IN THE CASE OF:  	Mr. 

      BOARD DATE:  	27 June 2014

      CASE NUMBER:  	AR20130017189
___________________________________________________________________________

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 an upgrade of his discharge from general, under honorable conditions to honorable.

2.  The applicant states, in effect, he has been sober since 1 January 2012; he has held a steady job since his discharge and started college to help his career progression.  He deserves a second chance at earning an honorable discharge.

DISCHARGE UNDER REVIEW INFORMATION:

a. Application Receipt Date:		13 September 2013
b. Discharge Received:		General, Under Honorable Conditions
c. Date of Discharge:			2 April 2012
d. Reason/Authority/SPD/RE:		Pattern of Misconduct, AR 635-200, Chapter 14 						Paragraph 14-12b, JKA, RE-3
e. Unit of assignment:			B Co, 86th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, Fort Bliss 						TX
f. Current Enlistment Date/Term:	5 September 2008, 4 years and 27 weeks
g. Current Enlistment Service:	3 years, 6 months, 28 days
h. Total Service:			3 years, 6 months, 28 days
i. Lost time:				None
j. Previous Discharges:		None
k. Highest Grade Achieved:		E-4
l. Military Occupational Specialty:	25S10, Satellite Communication Systems 							Operator/Maintainer
m. GT Score:				NIF
n. Education:				HS Graduate
o. Overseas Service:			Southwest Asia
p. Combat Service:			Afghanistan (100402-110402)
q. Decorations/Awards:		NDSM, ACM-W/CS, GWOTSM, ASR, OSR, NATO 						MDL
r. Administrative Separation Board: 	No
s. Performance Ratings:		None
t. Counseling Statements:		NIF
u. Prior Board Review:			No

SUMMARY OF SERVICE:

The applicant's record shows he enlisted in the Regular Army on 5 September 2008, for a period of 4 years and 27 weeks.  He was 20 years old at the time of entry and a HS Graduate.  He was trained in and awarded military occupational specialty (MOS) 25S10, Satellite Communication Systems Operator/Maintainer.  His record also shows that he served a combat tour, he did not earn any awards for acts of valor or meritorious achievements; and he achieved the rank of SPC/E-4.  He was serving at Fort Bliss, TX when his discharge was initiated.
SEPARATION FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES:

1.  The applicant’s service record is void of the complete facts and circumstances concerning the events which led to his discharge from the Army.  However, the record contains a properly constituted DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), which was authenticated by the applicant's digital signature.

2.  The DD Form 214 indicates that on 2 April 2012, the applicant was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 14, paragraph 14-12b, AR 635-200, for a pattern of misconduct, with a characterization of service of general, under honorable conditions.  The DD Form 214 also shows a Separation Program Designator (SPD) code of JKA and a reentry (RE) code of 3.

3.  The applicant’s available record did not reveal any recorded actions under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).  However, he was separated as a PVT/E-1 and the action that caused his reduction is not contained in the service record.

EVIDENCE OBTAINED FROM THE APPLICANT'S RECORD:

The record also contains a DD Form 214, dated 2 April 2012.

EVIDENCE SUBMITTED BY THE APPLICANT:

The applicant provided a DD Form 293, self-authored statement, and two support statements.

POST-SERVICE ACTIVITY:

The applicant submitted a document which indicated he was employed by the Andrews Center Behavioral Healthcare System, at the New Directions Veterans Home as a veteran’s residential trainer.

REGULATORY AUTHORITY:

1.  Army Regulation 635-200 sets forth the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel.  Chapter 14 establishes policy and prescribes procedures for separating members for misconduct.  Specific categories include minor disciplinary infractions, a pattern of misconduct, and commission of a serious offense, to include abuse of illegal drugs, convictions by civil authorities and desertion or being absent without leave.  Action will be taken to separate a member for misconduct when it is clearly established that rehabilitation is impractical or unlikely to succeed.  Army policy states that an under other than honorable conditions discharge is normally considered appropriate; however, a general, under honorable conditions or an honorable discharge may be granted.

2.  Army Regulation 635-200, 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.  Whenever there is doubt, it is to be resolved in favor of the individual.

3.  Army Regulation 635-200, 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.  A characterization of under honorable conditions may be issued only when the reason for the Soldier’s separation specifically allows such characterization.

ANALYST’S DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION:

1.  The applicant’s request for an upgrade of the characterization of his discharge was carefully considered.  However, after examining his available military records and the issues submitted with the application, there are insufficient mitigating factors to merit an upgrade of the applicant's discharge.

2.  The applicant’s record is void of the complete facts and circumstances concerning the events which led to his discharge from the Army.  However, the record contains a properly constituted DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), which was authenticated by the applicant's digital signature.  This document identifies the reason and characterization of the discharge and government regularity is presumed in the discharge process.  

3.  The DD Form 214 also indicates the applicant was discharged under the provisions of Chapter 14, paragraph 14-12b, AR 635-200 by reason of pattern of misconduct, with a characterization of service of general, under honorable conditions.  Barring evidence to the contrary, the presumption of government regularity prevails as it appears that all the requirements of law and regulation were met and the rights of the applicant were fully protected throughout the separation process.  

4.  The applicant contends he has been sober since 1 January 2012; he has held a steady job since his discharge and started college to help his career progression.  The applicant is to be commended for his efforts.  However, this contention is not a matter upon which the Army Discharge Review Board grants a change in discharge because it raises no matter of fact, law, procedure, or discretion related to the discharge process, nor is it associated with the discharge at the time it was issued.

5.  The applicant further contends he deserves a second chance at earning an honorable discharge.  Soldiers being processed for separation are assigned reentry codes based on their service records or the reason for discharge.  Based on Army Regulation 635-5-1 and the SPD Code/RE Code Cross Reference Table the applicant was appropriately assigned an RE code of 3.  There is no basis to grant a change to the reason or to the RE code.  An RE Code of 3 indicates the applicant requires a waiver prior to being allowed to reenlist.  If reenlistment is desired, the applicant should contact a local recruiter to determine eligibility to reenlist.  Recruiters can best advise a former service member as to the needs of the Army at the time, and are required to process waivers of reentry eligibility (RE) codes if appropriate. 
6.  Furthermore, the applicant’s post-service accomplishments have been noted as outlined in the documents with his application.  However, in review of the applicant’s entire service record and the reason for the discharge, these accomplishments did not overcome the reason for discharge and characterization of service granted.

7.  If the applicant desires a personal appearance hearing, it will be his responsibility to meet the burden of proof and provide the appropriate documents (i.e., the discharge packet) or other evidence sufficient to explain the facts, circumstances, and reasons underlying the separation action, for the Board’s consideration because they are not available in the official record.

8.  Therefore, based on the available evidence and the government presumption of regularity, it appears the reason for discharge and the characterization of service are both proper and equitable, thus the analyst recommends the Board deny relief.

SUMMARY OF ARMY DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD HEARING:

Type of Hearing:  Records Review      Date:  27 June 2014        Location: Washington, DC

Did the Applicant Testify?  No

Counsel:  None

Witnesses/Observers:  No

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:	NA
Change RE Code to:		NA
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)		AR20130017189



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ARMY DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD (ADRB)

CASE REPORT AND DIRECTIVE



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