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):  970626

3.  Authority for separation:

      a.  Regulation:  Chapter 13, AR 635-200

      b.  Reason:  Unsatisfactory Performance

4.  Prior review(s):  NONE



                         PART III - SERVICE HISTORY

                 SECTION A - Period of Service Under Review

1.    Service data:                              2.  Awards and
    decorations:
                                           GCMDL
    a.  Period entered for:  3 Years               NDSM
    b.  Entry date:  951207                        ASR
    c.  Age:  20 Years   DOB:  750115              OSR
    d.  Educational level:  HS Grad
    e.  Aptitude area score:
          GT:  97                                3.  Highest grade
achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E4
          1 Year  6 Months  20 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)
      970505     Uttering worthless checks to Navy Exchange, 8
             specifications (970228, 970302, 970303, 970306, 970307,
             970308, 970309, and 970310)(Company 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

Other discharge(s):

      Service    From  To    Type Discharge
      RA    930623     951206     Honorable




                         PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW

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

      a.  Evidence of record shows that on 9 May 1997, the unit commander
notified the applicant of initiation of separation action under the
provisions of Chapter l3, AR 635-200, by reason of unsatisfactory
performance, with a characterization service of general, under honorable
conditions.  The basis for the action was two consecutive Army Physical
Fitness Test failures within a 90-day period and writing bad checks
resulting in a company grade Article 15.  He was advised of his rights.  On
12 May 1997, the applicant consulted with legal counsel, was advised of the
impact of the discharge action, and submitted a statement in his own
behalf.  The unit commander subsequently recommended separation from the
service and waiver of further rehabilitative efforts.  On 3 June 1997, 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 26 June 1997, the applicant was discharged.  At the time of
discharge, the applicant had completed 1 year, 6 months, and 20 days of
active military service in the period under review and had a total of 4
years and 4 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 13 contains the policy and outlines the procedures for separating
individuals for unsatisfactory performance, and provides, in pertinent
part, that commanders will separate a member under this chapter when, in
the commander's judgment, the member will not develop sufficiently to
participate satisfactorily in further training and/or become a satisfactory
soldier.  Army policy states that a general discharge, under honorable
conditions is normally considered appropriate, but an honorable discharge
may be granted in meritorious cases.


                      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 20031110, with no 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:
         ( X ) Records review             (   ) Hearing

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

      c. Review/hearing location and date:  Washington, DC on 28 July 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 too harsh.

      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.

        (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 incidents of unsatisfactory performance.  The Board does not
condone the applicant’s incidents of unsatisfactory performance; however,
determined that the characterization of service is now inequitable.  The
Board found that the applicant’s unsatisfactory performance was mitigated
by the length and quality of his service and his post-service
accomplishments.  Accordingly, the Board voted to grant relief in the form
of an upgrade of characterization of service to fully honorable.  The Board
determined that the reason for discharge was proper and equitable and voted
not to change it.

        (1)  See Paragraph 3, below.

3.  Response(s) to item(s) not addressed as decisional issue(s):

    Inasmuch as the Board voted to grant the full relief requested,
response to the remaining issue is neither required nor rendered.

                           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       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:  30 July 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:  2003099107                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A9406
Date of Review:  040728                                   A9222
Character of Service:  GD                                 A0113
Date of Discharge:  970626
Authority:  AR 635-200 C13
Reason:  A4900
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