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):  960523

3.  Authority for separation:

      a.  Regulation:  Chapter 14, Paragraph 14-12b, AR 635-200

      b.  Reason:  Misconduct

4.  Prior review(s):  Records Review/010516



                         PART III - SERVICE HISTORY

                 SECTION A - Period of Service Under Review

1.    Service data:                              2.  Awards and
    decorations:
                                           NDSM
    a.  Period entered for:  4 Years               ASR
    b.  Entry date:  931230
    c.  Age:  19 Years   DOB:  741006
    d.  Educational level:  HS Grad
    e.  Aptitude area score:
          GT:  102                               3.  Highest grade
achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E3
          2 Years  4 Months  24 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)
      960304     Wrongfully possessed an undetermined amount of marijuana,
             wrongfully used marijuana on several occasions, and wrongfully
             introduced an undetermined amount of marijuana onto an a U.S.
             military installation (between 950100 to 960209); (Field
             Grade)
      950727     Violated a lawful general regulation by parking in a no
             parking lane (950214)(Summarized Company Grade)
      950421     Willfully disobeyed a lawful order from a SSG to get a
             haircut and not to speak on the situation anymore
             (950418)(Summarized 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
                                    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 16 April 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.  The
reasons for the proposed action were his repeated patterns of misconduct.
He was advised of his rights.  The applicant’s election or rights
memorandum is not in the available records.  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 discharge.  The proper legal authority reviewed the separation
action and found it to be legally sufficient.  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 May 1996, the applicant was discharged.  At the time of
discharge, the applicant had completed 2 years, 4 months, and 24 days of
active military service 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 041004, 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:
         (   ) Records review             ( X ) Hearing

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

      c. Review/hearing location and date:  Washington, DC on 19 January
2005.

      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 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.

        (2)  The issue is accepted.  The applicant has requested a personal
appearance hearing in New Jersey.  Notwithstanding the fact that the
applicant had a prior records review hearing, the Board determined, as an
exception to policy, that the applicant’s record warranted a second records
review.  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 applicant’s separation action was improperly 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 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.

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:

      (   ) 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. RIVERA
Case Reviewing Official

                     PART VIII - DIRECTIVE/CERTIFICATION
                            SECTION A - DIRECTIVE

TO: ARBA Support Division-St Louis      Date:  21 January 2005

     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 ) Change reason and authority for discharge to
            Secretarial Authority, AR 635-200.
           ( X ) Other (see remarks below).

Remarks:  This action does not entail a change to the 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:  20040009022                   INDEX NUMBERS:  A0108
Date of Review:  050119                                   A0154
Character of Service:  GD                                 A1200
Date of Discharge:  960523
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