IN THE CASE OF:  	

      BOARD DATE:  	1 May 2013

      CASE NUMBER:  	AR20130003890
___________________________________________________________________________

Board Determination and Directed Action

After carefully examining the applicant's record of service during the period of enlistment under review, and considering the Discussion and Recommendation which follows, the Board determined the discharge was both proper and equitable and voted to deny relief.





      
      
      Presiding Officer
      
I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Department of the Army Discharge Review Board in this case.

THE APPLICANT’S REQUEST AND STATEMENT:

1.  The applicant requests his under other than honorable conditions discharge be upgraded to general, under honorable conditions or honorable and his reentry code changed.

2.  The applicant states, in effect, he was stationed in Iraq for 18 months as a Combat Engineer, Team Leader.  After his return from Iraq, he began suffering from PTSD.   He served honorably prior to his discharge.  He tried to get help; however, he did not know the severity of the diagnosis.  Since then he has been diagnosed with PTSD.
 
DISCHARGE UNDER REVIEW INFORMATION:

a. Application Receipt Date:			22 February 2013
b. Discharge Received:			Under Other Than Honorable Conditions
c. Date of Discharge:				17 March 2009
d. Reason/Authority/SPD/RE Code:	  	In Lieu of Trial by Court-Martial, AR 635-200 							Chapter 10, KFS, RE-4
e. Unit of assignment:				Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade, United States							Army Maneuver Support Center and Fort 							Leonard Wood, MO
f. Current Enlistment Date/Term:		7 October 2004, 3 years, 18 weeks
g. Current Enlistment Service:		4 years, 2 months, 5 days
h. Total Service:				4 years, 2 months, 5 days
i. Time Lost:					99 days
j. Previous Discharges:			None
k. Highest Grade Achieved:			E-4
l. Military Occupational Specialty:		21B10, Combat Engineer
m. GT Score:					91
n. Education:					HS Graduate 
o. Overseas Service:				SWA
p. Combat Service:				Iraq (060901-071115)
q. Decorations/Awards:			ARCOM-2, AGCM, NDSM, GWOTSM, ASR 							OSR, CAB
r. Administrative Separation Board: 		None 
s. Performance Ratings:			No
t. Counseling Statements:			None
u. Prior Board Review:				No

SUMMARY OF SERVICE:

The record shows the applicant enlisted in the Regular Army on 7 October 2004, for a period of 3 years and 18 weeks.  He was 19 years old and had a high school diploma.  His record documents an ARCOM-2, an AGCM, and a CAB.  


SEPARATION FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES:

1.  The applicant’s disciplinary history includes accrual of 99 days of time lost for being AWOL on three occasions:  

a. 25 days between 10 October 2008 and 3 November 2008, mode of return is unknown
b. 21 days between 21 November 2008 and 11 December 2008, he was apprehended
c. 53 days between 12 December 2008 and 2 February 2009, mode of return is unknown

2.  Court-martial charges were preferred against the applicant for violating Article 86 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) based on the AWOL offenses outlined in the preceding paragraph.  

3.  On 11February 2009, the applicant consulted with legal counsel and was advised of the basis for the contemplated trial by court-martial and of the maximum permissible punishment under the UCMJ, of the possible effects of a discharge under other than honorable conditions, and of the rights and procedures available to him.  Subsequent to receiving this legal counsel, the applicant voluntarily requested discharge in lieu of trial by court-martial.

4.  In his request for discharge, the applicant acknowledged that by submitting the request for discharge he was admitting he was guilty of the charge against him or of a lesser-included offense that also authorized the imposition of a bad conduct discharge.  He also confirmed his understanding that if his request for discharge was approved, he could receive an under other than honorable conditions discharge.  He further stated he understood that receipt of an under other than honorable conditions discharge could result in his being deprived of many or all Army benefits, his possible ineligibility for many or all benefits administered by the Veterans Administration, and he could be deprived of his rights and benefits as a veteran under State and Federal laws.  The applicant confirmed he had no desire to perform further military service and did not submit a statement in his own behalf.  

5.  The applicant’s DD Form 214 does not show any excess leave.

6.  On 9 March 2009, the separation authority approved the applicant's request for discharge and directed that he be reduced to the lowest enlisted grade and issued an under other than honorable conditions discharge certificate.  

7.  On 17 March 2009, the applicant was discharged accordingly.  The DD Form 214 (Report of Separation from Active Duty) he was issued shows he completed 4 years, 2 months, and 5 days of creditable active military service and accrued 99 days of time lost due to being AWOL.  

EVIDENCE OBTAINED FROM THE APPLICANT'S RECORD:

There are no negative counseling’s or actions under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.


