ARNG Unexcused Absences Counseling

PURPOSE OF COUNSELING:

You have accrued 18 unexcused absences in a 12-month period. This puts you in serious danger of:

1. Termination of eligibility to an incentive for becoming an unsatisfactory participant under the provisions of the Reserve Pay Supplemental Guidance Section III, paragraph 7-25
2. Being demoted under the provisions of Army Regulation (AR) 600-8-19, paragraph 7-17
3. Being discharged under the provisions of Army Regulation (AR) 135-178, paragraph 12-1

KEY POINTS OF DISCUSSION:

You are being counseled for your substandard performance in the following area:

_____ Weight Control
_____ APFT
_____ Drug and/or Alcohol Abuse
_____ Failure to maintain a valid Family Care Plan
_____ Indebtedness
__X__ Failure to Report
_____ Other:

Attending UTA/drill weekends is not optional. All members receive written orders from the commander, in advance, listing the annual UTA schedule. All members are expected to fulfill their service obligation and participate in scheduled training periods and perform satisfactorily as members of their unit.

AR 135-91 paragraph 4-10 Employment Conflicts

A. Employers sometimes schedule several weeks of career training, which prevents the Soldier from attending IDT periods. When this occurs the circumstances may, in the judgment of the unit commander, justify rescheduled training authorization.

B. Employment conflicts, overtime, schooling, and loss of income are not normally considered valid reasons for absence from training. If any of these conditions create a continuing hardship, the unit commander will refer the case through channels to the approval authority. The general officer commander (for USAR) or the State adjutant general (for ARNGUS) will decide whether to retain or remove the Soldier from the unit. While awaiting this decision, the Soldier is required to participate.

If this conduct continues, action may be initiated to separate you from the Army IAW AR 635-200. If you are involuntary separated, you could receive an Honorable Discharge, a General (Under Honorable Conditions) Discharge, or Under Other Than Honorable Conditions Discharge. An Honorable Discharge is a separation with honor based on the quality of service, which meets the standards of acceptable conduct and performance of duty. A General Discharge is a separation under honorable conditions, based on a military record being satisfactory but not sufficiently meritorious to warrant an Honorable Discharge. A discharge Under Other Than Honorable Conditions is based upon a pattern of behavior of one or more acts or omissions that constitutes a significant departure from the conduct expected of a soldier. An Honorable Discharge may be awarded under any provisions. A General Discharge may be awarded for separation under Chapter 5, Chapter 9, Chapter 13 and Chapter 14. An Under Other Than Honorable Conditions Discharge may be awarded for separation under Chapter 14 for misconduct. If you receive an Honorable Discharge, you will be qualified for most benefits resulting from military service. An involuntary honorable Discharge, however, will disqualify you from reenlistment for some period of time and may disqualify you from receiving transitional benefits (e.g., commissary, housing, health benefits) and the Montgomery GI Bill if you have not met other program requirements. If you receive a General Discharge, you will be disqualified from reenlisting in the service for some period of time and you will be ineligible for some military and VA administered benefits, including the Montgomery GI Bill. If you receive a discharge Under Other Than Honorable Conditions, you will be ineligible for reenlistment and for most benefits, including payments of accrued leave, transitional benefits, the Montgomery GI Bill, and possibly transportation of dependents and household goods to home. You may also face difficulty in obtaining civilian employment as employers have a low regard for General and Under Other Than Honorable conditions discharges. Although there are agencies to which you may apply to have your characterization of service changed, it is unlikely that such application will be successful. _______ (Soldier's initials)

PLAN OF ACTION:

1. Soldier must provide contact information for their civilian employment. This will ensure that the point of contact (POC) for the Soldier's civilian employment receives the Battle Assembly training schedule from the Soldier's Chain of Command (COC) and have a POC for the Soldier's COC to contact, if necessary.

2. Soldier must attend all Battle Assemblies per the FY 2025 Battle Assembly Training Schedule unless an RST is sent through your Chain of Command, signed by all parties, and approved by the Commander at least 2 weeks in advance. The Soldier will receive a copy of the RST form whether it is approved or disapproved. Please refer to AR 135-91 paragraph 4-10 Employment Conflicts, as the unit commander does not have to approve the RST for employment reasons.

3. The accrual of 18 unexcused absences in a 12-month period terminates eligibility to an incentive. The Reserve Pay Supplemental Guidance Section III, paragraph 7-25, Termination with recoupment states:

Since the number of accrued unexcused absences in a 12-month period is double the amount within regulation, there is no other option but to begin a termination with recoupment for your bonus. Per The Reserve Pay Supplemental Guidance Section III, paragraph 7-20b: