ARMY AR 635-200

a. This regulation applies to all enlisted soldiers serving on active dutyin the Active Army, including United States Army Reserve soldiers serving onextended active duty. It also applies to Army National Guard of the UnitedStates and United States Army Reserve soldiers serving on active duty under 10USC, which includes active duty for training, full-time active duty in theActive Guard Reserve Program, active duty for special work, temporary tours ofactive duty, and order-to-active-duty for contingency operations. Except forchapter 10, this regulation does not apply to soldiers serving on annualtraining. This regulation does not apply to Army National Guard of the UnitedStates soldiers serving on full-time National Guard duty under 32 USC. It doesnot pertain to Army National Guard of the United States, or United States ArmyReserve soldiers who are not serving on active duty or active duty fortraining. Administrative separation of these soldiers is governed by NGR600-200 or AR 135-178.

b. Chapter 12 governs the retirement of Regular Army, Army National Guardof the United States, and United States Army Reserve soldiers who are retiringfrom active duty in their Army enlisted status.

c. This regulation also applies during full and partial mobilization.During mobilization, chapters and policies contained in this regulation may bemodified by the proponent.

d. Active duty determinations requiring action by Commanding General,United States Army Personnel Command, as set forth in this regulation, will beforwarded to Headquarters, Department of the Army (TAPC-PDT-P), 200 StovallStreet, Alexandria, VA 22332-0478, unless otherwise specified.

a. This regulation sets policies, standards, and procedures to ensure thereadiness and competency of the force while providing for the orderlyadministrative separation of soldiers for a variety of reasons. Readiness ispromoted by maintaining high standards of conduct and performance.

b. The separation policies in this regulation promote the readiness of theU.S. Army by providing an orderly means to—

(1) Judge the suitability of persons to serve in the Army on the basis oftheir conduct and their ability to meet required standards of duty performanceand discipline.

(2) Maintain standards of performance and conduct through characterizationof service in a system that emphasizes the importance of honorable service.

(3) Achieve authorized force levels and grade distribution.

(4) Provide for the orderly administrative separation of soldiers in avariety of circumstances.

c. Department of the Army separation policy is designed to strengthen theconcept that military service is a calling different from any civilianoccupation.

(1) The acquisition of military status involves a commitment to the UnitedStates, the Army, one’s fellow citizens, and soldiers, to completesuccessfully a period of obligated service. Early separation for failure tomeet required standards of performance or discipline represents a failure tofulfill that commitment.

(2) Millions of Americans from diverse backgrounds and with a wide varietyof aptitudes and attitudes upon entering military service have servedsuccessfully in the Army. It is the policy of the Department of the Army toprovide soldiers with the training, motivation, and professional leadershipthat inspires the dedicated soldier to emulate his/her predecessors and peersin meeting required standards of performance and discipline.

(3) The Army makes a substantial investment in training, time, equipment,and related expenses when persons enter into military service. Separationprior to completion of an obligated period of service is wasteful because itresults in loss of this investment and generates a requirement for increasedaccessions. Consequently, attrition is an issue of significant concern at alllevels of responsibility within the Army.

(a) Reasonable efforts should be made to identify soldiers who exhibit alikelihood for early separation and to improve their chances for retentionthrough counseling, retraining, and rehabilitation prior to initiation ofseparation proceedings.

(b) Soldiers who do not conform to required standards of discipline andperformance and soldiers who do not demonstrate potential for further militaryservice should be separated in order to avoid the high costs in terms of pay,administrative efforts, degradation of morale, and substandard missionperformance.

d. This regulation provides—

(1) The authority for separation of soldiers upon expiration of term ofservice (ETS) or fulfillment of active duty obligation.

(2) The authority and general provisions governing the separation ofsoldiers before ETS or fulfillment of active duty obligation to meet the needsof the Army and its soldiers.

(3) The procedures to implement laws and policies governing voluntaryretirement of soldiers of the Army for length of service.

(4) The criteria governing uncharacterized separations and the issuance ofhonorable, general, and under other-than-honorable-conditions discharges.

Figure 1-1. Sample format for SS Affidavit the United StatesArmy

Figure 1-2. Sample format for request for retention inservice