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):  030218

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 (2)
    a.  Period entered for:  3 Years               GCMDL
    b.  Entry date:  010510                        NDSM
    c.  Age:  30 Years   DOB:  700923              NCOPDR
    d.  Educational level:  HS Grad                ASR
    e.  Aptitude area score:
          GT:  86                                3.  Highest grade
achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E5
          1 Years  9 Months  10 Days

                                               4.  Performance evaluations:

                                                   See OMPF/Fiche

                         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:  NONE

      Date  Offense(s)



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


Other discharge(s):

      Service    From  To    Type Discharge
      ARNGUS     970716      971022     NA
      IADT  971023     980212     Uncharacterized
      ARNGUS     980213      990407     Honorable
      RA    980408     010509     Honorable




                         PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW

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

      a.  Evidence of record shows that on 26 December 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—pattern
of misconduct, with a general, under honorable conditions discharge.  The
specific reasons for the discharge action were three civil arrests for
third degree assault on his spouse (1 June, 30 August, and 23 November
2002) and violation of the unit commander’s written order of protection,
dated 2 October 2002.  He was advised of his rights.  On 26 December 2002,
the applicant consulted with legal counsel, was advised of the impact of
the discharge action, and submitted a statement in his own behalf.  The
defense counsel also submitted a request for continuance of the applicant’s
discharge action pending completion of the civil court action for the
latest assault incident.  The defense counsel subsequently withdrew his
request.  On 6 January 2003, the unit commander recommended separation from
the service and waiver of further rehabilitative efforts.  On 31 January
2003, 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 18 February 2003, the applicant was discharged.  At the time
of discharge, the applicant had completed 1 year, 9 months, and 10 days of
active military service in the period under review and had a total of 5
years, 7 months and 3 days of total 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 0320911, with 17 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                   ( X ) Yes   (   ) No

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

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

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

2.  Exhibit(s) submitted at hearing:  1 binder with documents.
                        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:  (3)  The characterization of service was too harsh.

      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 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.

        (3)  The issue is accepted.  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 found that the
length and quality of the applicant’s service mitigated his misconduct.  In
view of the foregoing, the Board determined that the characterization of
service was inequitable.  Accordingly, the Board voted to grant partial
relief in the form of an upgrade of characterization of service to fully
honorable.

        (1) and (2)  The issues are rejected.  The Board determined that
the reason for discharge was proper and equitable and voted not to change
it.
The record of evidence shows that the applicant was arrested on at least
three occasions for spousal abuse.  In addition, he violated the
commander’s protection order not to be involved in any conduct which would
result in arrest for spousal abuse.  After this third incident and
violating the commander’s protection order, the unit commander properly
initiated separation proceedings for a pattern of misconduct.

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                      .

      (   ) Equitable.
      ( X ) Inequitable as to characterization.  Change characterization to
           Honorable.
      (   ) 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       3         2

        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

                          
Ms. McKim-Spilker
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.

                          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:  2003096236                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A9406
Date of Review:  040412                                   A9218
Character of Service:  GD                                 A9455
Date of Discharge:  030218                                A0100
Authority:  AR 635-200 C14
Reason:  A6750
Results of Board Action/
Vote/Affirmation:  HD 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