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ARMY | DRB | CY2004 | AR2004102902
Original file (AR2004102902.doc) Auto-classification: Approved





                         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):  030502

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
    a.  Period entered for:  5 Years               GCMDL
    b.  Entry date:  990120                        NDSM
    c.  Age:  18 Years   DOB:  800518              AFEM
    d.  Educational level:  HS Grad                ASR
    e.  Aptitude area score:
          GT:  127                               3.  Highest grade
achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E4
          4 Years  3 Months  13 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)
      021104     Willfully disobeyed a lawful command from a CPT “to be
             inoculated with the Anthrax vaccine” (021010); Willfully
             disobeyed a lawful command from a 1LT “to be inoculated with
             the Anthrax vaccine” (021022)(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 10 February 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 an under other than
honorable conditions discharge.  The reason for the proposed action was
that he disobeyed a lawful command from two commissioned officers by
refusing to take the Anthrax vaccine, for which he received a Field Grade
Article 15.  He was advised of his rights.  On 13 February 2003, the
applicant consulted with legal counsel, was advised of the impact of the
discharge action, and submitted a statement in his own behalf.  He also
voluntarily waived consideration of his case by an administrative
separation board contingent on receiving a characterization of service no
less favorable than honorable.  The unit commander subsequently recommended
separation from the service and waiver of further rehabilitative efforts.
On 26 March 2003, the Battalion and Brigade commander reviewed the proposed
discharge action, recommended disapproval of the applicant’s request for
conditional waiver and recommended approval of the separation action with
an under other than honorable conditions discharge.  On 11 April 2003, the
separation authority disapproved the applicant’s administrative separation
action and approved his request for a personal appearance before an
administrative separation board.  On 15 April 2003, the applicant, again
under legal consult, unconditionally and voluntarily waived consideration
of his case by an administrative separation board.  On 22 April 2003, the
separation authority waived further rehabilitative efforts and directed
that the applicant be discharged with a characterization of service of
under other than honorable conditions discharge and reduced to the lowest
enlisted grade.

      b.  On 2 May 2003, the applicant was discharged.  At the time of
discharge, the applicant had completed 4 years, 3 months, and 13 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 040115, with fifteen (15) 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 22 September
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:  (5)  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 parenthetical number(s) below correspond(s) to
                   the issue number(s) on the DD Form 293, or in Part VI,
                   Paragraph 1, above.

        (1-4)  The issues are rejected.  The evidence of record does not
support the applicant’s contentions and the applicant has provided no
independent corroborating evidence in support of his contentions.  Further,
the applicant’s contentions relate to evidentiary and procedural matters,
which were finally and conclusively adjudicated during the applicant’s
discharge proceedings.  See response to issue (5) below.

      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.

        (5)  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 infractions of discipline, the extent thereof, and the
seriousness of the offenses.  The Board does not condone the applicant’s
misconduct; however, determined that the characterization of service is
inequitable.  Notwithstanding the propriety of the applicant’s discharge,
the Board found that his misconduct was partially mitigated by service of
sufficient merit to warrant an upgrade of the discharge under review.
Accordingly, the Board voted to grant partial relief in the form of an
upgrade of the characterization of service to general, under honorable
conditions.  The Board determined 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):  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
           General, Under Honorable Conditions.
      (   ) 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

                          
MR. RIVERA
Case Reviewing Official

                     PART VIII - DIRECTIVE/CERTIFICATION
                            SECTION A - DIRECTIVE

TO: ARBA Support Division-St Louis      Date:  24 September 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 General, Under
                 Honorable Conditions.
           ( X ) Other (see remarks below).

Remarks:  This action entails a restoration of grade to E2.

                          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:  2004102902                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A9406
Date of Review:  040922                                   A9218
Character of Service:  UD                                 A0101
Date of Discharge:  030502                                A0113
Authority:  AR 635-200 C14
Reason:  A6730
Results of Board Action/
Vote/Affirmation:  GD 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            






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