PART II - APPLICATION DATA

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

1.  Character of Discharge:  General, Under Honorable Conditions

2.  Date of discharge (or REFRAD):  020607

3.  Authority for separation:

      a.  Regulation:  Chapter 14, AR 635-200

      b.  Reason:  Misconduct

4.  Prior review(s):  NONE



                         PART III - SERVICE HISTORY

                 SECTION A - Period of Service Under Review

1.    Service data:                              2.  Awards and
    decorations:
                                           AAM
    a.  Period entered for: 3 Years                GCMDL
    b.  Entry date: 010711                         NDSM
    c.  Age: 24 Years   DOB: 770109                ASR


    d.  Educational level:  HS Grad


    e.  Aptitude area score:
          GT: 91                                 3.  Highest grade
achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E5
         0 Year(s)  10 Month(s)  27 Day(s)


                                               4.  Performance evaluations:

                                                   See OMPF

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

5.  Periods of unauthorized absence:

    Status       Inclusive dates
      AWOL         020605-020607;


      Mil conf     0

      Civil conf   0

      Other        0


6.  Nonjudicial punishment:

      Date  Offense(s)
      010413     AWOL (020605-020607)-NIF, (see unit cdr’s recd’t for
             discharge).


7.  Court-Martial data:

      a.  SCM:
            Date   Offense(s)


      b.  SPCM:
            Date   Offense(s)
            020212 Wrongfully using marijuana between (010715-010815).

      c.  GCM:
            Date   Offense(s)


8.    Remarks:  NONE


                       SECTION B - Prior Service Data


Other discharge(s):

      Service    From  To    Type Discharge
      RA    960718     010710     Honorable




                         PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW

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

      a.  Evidence of record shows that on 21 May 2002, the unit commander
notified the applicant of initiation of separation action under the
provisions of Chapter l4, AR 635-200, by reason of misconduct—abuse of
illegal drugs, 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, and did not submit a
statement in his own behalf.  The unit commander subsequently recommended
separation from the service and waiver of further rehabilitative efforts.
The intermediate commander reviewed the proposed discharge action and
recommended approval of the separation action with a general, under
honorable conditions discharge.  On 31 May 2002, the separation authority
waived further rehabilitative efforts and directed that the applicant be
discharged with a characterization of service of general, under honorable
conditions.

      b.  On 7 June 2002, the applicant was discharged.  At the time of
discharge, the applicant had completed 10 months, and 27 days of active
military service and accrued 3 days of lost time in the period under review
and had a total of 5 years, 10 months and 17 days of active military
service.

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 030729, with one (1) 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 28 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:
          (   )  Additional issue(s) identified during review/hearing as
              follows:

      b.  Request:  ( X ) Recharacterization     (   ) 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 applicant has not submitted an issue of
                   propriety and the ADRB has not otherwise relied upon an
                   issue of propriety to change the discharge.

      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.

        (1)  The issue is rejected.  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 Board noted the applicant’s contention;
however, did not find said contention sufficiently mitigating to warrant an
upgrade of the discharge under review.  The Board determined that the
applicant's discharge was appropriate because the quality of his service
was not consistent with the Army's standards for acceptable personal
conduct and performance of duty by military personnel.  The applicant, by
violating the Army's policy not to possess or use illegal drugs,
compromised the special trust and confidence placed in a non-commissioned
officer (NCO).  The applicant, as a NCO, had the duty to support and abide
by the Army's drug policies.  By abusing illegal drugs, the applicant
knowingly risked a military career and this misconduct diminished the
quality of his service below that meriting a fully honorable discharge.
The applicant provided no independent corroborating evidence demonstrating
that either the commands action was erroneous or that the applicant’s
service mitigated his misconduct.  Furthermore, eligibility for veteran's
benefits to include educational benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill does
not fall within the purview of the Army Discharge Review Board.
Accordingly, the applicant should contact a local office of the Department
of Veterans Affairs for further assistance.  The Board, being convinced
that the reason for discharge and the characterization of service were both
proper and equitable, voted to deny relief.

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:

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

      ( X ) Equitable.
      (   ) Inequitable as to characterization.  Change characterization to
                                         .
      (   ) Inequitable as to reason.  Change reason to
                                 
            under                                 .
      (   ) 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       0         5
    Characterization       2         3

        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. RON WILLIAMS
Case Reviewing Official

                     PART VIII - DIRECTIVE/CERTIFICATION
                            SECTION A - DIRECTIVE

                                    NONE

                          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:  2003095608                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A9445
Date of Review:  040428                                   A9217
Character of Service:  GD                                 A0100
Date of Discharge:  020607
Authority:  AR 635-200 C14
Reason:  A6770
Results of Board Action/
Vote/Affirmation:  NC 3-2 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