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):  030908

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:
                                           NDSM
    a.  Period entered for:  5 Years               ASR
    b.  Entry date:  010301                        EIB
    c.  Age: 27  Years   DOB:  730515
    d.  Educational level:  HS Grad
    e.  Aptitude area score:
          GT:  110                               3.  Highest grade
achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E1
          1 Year  1 Month  1 Day

                                               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         020221-030723;

      Mil conf     0

      Civil conf   0

      Other        0


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
                                    NONE

Other discharge(s):

      Service    From  To    Type Discharge





                         PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW

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

      a.  The evidence of record shows that on 21 February 2002, the
applicant departed AWOL and was DFR’d on 23 March 2002.  On 19 July 2003,
he was apprehended by the civilian authorities at Jonesboro, GA and placed
in the Clayton County Jail pending release to the military authorities.  He
was subsequently transferred to the 82d Replacement Detachment, Fort Bragg,
NC for further processing.  On 14 August 2003, court-martial charges were
preferred against the applicant for his desertion from 21 February 2002 –
23 July 2003.  On 18 August 2003, 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 unit and intermediate commander recommended approval of an
under other than honorable conditions discharge.  On 21 August 2003, the
Staff Judge Advocate reviewed the voluntary separation action and
recommended approval with an under other than honorable conditions
discharge.  The separation authority approved the applicant’s request and
directed he be discharged with an under other than honorable conditions
discharge.

      b.  On 8 September 2003, the applicant was discharged.  At the time
of discharge, the applicant had completed 1 year, 1 month, and 1 day of
active military service and accrued 517 days of lost time 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 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 040209, with four (4) 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:
         (   )Records review              ( X ) Hearing
                                          (   ) Tender Offer

      c. Review/hearing location and date:  Washington, DC on 1 November
2004.

      d. Appearance by:
         Applicant                 ( X ) Yes   (   ) No
         Counsel                   (   ) Yes   ( X ) No

      e.  Applicant testified:     ( X ) Yes   (   ) No

      f.  Counsel presentation:    (   ) Yes   ( X ) No

      g.  Witness(es) testified:   ( X ) Yes   (   ) No

2.  Exhibit(s) submitted at hearing:  twenty-five (25) supporting
documents.
                        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 inequitable.

      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.

        (2)  The issue is accepted.  The Board carefully examined the
applicant’s record of service during the period of enlistment under review
and heard his testimony.  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 discharge is
inequitable.  The Board found that the applicant’s misconduct was mitigated
by the circumstances surrounding his AWOL and his medical condition that
impaired his ability to serve.  Accordingly, the Board voted to change the
narrative reason for separation to Secretarial Authority and to upgrade the
characterization of service to fully honorable.  This action entails a
change to the RE code to “1.”

        (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:

      ( 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.
      ( X ) Inequitable as to reason.  Change reason to Secretarial
           Authority
            under Chapter 5, AR 635-200.
      (   ) 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:  5 November 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 entails a change to the RE code to “1.”


                          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:  2004104095                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A9456
Date of Review:  041101                                   A1200
Character of Service:  UD                                 A9322
Date of Discharge:  030908                                A0100
Authority:  AR 635-200 C10
Reason:  A7100
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