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):  010517

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:
                                           AAM (2)    ASR
    a.  Period entered for:  4 Years               GCMDL      OSR
    b.  Entry date:  990326                        NDSM
    c.  Age:  31 Years   DOB:  671108              HSM
    d.  Educational level:  HS Grad                NCOPDR
    e.  Aptitude area score:
          GT:  118                               3.  Highest grade
achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E5
          1 Year  11 Month  6 Days

                                               4.  Performance evaluations:

                                                   See OMPF (fiche)

                         PART III - SERVICE HISTORY
           SECTION A - Period of Service Under Review - Continued

5.  Periods of unauthorized absence:

    Status       Inclusive dates
      AWOL         991102-991104
                 991209-000222

      Mil conf

      Civil conf

      Other


6.  Nonjudicial punishment:

      Date  Offense(s)
      991202     AWOL (991102-991104)(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

Other discharge(s):

      Service    From  To    Type Discharge
      ARNGUS     861219      870219     NA
      ADT   870220     870904     Honorable
      ARNGUS     870905      900320     Honorable
      RA    900321     931027     Honorable
      RA    931028     960325     Honorable
      RA    960326     990325     Honorable



                         PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW


                       SECTION A-ANALYST’S ASSESSMENT

l.  Facts and Circumstances:

      a.  The evidence of record shows that on 9 December 1999, the
applicant departed absent without leave (AWOL).  In accordance with Army
Regulation 630-10 (Absence Without Leave, Desertion, and Administration of
Personnel Involved in Civilian Court Proceedings) the applicant was dropped
from the rolls (DFR) on the same day since he again departed AWOL prior to
completion of UCMJ action for a previous AWOL offense.  On 22 February
2000, he surrendered to the military authorities at Fort Bragg, NC.  He was
subsequently transferred to the Personnel Control Facility at Fort Knox, KY
for further processing.  On 25 February 2000, court-martial charges were
preferred against the applicant for his AWOL from 9 December 1999 – 22
February 2000.  On 25 February 2000, 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 26
February 2000, pending completion of his administrative discharge
proceeding under Chapter 10, AR 635-200.  On 14 February 2001, the unit
commander recommended approval of an under other than honorable conditions
discharge.  On 12 May 2001, the separation authority approved the discharge
with an under other than honorable conditions discharge and directed the
applicant’s reduction to Private E-1.

      b.  On 17 May 2001, the applicant was discharged.  At the time of
discharge, the applicant had completed 1 year, 11 months, and 6 days of
active military service (which included 447 days of excess leave), and
accrued 75 days of lost time in the period under review.  He had a total of
14 years, 2 months, and 14 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 040316, with three (3) 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 10 November
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 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 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 l, above:

        (1)  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.  The Board found that the applicant’s misconduct was partially
mitigated by service of sufficient merit to warrant an upgrade of the
discharge under review.  Accordingly, the Board voted to grant 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.

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       3         2

        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:  12 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 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:  2004106149                    INDEX NUMBERS:  A9406
Date of Review:  041110                                   A9204
Character of Service:  UD                                 A9218
Date of Discharge:  010517                                A0113
Authority:  AR 635-200 C10
Reason:  A7100
Results of Board Action/
Vote/Affirmation:  GD 3-2 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