) on the DD Form 293, or in Part VI,
                   Paragraph 1, above.

        (3)  The issue is accepted.  Regulations currently in effect list
the reason for the applicant’s discharge as misconduct.  Accordingly, the
Board voted to change the narrative reason on the DD Form 214 to
misconduct.

        (1)  The issue is rejected.  Notwithstanding the aforementioned
decisions by the Board, the Board determined that the reason for discharge,
as modified, is both proper and equitable and voted not to change it.

3.  Response(s) to item(s) not addressed as decisional issue(s):  NONE

                           PART VII - BOARD ACTION
                   SECTION A - Conclusions/Decisions/Vote

1.    Board conclusion(s):

      The discharge was:

      (   ) Proper.
      ( X ) Improper as to characterization.  Change characterization to
           Honorable.
      (   ) Improper as to reason.  Change reason to
                                   under                      .

      (   ) Equitable.
      (   ) Inequitable as to characterization.  Change characterization to
                                         .
      ( X ) Inequitable as to reason.  Change reason to Misconduct
            under Chapter 14, AR 635-200.
      (   ) Both proper and equitable, but characterization/reason for
           separation cited was an administrative/clerical error and should
           be changed to                      under
                                   .

2.  Voting record:      Change   No Change
                  Reason       5         0
    Characterization       5         0

        The names and votes of the members of the Board are recorded in
Part IX of this document and can be obtained by writing to the address
below.  The request must contain the CASE NO. located in the upper right
corner of this document.

                  Department of the Army Review Boards Agency
                  ATTN:  Promulgation Team
                  1941 Jefferson Davis Highway, 2nd Floor
                  Arlington, VA  22202-4508



3.  Minority views:  NONE
                           PART VII - BOARD ACTION
                 SECTION B - Verification and Authentication

Case report reviewed and verified

                          
MR. RIVERA
Case Reviewing Official

                     PART VIII - DIRECTIVE/CERTIFICATION
                            SECTION A - DIRECTIVE

TO: ARBA Support Division-St Louis      Date:  16 April 2004

     The Army Discharge Review Board, established under the provisions of
Section 30, Public Law 346, 78th Congress, 22 June 1944 and codified as
Title 10, United States Code, Section 1553, in the case of the applicant
named in Part I directs that the ARBA Support Division-St Louis issue a new
DD Form 2l4 to the applicant which reflects the following directed
change(s):

           ( X ) Change characterization of discharge to
                  Honorable.
           ( X ) Change reason and authority for discharge to
            Misconduct, Chapter 14, AR 635-200.
           ( X ) Other (see remarks below).

Remarks:  This action entails a restoration of grade to E-2.

                          SECTION B - CERTIFICATION

Approval Authority:


ROBERT L. HOUSE
Colonel, U.S. Army
President, Army Discharge
   Review Board

Official:




MARY E. SHAW
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army
Chief, Secretary Recorder

EXHIBITS:
A - Application for review of discharge                  C - Other
B - Material submitted by applicant

INDEX RECORD:

AR Number:  2003091995                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A0132
Date of Review:  040414                                   A0154
Character of Service:  UD                                 A9442
Date of Discharge:  881209                                A0113
Authority:  AR 635-200 C14
Reason:  A6730
Results of Board Action/
Vote/Affirmation:  HD 5-0 A



                           PART IX - VOTING RECORD

    Name                                   Reason          Characterization
                                           CHANGE   NC     HON  UHC   NC
UNCHAR

    1.      Mbr    X             X                 

    2.      Mbr    X             X                 

    3.      Mbr    X             X                 

    4.      Mbr    X             X                 

    5.      PO     X             X