DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
                         Army Discharge Review Board
                           1901 South Bell Street
                          Arlington, VA  22202-4508
                               9 December 2005


Office of the President



      The Army Discharge Review Board reviewed your case and determined
that relief is warranted.  The Board has directed the ARBA Support
Division, St. Louis, MO, to take action as indicated on the enclosed OSA
Form 172, Case Report and Directive.  This document reflects the findings,
conclusions, and reasons for the Board's decision.  The official
notification of any change to your official military personnel record,
including the appropriate documentation, will be mailed to you by the ARBA
Support Division.

      If you believe that the decision in your case is unclear, not
responsive to the issues raised, or does not otherwise agree with the
decisional document requirements of DoD Directive 1332.28, you may submit a
complaint in accordance with Enclosure 5 of that directive.  You should
read Enclosure 5 of that directive before submitting a complaint.  The
complaint procedure does not permit you to challenge the merits of the
decision, but is designed solely to ensure that the decisional document
meets applicable requirements for clarity and responsiveness.  You may
obtain a copy of DoD Directive 1332.28 by writing to:  DA Review Boards
Agency, Attention:  (Reading Room), The Pentagon, Washington, DC 20310-
1809.

      Should you have any questions relating to the documentation
implementing the Board's decision, you should contact:  ARBA Support
Division, ATTN:  SFMR-RBL-SL, 9700 Page Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, 63132-
5200.

                                  Sincerely,




                                  Robert L. House
                                  Colonel, U.S. Army
                                  President


Enclosure

                           MILITARY REVIEW BOARDS

                           Case Report & Directive


                        PART I - IDENTIFICATION DATA

NAME:


COUNSEL:    ADDRESS:

      PHONE:




ALTERNATE PERSON(S) TO BE NOTIFIED:     ADDRESS:

RELATIONSHIP:                     PHONE:



TYPE REPORT:

   ( X ) Original
   (   ) Addendum




                                   REMARKS
                            Case Management Data

(   )  Response to other correspondence required upon completion of case.

(   )  DD Form 149 in file.  Send case to ABCMR.


















OSA FORM 172 (REVISED) 22 May 98     Cover Sheet
                         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):  040213

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:
                                           ASR
    a.  Period entered for:  8 Years*
    b.  Entry date:  031001
    c.  Age:  22 Years   DOB:  801027


    d.  Educational level:  HS Grad


    e.  Aptitude area score:
          GT:  NIF                               3.  Highest grade
achieved:
    f.  Length of Service:                         E4
         0 Year  0 Month(s)  23 Day(s)

                                               4.  Performance evaluations:

                                                   NONE

*NOTE:  Applicant was a member of the North Carolina Army National Guard
        ordered to active duty for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
                         PART III - SERVICE HISTORY
           SECTION A - Period of Service Under Review - Continued

5.  Periods of unauthorized absence:

    Status       Inclusive dates
      AWOL         031001-040118


      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
                                    NONE

Other discharge(s):

      Service    From  To    Type Discharge





                         PART IV - PREHEARING REVIEW

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

      a.  All the specific facts and circumstances pertaining to the
applicant’s discharge are not contained in the available records.  The
available evidence of record shows that on 3 October 2003, State of North
Carolina, Office of the Adjutant General, Raleigh, NC, Orders 192-659,
ordered the applicant to active duty for Operation Iraqi Freedom effective
6 October 2003.  The applicant failed to report on the date specified and
on 8 October 2003, the applicant was dropped from the rolls as a deserter.
On 19 January 2004, the applicant was apprehended by civil authorities and
returned to military control.  He was charged with AWOL (031001-040118) and
the applicant voluntarily requested discharge under the provisions of
Chapter 10, AR 635-200 in lieu of trial by court-martial.  On 30 January
2004, the applicant was placed on involuntary excess leave pending the
approval of his voluntary request for discharge.  His DD Form 214 indicates
that he was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 10, AR 635-200 by
reason of for the good of the service-in lieu of trial by court-martial,
with a characterization of service of under other than honorable
conditions.  The applicant was to be reduced to the lowest enlisted rank.

      b.  On 13 February 2004, the applicant was discharged.  At the time
of discharge, the applicant had completed 23 days of active military
service (to include 15 days of excess leave) and accrued 110 days of lost
time due to AWOL in the period under review and had a total of 5 years, 9
months, and 24 days 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
UOHC 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 050707, with multiple enclosure(s).
      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, D.C. on 5 December
2005.

      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:   (   ) 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 inequitable.

      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.

        (1)  See Paragraph 3, below.

        (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.  Notwithstanding the propriety
of the applicant’s discharge, the Board noted that because he was in an
entry-level status, the approving authority had two options as to
characterization of service.  One option was to characterize the
applicant’s service as under other than honorable conditions and the other
was not to characterize the applicant’s service.  In view of the
applicant’s mitigating circumstances, and the fact that he was in an entry-
level status at time of initiation of his separation, the Board determined
that the discharge was inequitable.  Accordingly, the Board voted to grant
relief by changing the characterization of service to uncharacterized and
to change the narrative reason for discharge to Secretarial Authority.
This action entails a change in RE code to 1.

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
           Uncharacterized.
      ( 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

                          
Ms. McKim-Spilker

Case Reviewing Official

                     PART VIII - DIRECTIVE/CERTIFICATION
                            SECTION A - DIRECTIVE

TO: ARBA Support Division-St Louis      Date:  9 December 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 Uncharacterized.
           ( X ) Change reason and authority for discharge to
            Secretarial Authority, AR 635-200.
           ( X ) Other (see remarks below).

Remarks:  Change RE code to 1.


                          SECTION B - CERTIFICATION

Approval Authority:


ROBERT L. HOUSE
Colonel, U.S. Army
President, Army Discharge
   Review Board

Official:




ESMERALDA G. PROCTOR
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:  20050010144                   INDEX NUMBERS:  A9406
Date of Review:  051205                                   A9308
Character of Service:  UD                                 A0101
Date of Discharge:  040203
Authority:  AR 635-200 C10
Reason:  A7100
Results of Board Action/
Vote/Affirmation:  EL 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