Applicant Name:  ?????

Application Receipt Date: 2011/05/11	Prior Review:     Prior Review Date: NA     

I.  Applicant Request:  Upgrade     Reason Change     RE Code Change    

Issues: The applicant states, in effect, the Board of Veterans Appeals stated that competent medical evidence shows that the veteran's seizure disorder did not pre-exist prior to his service and began in service.  This is contradiction of what is stated on the DD Form 214 (Disability existed prior to service).  The applicant is requesting that his condition be granted as service connected.

II.  Were Proper Discharge and Separation Authority procedures followed?	     
Tender Offer:   NA

See Attachments:  Legal     Medical     Minority Opinion     Exhibits 

III.  Discharge Under Review
Unit CDR Recommended Discharge: 	   Date: NIF
Discharge Received: 			   Date: 981211   Chapter: 5      AR: 635-200
Reason: Disability (Existed Prior to Service-Medical Board)	   RE:     SPD: KFN   Unit/Location: Company B, 2nd Battalion, 60th Infantry Training Regiment, Fort Jackson, SC. 

Time Lost: None

Article 15s (Charges/Dates/Punishment): None

Courts-Martial (Charges/Dates/Punishment): None

Counseling Records Available: Yes    No 

IV.  Soldier’s Overall Record
Age at current enlistment:  20
Current ENL Date: 981029    Current ENL Term: 04  Years  ?????
Current ENL Service: 	00 Yrs, 01 Mos, 00 Days ?????
Total Service:  		00 Yrs, 01 Mos, 00 Days ?????
Previous Discharges: 	None
Highest Grade: E-3		Performance Ratings Available: Yes    No 
MOS: None   GT: NIF   EDU: 14 Yrs   Overseas: None   Combat: None
Decorations/Awards: None

V.  Post-Discharge Activity
City, State:  ?????
Post Service Accomplishments: None listed by the applicant.

VI.  Facts, Circumstances, and Legal Basis for Separation

       a.  Facts and Circumstances:
       The specific facts and circumstances leading to the applicant's discharge from the Army are not contained in the available records.  However, the record does contain a properly constituted DD Form 214, (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), which was authenticated by the applicant's signature.  His DD Form 214 indicates that he was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 5, AR 635-40, disability, existed prior to service-medical board, with service uncharacterized.  
       
       Furthermore, the DD Form 214 shows a Separation Code of KFN (i.e., disability, existed prior to service-medical board), with a re-entry eligibility (RE) code of "3."  On 9 December 1998, Orders 343-1301, DA, Headquarters, United States Army Training Center, Fort Jackson, SC, discharged the applicant from the Regular Army, effective date:  11 December 2011.  

       b.  Legal Basis for Separation:  
       Army Regulation 635-40 governs the evaluation for physical fitness of Soldiers who may be unfit to perform their military duties because of a physical disability.  Chapter 5 provides for the separation of enlisted Soldiers for non-service aggravated conditions that existed prior to service (EPTS) when the Soldier requests a waiver of a Physical Evaluation Board (PEB).  The characterization of service for Soldiers separated under the provisions of Chapter 5, AR 635-40 will normally be honorable unless the Soldier is in an entry-level status.  The service of Soldiers in an entry-level status will be uncharacterized.  A Soldier is in an entry-level status if the Soldier has not completed more than 180 days of creditable continuous active duty prior to the initiation of separation action.

       c.  Response to Issues, Recommendation and Rationale:  
       After a careful review of all the applicant’s available records for the period of enlistment under review, the issue and documents submitted with the application, the analyst found no mitigating factors that would merit an upgrade of the applicant's discharge.  
       
       The applicant’s record is void of the specific facts and circumstances concerning the events that led to his discharge from the Army, however the applicant’s record contains a properly constituted DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), which was authenticated by the applicant’s signature.  This document identifies the reason and characterization of the discharge and the analyst presumed government regularity in the discharge process.  
       
