RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2013-01741 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: YES ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: Her military retirement be changed to a medical retirement. ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: She has had medical problems for years and is now unable to take certain jobs in the civilian sector due to her medical issues. She didn’t ask to retire. She was forced into requesting retirement because she could not pass her fitness tests, which were due to her condition of arthritis. The applicant does not provide any additional documentation in support of her appeal. The applicant’s complete submission is at Exhibit A. ________________________________________________________________ STATEMENT OF FACTS: The applicant is a former member of the Air Force Reserve who served as an Air Reserve Technician in the grade of technical sergeant (E-6). On 5 November 2011, she was notified by her commander that she was ineligible for reenlistment due to a history of fitness assessment failures. As a result of her fitness assessment failures, she received a Letter of Counseling and a referral Enlisted Performance Report (EPR). On 14 September 2012, the applicant was relieved from her current assignment and transferred to the Retired Reserve Section and place on the Reserve Retired List effective 12 October 2012. The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are contained in the letters prepared by the Air Force office of primary responsibility and the BCMR Medical Consultant at Exhibits C and D. ________________________________________________________________ _ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFRC/SG recommends denial. SG states that after a thorough review of the applicant’s military record, they find no record of a medical case of any type on the applicant. In addition, the applicant has not provided any supporting documents to support her appeal. The complete SG evaluation is at Exhibit C. ________________________________________________________________ _ BCMR MEDICAL CONSULTANT’S EVALUATION: The BCMR Medical Consultant recommends denial. The BCMR Medical Consultant states that based upon a preponderance of evidence, the applicant’s medical conditions did not preclude the performance of duties commensurate with her office, grade, rank, and rating. She experienced chronic bilateral knee pain since 2005, one side requiring surgery, as well as experiencing one or more episodes of back pain and depression during her career. However, no documents were provided to reflect either of these conditions were duty-related or were permanently aggravated by military service; which would be a prerequisite to qualifying for disability processing under Air Force Instruction 36-3212, if found unfitting. The mere existence of a medical diagnosis does not automatically justify a medical reason for career termination. With respect to the applicant’s four fitness failures, her assigned medical provider found no medical basis for the failures. It is apparent that her implicit inability to perform maximal aerobic activity due to her knee ailments was not considered a mitigating medical reason for her fitness failures. As a result, her commander elected to, twice, deny her reenlistment after having once issued a 12-month extension after the initial denial. It is apparent the applicant then submitted her request for retirement. It is the BCMR Medical Consultant’s opinion that the applicant has not met the burden of proof of an error or injustice that warrants the desired change of record. The complete BCMR Medical Consultant’s evaluation is at Exhibit D. ________________________________________________________________ _ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF THE AIR FORCE EVALUATION: Copies of the evaluations by the Air Force office of primary responsibility and the BCMR Medical Consultant were forwarded to the applicant on 7 June 2013 for review and comment within 30 days (Exhibit E). As of this date, this office has received no reply. ________________________________________________________________ _ THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 1. The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by existing law or regulations. 2. The application was timely filed. 3. Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or an injustice. We took notice of the applicant's complete submission in judging the merits of the case; however, we agree with the opinions and recommendations of the Air Force offices of primary responsibility and the BCMR Medical Consultant and adopt their rationale as the basis for our conclusion the applicant has not been the victim of an error or injustice. Therefore, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, we find no basis to recommend granting the relief sought in this application. ________________________________________________________________ THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT: The applicant be notified that the evidence presented did not demonstrate the existence of material error or injustice; that the application was denied without a personal appearance; and that the application will only be reconsidered upon the submission of newly discovered relevant evidence not considered with this application. ________________________________________________________________ The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2013-01741 in Executive Sessions on 28 January 2014, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: , Panel Chair , Member , Member The following documentary evidence was considered in connection with AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2013-01741: Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 4 Apr 13. Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C. Letter, AFRC/SG, dated 22 May 13. Exhibit D. Letter, BCMR Medical Consultant, dated 5 Jun 13. Exhibit E. Letter, SAF/MRBC, dated 7 Jun 13. 2 3 4