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):  981209

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:
                                           ASR
    a.  Period entered for:  6 Years
    b.  Entry date:  970909
    c.  Age:  24 Years   DOB:  730419
    d.  Educational level:  Col Grad
    e.  Aptitude area score:
          GT:  123                               3.  Highest grade
achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E4
          1 Year  2 Months  6 Days

                                               4.  Performance evaluations:

                                                   NONE

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

5.  Periods of unauthorized absence:

    Status       Inclusive dates
      AWOL         980717-980808

      Mil conf

      Civil conf   980809-980810

      Other


6.  Nonjudicial punishment:

      Date  Offense(s)
      980910     AWOL (980717-980808)(Field Grade)


7.  Court-Martial data:  NONE

      a.  SCM:
            Date   Offense(s)


      b.  SPCM:
            Date   Offense(s)


      c.  GCM:
            Date   Offense(s)


8.    Remarks:  NONE


                       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 on 13 November 1998, 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 a general, under honorable
conditions discharge.  The specific reasons for the action included his
absence without authority for 23 days (17 Jul – 8 August 1998), disrespect
toward a noncommissioned officer (15 July 1998), and failure to report to
duty as directed by the unit commander (16 July 1998).  He was advised of
his rights.  On 16 November 1998, 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.  On 17 November 1998, the intermediate commander
reviewed the proposed discharge action and recommended approval of the
separation action with a general discharge.  On 23 November 1998, 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 9 December 1998, the applicant was discharged.  At the time of
discharge, the applicant had completed 1 year, 2 months, and 6 days of
active military service and accrued 25 days of lost time 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 030910, with 33 enclosures.
      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:
         (   ) Records review             ( X ) Hearing

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

      c. Review/hearing location and date:  Washington, DC on 12 April
2004.

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

      e.  Applicant testified:     ( X ) Yes   (   ) 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     ( 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.

        (1)  The issue is rejected.  The Board carefully examined the
applicant’s record of service during the period of enlistment under review
and heard his testimony.  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, the evidence of record does not support
his contention and the applicant has provided no independent corroborating
evidence in support of his contention that his discharge was improper.
Notwithstanding the applicant’s positive accomplishments before, during,
and after service, the evidence of record shows that he was properly
processed for discharge under the provisions of Chapter 14, AR 635-200, by
reason of misconduct-commission of a serious offense (i.e., a 25 day period
of AWOL terminated by apprehension).  Further, the Board found no evidence
of arbitrary or capricious action on the part of the applicant’s chain of
command.  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.  By his misconduct and poor duty performance, the
applicant diminished the quality of his 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.  The Board, being convinced that the reason for discharge and
the characterization of service were both proper and equitable, voted to
deny relief.

      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.

        (2) and (3)  The issues are rejected.  See response to issue (1)
above.

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. RIVERA
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:  2003095666                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A0101
Date of Review:  040412                                   A0113
Character of Service:  GD                                 A9217
Date of Discharge:  981209                                A9221
Authority:  AR 635-200 C14
Reason:  A6730
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