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):  960617

3.  Authority for separation:

      a.  Regulation:  Chapter 10, AR 635-200

      b.  Reason:  In Lieu of Trial by Court-Martial

4.  Prior review(s):  NONE



                         PART III - SERVICE HISTORY

                 SECTION A - Period of Service Under Review

1.    Service data:                              2.  Awards and
    decorations:
                                           ARCOM (2)       ASR
    a.  Period entered for:  3 Years               AAM (3)         OSR
    b.  Entry date:  931221                        GCMDL           KLM (SA)
    c.  Age:  23 Years   DOB:  700724              NDSM
    d.  Educational level:  HS Grad                SWASM w/2BSS
    e.  Aptitude area score:
          GT:  110                               3.  Highest grade
achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E4
          2 Years  5 Months  27 Days

                                               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         960105-960312

      Mil conf

      Civil conf

      Other


6.  Nonjudicial punishment:  NONE

      Date  Offense(s)



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    900808     931220     Honorable




                         PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW

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

      a.  The evidence of record shows that on 5 January 1996, the
applicant departed AWOL until 12 March 1996, when he surrendered himself to
the military authorities at Fort Sam Houston, TX.  He was subsequently
assigned to A Btry, Personnel and Support Battalion, Fort Sill, OK.  On 14
March 1996, court-martial charges were preferred against the applicant for
the cited AWOL period.  On 14 March 1996, the applicant consulted with
legal counsel and voluntarily requested, in writing, discharge under the
provisions of Chapter l0, AR 635-200 in lieu of trial by court-martial.  In
this request, the applicant admitted guilt to the offense, or a lesser
included offense.  Further, the applicant indicated that he understood that
he could receive an under other than honorable conditions discharge and
that the discharge would have a significant effect on eligibility for
veteran’s benefits.  The applicant did not submit a statement in his own
behalf.  The applicant was placed on indefinite excess leave, effective 19
March 1996, pending completion of his administrative discharge proceeding
under Chapter 10, AR 635-200.  On 15 May 1996, the unit commander
recommended approval of an under other than honorable conditions discharge.
 On 23 May 1996, the proper legal authority reviewed the applicant’s
request for discharge and found no legal objections to further processing.
On 28 May 1996, the separation authority approved the discharge with an
under other than honorable conditions discharge and reduction to Private
E1.

      b.  On 17 June 1996, the applicant was discharged.  At the time of
discharge, the applicant had completed 2 years, 5 months, and 27 days of
active military service (which included 96 days of excess leave), and
accrued 67 days of lost time in the period under review.  He had a total of
5 years, 8 months, and 3 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 l0 of that regulation provides, in pertinent part, that a member
who has committed an offense or offenses for which the authorized
punishment includes a punitive discharge may submit a request for a
discharge for the good of the service in lieu of trial by court-martial.
The requests may be submitted at any time after charges have been preferred
and must include the individual’s admission of guilt.  Army policy states
that although an honorable or general discharge is authorized, a discharge
under other than honorable conditions is normally considered appropriate.


                      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 eight (8) 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:  (2)  The characterization of service is too harsh.

      b.  Request:  ( X ) Recharacterization     ( X ) 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 infraction of discipline, the extent thereof, and the
seriousness of the offense.  The Board does not condone the applicant’s
misconduct; however, determined that the characterization is inequitable.
The Board found that the applicant’s misconduct was partially mitigated by
the overall length and quality of the applicant’s service and extenuating
factors related to the applicant’s concerns for his sisters health.
Accordingly, the Board voted to grant partial relief in the form of an
upgrade of characterization of service to general, under honorable
conditions.  The Board determined that the reason for discharge was proper
and equitable and voted not to change it.

        (1)  The issue is rejected.  The evidence of record shows the
applicant was charged with the commission of an offense punishable under
the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) with a punitive discharge.  The
Board noted, after consulting with defense counsel, the applicant
voluntarily, and in writing, requested separation from the Army in lieu of
trial by court-martial.  In doing so, the applicant admitted guilt to the
stipulated or lesser-included offenses under the UCMJ.  By his misconduct,
the applicant diminished the quality of his service below that meriting a
fully honorable discharge.  See response to issue (2) above.

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 E4.

                          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:  2004102904                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A9406
Date of Review:  040929                                   A9218
Character of Service:  UD                                 A0113
Date of Discharge:  960617
Authority:  AR 635-200 C10
Reason:  A7100
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