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):  031121

3.  Authority for separation:

      a.  Regulation:  Chapter 14, Paragraph 14-12c, 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:
                                           ARCOM
    a.  Period entered for:  4 Years               NDSM
    b.  Entry date:  020528                        ASR
    c.  Age:  32 Years   DOB:  700105


    d.  Educational level:  GED


    e.  Aptitude area score:
          GT:  126                               3.  Highest grade
achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E3
          1 Year  5 Month(s)  24 Day(s)

                                               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)
      030215     Wrongful use of cocaine (021227-021230) (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 6 October 2003, 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 unit commander indicated that he was initiating
separation proceedings based on the applicant’s wrongful use of cocaine.
He was advised of his rights.  The applicant consulted with legal counsel,
was advised of the impact of the discharge action, waived his right to an
appearance before an administrative separation board contingent upon
receiving a general discharge, and did not submit a statement in his own
behalf.  On 7 November 2003, the general court-martial convening authority
determined that the applicant’s medical condition was not the direct or
substantial cause of his misconduct and directed that he be processed for
administrative separation.  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 4 December 2000, 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 21 November 2003, the applicant was discharged.  At the time
of discharge, the applicant had completed 1 year, 5 months, and 24 days of
active military service in the period under review.

      c.  The Board noted that the separation authority approved the
applicant’s discharge with characterization of service of general, under
honorable conditions.  However, the DD Form 214 shows that he was separated
under other than honorable conditions.

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 040503, with multiple 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, D.C. on 21 December
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.

        (1)  See Paragraph 3, below.

        (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 infraction of discipline, the extent thereof, and the
seriousness of the offense.  The Board noted that the applicant accepted
nonjudicial punishment in February 2003 for using cocaine in December 2002.
 However, the applicant successfully completed his deployment in Kuwait and
Iraq and received the Army Commendation Medal for exceptionally meritorious
achievement during Operation Iraqi Freedom.  During his deployment, the
applicant developed symptoms of depressed mode, insomnia, anxiety and
irritability, and was treated with medication.  Upon his return from Iraq,
he was diagnosed with a major depressive disorder, and underwent a medical
evaluation board that determined that he did not meet retention standards.
Although, he was recommended for disability discharge processing, the
general court-martial convening authority directed that he be
administratively discharged under the provisions of Chapter 14, AR 635-200,
by reason of misconduct for the wrongful use of cocaine, an infraction that
transpired nearly a year prior to initiation of his discharge.  The Board
also noted that someone in the discharge process erroneously annotated that
the applicant received an under other than honorable conditions discharge.
Given the above factors, the Board found that the characterization of
service is now inequitable.  Accordingly, the Board voted to grant relief
in the form of an upgrade of characterization of service to fully
honorable.  The Board found that the reason for discharge was both proper
and equitable, and voted not to change it.

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
                  1901 South Bell Street, 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:  23 December 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 ) Other (see remarks below).

Remarks:  This action does not entail a restoration of grade.

                          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:  20040000968                   INDEX NUMBERS:  A9406
Date of Review:  041221                                   A9446
Character of Service:  UD                                 A0113
Date of Discharge:  031121
Authority:  AR 635-200 C14
Reason:  A6770
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