Personnel Separations

Active Duty Enlisted Administrative Separations

By Order of the Secretary of the Army:

RANDY A. GEORGE
General, United States Army
Chief of Staff

MARK F. AVERILL
Administrative Assistant to the
Secretary of the Army

History. This publication is a major revision. The portions affected by this major revision are listed in the summary of change.

Authorities. This regulation implements Title 10, United States Code Sections 1169, 12313, 12681, and DoDI 1332.14.

Applicability. This regulation applies to the Regular Army, the Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States, and the U.S. Army Reserve serving on active duty pursuant to Title 10, United States Code. AR 135-series regulations are the primary separation policies for Reserve Component personnel. AR 135–18 is the primary separation policy for Army National Guard Soldiers serving on full-time National Guard duty, Title 32, United States Code.

Proponent and exception authority. The proponent of this regulation is the Deputy Chief of Staff, G–1. The proponent has the authority to approve exceptions or waivers to this regulation that are consistent with controlling law and regulations. The proponent may delegate this approval authority, in writing, to a division chief within the proponent agency or its direct reporting unit or field operating agency, in the grade of colonel or the civilian equivalent. Activities may request a waiver to this regulation by providing justification that includes a full analysis of the expected benefits and must include formal review by the activity's senior legal officer. All waiver requests will be endorsed by the commander or senior leader of the requesting activity and forwarded through their higher headquarters to the policy proponent. Refer to AR 25–30 for specific requirements.

Army internal control process. This regulation contains internal control provisions in accordance with AR 11–2 and identifies key internal controls that must be evaluated (see appendix C).

Suggested improvements. Users are invited to send comments and suggested improvements on DA FormDA FormDepartment of the Army form 2028 (Recommended Changes to Publications and Blank Forms) directly to the Deputy Chief of Staff, G–1 (DAPE–MPE), at usarmy.pentagon.hqda-dcs-g-1.mbx.publishing-team@army.mil.

Distribution. This regulation is available in electronic media only and is intended for the Regular Army, the Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States, and the U.S. Army Reserve.

*This regulation supersedes AR 635–200, dated 28 June 2021.
AR 635–200 • 30 June 2025
UNCLASSIFIED

Active duty See AR 135 – 91.

Administrative board procedure The process of an administrative separation action where the respondent will have a right to a hearing before a board of officers. It is initiated in the same manner as the notification procedure.

Administrative separation Discharge or REFRADREFRADReleased from active duty upon expiration of enlistment or required period of service, or before, as pre- scribed by the DA or by law. If one of the bases for separation includes a continuous unauthorized ab- sence of 180 days or more, the consulting counsel will advise the Soldier that a discharge under other than honorable conditions is a conditional bar to benefits administered by the Department of Veterans Af- fairs, notwithstanding any action by a Discharge Review Board. Separation by sentence of a general or special court-martial is not an administrative separation.

Administrative separation board A board of officers, or officers and NCOs, appointed to make findings and to recommend retention or sep- aration in the Service. The board states the reason and recommends the type of separation or discharge certificate to be furnished.

Basic training The portion of initial active duty for training which provides non-prior service personnel instruction in basic skills common to all Soldiers and precedes advanced individual training (see AR 135 – 91).

Character of service for administrative separation A determination reflecting a Soldier’s military behavior and performance of duty during a specific period of service. The three characterizations are honorable, general (under honorable conditions), and under other than honorable conditions. The service of Soldiers in entry-level status is normally described as un- characterized.

Contractually obligated Soldier A Soldier who is serving on a contractual obligation or a member enlisted or appointed under circum- stances in which a statutory obligation was not incurred (see AR 135 – 91).

Convening authority See Manual for Courts-Martial.

Discharge Complete severance from all military status gained by enlistment or induction concerned (see AR 135 – 91).

Entry–level status See DoDI 1332.14.

Military record An account of a Soldier’s behavior while in military service. This includes personal conduct and perfor- mance of duty.

Notification procedure Initiation of an administrative separation process in which the respondent is notified in writing of the pro- posed separation, the basis of it, the results of separation, and his or her rights. This term is commonly used when the respondent does not have an automatic right to a hearing before an administrative separa- tion board.

Prior enlistment or period of service Service in any component of the Armed Forces which culminates in the issuance of a discharge certifi- cate or certificate of service (see AR 135 – 91).

Regular Army Consists of the following: RA Soldiers on active duty; ARNGUSARNGUSArmy National Guard of the United States and the USARUSARUnited States Army Reserve Soldiers on active duty; ARNGARNGArmy National Guard Soldiers in the Service of the United States pursuant to a call; and all persons appointed, enlist-ed, or inducted into the Army without component. Excluded are ARNGUSARNGUSArmy National Guard of the United States and USARUSARUnited States Army Reserve Soldiers serving on the following: ADTADTActive duty for training, AGRAGRActive Guard and Reserve status, active duty for special work, temporary tours of active duty for 180 days or less, and active duty pursuant to the call of the President (see 10 USCUSCUnited States Code 12304).

Release from active duty A termination of active duty status and transfer or reversion to a RC of the Army. Personnel with a statu- tory MSO (10 USCUSCUnited States Code 651 or any other provision of law) are transferred to a USARUSARUnited States Army Reserve Control Group. Unit members of the ARNGUSARNGUSArmy National Guard of the United States and USARUSARUnited States Army Reserve revert from an active duty or active duty for training status to their components to complete unexpired enlistments or unfulfilled obligations (see AR 635 – 8).

Respondent See AR 15 – 6.

Separation An all-inclusive term applied to personnel actions resulting from REFRADREFRADReleased from active duty, discharge, retirement, being dropped from the rolls, release from military control of personnel without a military status, or death.

Separation authority The official authorized by Army regulations to take final action on specified types of separations.

Statutorily obligated Soldier A Soldier who is serving by reason of law (see AR 135 – 91).

Transition center See AR 635 – 8.