EVIDENCE SUBMITTED BY THE APPLICANT: 

A DD Form 293, dated 19 February 2013, and a DD Form 214.  

POST-SERVICE ACTIVITY: 

None provided with the application.  

REGULATORY AUTHORITY:

1.  Army Regulation 635-200 (Personnel Separations) sets forth the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel.  Chapter 10 provides that a member who has committed an offense or offenses for which the authorized punishment includes a punitive discharge may submit a request for discharge for the good of the service in lieu of trial by court-martial.  The request may be submitted at any time after charges have been preferred and must include the individual's admission of guilt.  Although an honorable or general discharge is authorized, a discharge UOTHC is normally considered appropriate.

2.  Paragraph 3-7a provides that an honorable discharge is a separation with honor and entitles the recipient to benefits provided by law.  The honorable characterization is appropriate when the quality of the member's service generally has met the standards of acceptable conduct and performance of duty for Army personnel or is otherwise so meritorious that any other characterization would be clearly inappropriate.

3.  Paragraph 3-7b provides that a general discharge is a separation from the Army under honorable conditions.  When authorized, it is issued to a Soldier whose military record is satisfactory but not sufficiently meritorious to warrant an honorable discharge.  

4.  Army Regulation 635-5-1 (Separation Program Designator (SPD) Codes) provides the specific authorities (regulatory or directive), reasons for separating Soldiers from active duty, and the SPD codes to be entered on the DD Form 214.  It identifies the SPD code of "KFS" as the appropriate code to assign enlisted Soldiers who are discharged under the provisions of Army Regulation 635-200, chapter 10, in lieu of trial by court-martial.

5.  The SPD Code/RE Code Cross Reference Table shows that a Soldier assigned a SPD Code of "KFS" will be assigned a RE Code of 4.

DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION:

1.  The applicant’s request for an upgrade of his discharge was carefully considered.  However, after examining the applicant’s record of service, the issue and document submitted with the application, there are insufficient mitigating factors to merit an upgrade of the applicant's discharge.  

2.  The evidence of record confirms the applicant was charged with the commission of an offense punishable under the UCMJ with a punitive discharge.  It also shows that after consulting with defense counsel, the applicant voluntarily requested discharge for the good of the service in lieu of trial by court-martial.  All requirements of law and regulation were met and the rights of the applicant were fully protected throughout the separation process. 

3.  The under other than honorable conditions discharge received by the applicant was normal and appropriate under the regulatory guidance.  His record documents no acts of significant achievement or valor and did not support the issuance of an honorable or a general discharge by the separation authority at the time of discharge and it does not support an upgrade to an honorable or a general discharge at this late date.  

4.  The applicant contends once he returned from Iraq, he started suffering from PTSD.   However, the service record contains no evidence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder diagnosis and the applicant did not submit any evidence to support the contention that the discharge was the result of any medical condition.  

5.  The applicant expresses that he had honorable service until his discharge.  The applicant’s service accomplishments and the quality of his service prior to the incidents that caused the initiation of discharge proceeding were carefully considered.  However, this service was determined not to be sufficiently mitigating to warrant an upgrade to the characterization of discharge as shown by the repeated incidents of misconduct.

6.  Therefore, the characterization of service being both proper and equitable, recommend the Board deny relief.

SUMMARY OF ARMY DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD HEARING:

Type of Hearing: 	Records Review   Date:      1 May 2013	        Location: Washington, DC

Did the Applicant Testify?  No 

Counsel: None

Witnesses/Observers: NA

Board Vote:
Character Change:  0	No Change:  5
Reason Change:	0	No Change:  5
(Board member names available upon request)



Board Action Directed:
Issue a new DD Form 214:			No
Change Characterization to:		No Change
Change Reason to:				No Change
Change Authority for Separation:		No Change
Change RE Code to:			No Change
Grade Restoration to:			NA
Other:						NA


































Legend:
AMHRR - Army Military Human Resource Record	FG - Field Grade	IADT – Initial Active Duty Training	 	RE - Reentry
AWOL - Absent Without Leave	GD - General Discharge	NA - Not applicable	SCM- Summary Court Martial
BCD - Bad Conduct Discharge	HS - High School	NIF - Not in File	SPCM - Special Court Martial
CG - Company Grade Article 15	HD - Honorable Discharge	OAD - Ordered to Active Duty	UNC - Uncharacterized Discharge  
CID - Criminal investigation Department	MP – Military Police	OMPF - Official Military Personnel File	UOTHC - Under Other Than                           			               Honorable Conditions


ADRB Case Report and Directive (cont)		AR20130003890



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ARMY DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD (ADRB)

CASE REPORT AND DIRECTIVE



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