AJR FORCE DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD HEARING RECORD
NA:vlEOF SERV ICE .\1EMOER (LAST,FIRST MIDDLEINITIAL)	GRADE	AfSNISSAN
(b)(6)	(b)(6)
TYPE  GE	I	PERSONA L APPEARANCE	x	I	RECORD  REVIEW
COUNSEL	NA.\I E or COUNSEL A:-ID OR ORGA. 17.ATION	A 00R£SS ANI> OR 0RGAN7-.\TI ON OF COUNSEL.
YES	No
x
VOTE OF THE BOARD
MEMBER SITTING	llON	GEN	UOTHC	OTHER	DENY
(b)(6)	x
x x
x
x
ISSUt:S	A94.55	1 0£X   U 16 EK	A66.00	EXHIBlTS  SUBMlTTED TOTHE BOARl>
IORDER APPOINTING THE BOARD
2	APPLICATION FOR REVIEW OF DISCHARGE
3	LETrER OF NOTIFICATION
4	BRIEF OF PERSONNEL FILE COUNSEL'S RELEASE TO THE BOARD
ADDrrIONAL EXHIBITS SUBMITTED AT TIME OF PERSONAL APPEARANCE
TAPE RECORDl1 G OF PERSONAL A PPEARANCE HEARi (j

ll EARJl'G DATE	CASE l"UIBER

26 Mar 2015	FD-2014-00539
APPLICANT'S  ISSUEMDTHE  BOARD'S OECISIONALRATIONALSARE  OISCUSSEOOl'ITHEA TTACl\llD ATR  FORCll DISCflARO.ERll\llEW BOARD DEClIONAL RATIONALE.

Case heard in Washington, D.C.

Advise applicant of the decision of the Board, the right to a personal appearance with/without counsel, and the right to submit an application to the AFBCMR.

(b)(6)

INDORSEMENT	DATE: 3130/ZO JS
TO:	FROl :

SAF/MRBR

SECRETARY OFTHEAIR FORCE PERSONSE:L COUNCIL
AIR FORCE DISCllARCE REVIEW BOARD
550 C STREET WEST,SUITE 40	1535: COMMAND OR,[£ WJ N(:, JRO FLOOR
RA  DOLPH AFB, TX 781504742	ANDREWSAFB,MD 20762-7001

AFHQ FORM 0-2077, JAN 00	(EF-V2)	Previous

AIR FORCE DISCHARGE  REVIEW BOARD DECISIONAL  RATIONALE	CASE NUMBER

FD-2014-00539	

GENERAL :  The applicant appeals for upgrade of discharge to Honorable.

The applicant was offered  a personal  appearance before the Discharge  Review  Board  (ORB) but declined and requests that the review be completed based on the available service record.

The attached brief contains available pertinent data on the applicant and the factors leading to the discharge.

FINDING: The Board denies the upgrade of the discharge.

The Board  finds that  neither  the  evidence  of record  nor  that  provided  by  the applicant  substantiates  an inequity or impropriety that would justify a change of discharge.

ISSUE:  The applicant received  a General discharge for Misconduct -Drug Abuse

The Air Force Discharge Review Board, under its responsibility to examine the propriety and equity of an Applicant's discharge,  is authorized to change the characterization of service and the reason for discharge if such change is wananted. In reviewing discharges, the Board presumes regularity in the conduct of governmental affairs unless there is substantial credible evidence to rebut the presumption, to  include evidence submitted by the applicant. The Board completed a thorough review of the circumstances that led to the discharge and the discharge process to ensure the discharge met the pertinent standards of equity and propriety.  The applicant 's record of service included a General Court-Martial for wrongful use of marijuana.

The applicant contends that he should not be penalized  indefinitely for a mistake, a "one time incident".  The DRB recognized the applicant was 22 years of age when the discharge took place.  However, there is no evidence he was immature.  The Board opined the applicant was older than the vast majority of first-term members who properly adhere to the Air Force's standards of conduct.  The record indicates that the  applicant was discharged  for Misconduct-Drug Abuse.   He was Court-Martialed  for wrongful  use of marijuana.  The ORB concluded that the characterization of the applicant's discharge was appropriate due to the misconduct.
A discharge is upgraded only if the applicant and the Board can establish that an inequity or impropriety took place at the time of discharge.  After a thorough review of the record, the Board found no evidence to justify  an upgrade of the discharge characterization.

CONCLUSION: The Discharge Review Board concludes that the discharge was consistent with the procedural and substantive requirements of the discharge regulation , was within the discretion of  the discharge authority, and that the applicant was provided full administrative due process.

In view of the foregoing findings, the Board further concludes that there exists no legal or equitable basis for upgrade of discharge and determines the discharge should remain unchanged.

Attachment: Examiner's Brief