       The DD Form 214 shows the applicant was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 5,  AR 635-40, by reason of disability, existed prior to service-medical board, with service uncharacterized.  In connection with such a discharge, the proceedings of an Entrance Physical Standards Board (EPSBD) would have revealed that the applicant had a medical condition that was disqualifying for enlistment and that it existed prior to entry on active duty.  
       
       Subsequently, competent medical authority would have had to approve the findings of the EPSBD.  The applicant would have had to agree with the findings and the proposed action for administrative separation from the Army.    
       
       A Soldier is in entry-level status (ELS) for the first 180 days of continuous active duty.  The purpose of the entry-level status is to provide the Soldier a probationary period.  Army Regulation 635-200 also provides, except in cases of serious misconduct, that a Soldier’s service will be uncharacterized when his separation is initiated while the Soldier is in entry level status.  A general, under honorable conditions discharge is not authorized under ELS conditions. 
       
       The analyst noted the applicant's issue that he requests an upgrade of his discharge to obtain medical benefits.  Eligibility for veteran's benefits to include educational benefits under the Montgomery GI Bill does not fall within the purview of the Army Discharge Review Board.  Accordingly, the applicant should contact a local office of the Department of Veterans Affairs for further assistance.
       
       Furthermore, the applicant's issues that the Board of Veterans Appeals stated that competent medical evidence shows seizure disorder did not pre-exist prior to his service.  The applicant's issues were carefully considered.  However, the analyst is unable to determine whether his issues have merit because the facts and circumstances leading to the discharge are unknown.  
       
       The burden of proof remains with the former Soldier to provide the appropriate documents or other evidence sufficient to explain the facts, circumstances, and reasons underlying the separation action, for the Board's consideration.  If the applicant desires a personal appearance hearing, it will still be his responsibility to meet the burden of proof since the evidence is not available in the official record.
       
       Therefore, the analyst determined that the reason for discharge and the characterization of service were both proper and equitable and recommends to the Board to deny relief. 

VII.  Summary of Army Discharge Review Board Hearing

Type of Hearing: 		Date: 14 December 2011         Location: Washington, DC

Did the Applicant Testify?  Yes     No  

Counsel: NA

Witnesses/Observers: NA 

Exhibits Submitted: DD Form 293, DD Form 214, and documentation from the Board of Veteran's Appeal. 

VIII.  Board Discussion, Determination, and Recommendation
After carefully examining the applicant's record of service during the period of enlistment under review and considering the analyst's recommendation and rationale, the Board determined that the discharge was both proper and equitable and voted to deny relief.
        
IX.  Board Decision						
	XI.  Certification Signature
Board Vote:  							          Approval Authority:	
Character - Change 0    No change 5
Reason -     Change 0    No change 5
(Board member names available upon request)
								         EDGAR J. YANGER			 
								         Colonel, U.S. Army
X.  Board Action Directed					         President, Army Discharge Review Board
Issue a new DD Form 214  					
Change Characterization to: 			         
Change Reason to: No Change
Other: NA										
RE Code: 
Grade Restoration:   No   Yes   Grade: NA

Official:




BONITA E. TROTMAN
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army
Chief, Secretary Recorder
?????




Legend:
AWOL    	Absent Without Leave		GCM   General Court Martial	NA   Not applicable			SCM	Summary Court Martial
BCD   	Bad Conduct Discharge	GD      General Discharge	NIF   Not in the file			SPCM	Special Court Martial
CG 	Company Grade Article 15	HD      Honorable Discharge	OAD   Ordered to Active Duty		UNC	Uncharacterized Discharge  
DD 	Dishonorable Discharge	HS       High School Graduate	OMPF   Official Military Personnel File	UOTH  	Under Other Than Honorable 
FG	Field Grade Article 15		IADT   Initial Active Duty Training	RE     Reentry Code				Conditions 

ARMY DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD - CASE REPORT AND DIRECTIVE

Case Number AR20110010545
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