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):  961223

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:
                                           NDSM
    a.  Period entered for: 3 Years                ASR
    b.  Entry date: 951013
    c.  Age: 19 Years   DOB: 751109


    d.  Educational level: GED


    e.  Aptitude area score:
          GT: 99                                 3.  Highest grade
achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E2
         1 Year(s)  1 Month(s)  25 Day(s)

                                               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         960908-960924;


      Mil conf     0

      Civil conf   0

      Other        0


6.  Nonjudicial punishment:

      Date  Offense(s)
      961029     AWOL (960908-960924).


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 9 December 1996, 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.  He
was advised of his rights.  The applicant waived 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 12 December 1996, 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 23 December 1996, the applicant was discharged.  At the time
of discharge, the applicant had completed 1 year, 1 month, and 25 days of
active military service and accrued 16 days of lost time.

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 040423.
      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 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:  (1)  The discharge is improper.

      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 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 accepted.  The Board carefully examined the
applicant’s record of service during the period of enlistment under review.
 The Board noted that the unit commander used “Board Procedures” when
notifying the applicant that he was initiating action to separate him under
the provisions of Chapter 14, AR 635-200, by reason of misconduct.  By
using “Board Procedures” the authority for approval of the applicant’s
separation rested with the General Court-Martial Convening Authority.  The
evidence of record shows that the applicant’s separation action was
approved at the Special Court-Martial Convening Authority level.  In view
of the foregoing, the Board determined that the discharge was improper.
Accordingly, the Board voted to grant full relief in the form of an upgrade
of characterization of service to fully honorable and a change to the
narrative reason for separation to Secretarial Authority.  This action does
not entail a change to the reentry eligibility (RE) code.

      b.  Equity:      The applicant has not submitted an issue of equity
                   and the ADRB has not otherwise relied upon an issue of
                   equity to change the discharge.  The major factors upon
                   which the discharge was based are set forth in Parts III
                   and IV of this decisional document.

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:

      (   ) Proper.
      ( X ) Improper as to characterization.  Change characterization to
           Honorable.
      ( X ) Improper as to reason.  Change reason to Secretarial Authority
           under Chapter 5, AR 635-200.

      (   ) 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       5         0
    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

                          
MR. RON WILLIAMS
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 the characterization of discharge to “Honorable.”
           ( X ) Change reason and authority for discharge to “Secretarial
                 Authority,” Under Chapter 5, AR 635-200.
           ( X ) Other (see remarks below).

Remarks:   This action does not entail a change to the reentry eligibility
          (RE) code.


                          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:  20040001265                   INDEX NUMBERS:  A0108
Date of Review:  041221                                   A0154
Character of Service:  GD                                 A1200
Date of Discharge:  961223
Authority:  AR 635-200 C14
Reason:  A6750
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