AIR FORCE DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD DECISIONAL DOCUMENT  
	CASE NUMBER

 FD-2020-00668	
					
GENERAL:  The applicant was discharged on 5 Jan 06 in accordance with AFI 36-3208 with a General discharge for Misconduct.  The applicant appealed for an upgrade of her discharge characterization to Honorable.  The board was conducted on 21 Jan 21.  

The applicant was offered a personal appearance before the Discharge Review Board (DRB), but declined and requested the board be completed based on a records only review.  

The applicant was not represented by counsel.    

Pursuant to 10 USC §1553, the board included a member who is a psychiatrist/ psychologist with training on mental health issues connected with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI), and training on mental health disorders.
 
The attached examiner’s brief (provided to applicant only), extracted from available service records, contains pertinent data regarding the circumstances and character of the applicant’s military service. 
  
FINDING:  The DRB voted unanimously to approve the applicant’s request to upgrade her discharge characterization to Honorable and to change the discharge narrative reason to Secretarial Authority. It voted unanimously to deny change to the reenlistment eligibility code to 2C / 3K.

The DRB, under its responsibility to examine the propriety and equity of an applicant’s discharge, is authorized to change the characterization of service and the narrative reason for discharge if such changes are warranted.  If applicable, the board can also change the applicant’s reenlistment eligibility code.  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 determine if the discharge met the pertinent standards of equity and propriety.  

The applicant’s record of service included an Article 15. Her misconduct included: Wrongful use of marijuana.

Due to evidence of  post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), military sexual trauma and mental health conditions found in the applicant’s medical record, the board considered the case based on the liberal consideration standards required by guidance from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and/or 10 USC §1553.

The applicant states that service connected PTSD with MST has been established with the VA. She goes on to state that the use of marijuana is considered a marker with the VA, as her performance was exemplary before the assault. She states that after discharge, she has lived an honorable life, maintaining a job and family with no criminal background to this date. The member states that she was sexually assaulted during a military going away and that a couple of years later, she went to a party and smoked once. She goes on to state that the assault had a direct connection and that she believes that she would not have made the decision to do it if she hadn’t had mental health issues. She states that she wasn’t right in the mind and has always had a clean record. The member states that the discharge has prevented her from using the GI bill and has been ashamed to use her military career in her resume. She concludes by stating that prior to the assault, she was a good kid and had no discrepancies of any kind besides the one incident of smoking marijuana.

CONCLUSION:  
The board found neither the evidence of record, nor that provided by the applicant substantiated any inequity.  However, sufficient evidence existed to convince the board the discharge was improper.  Therefore, the board determined the overall characterization of the applicant’s service was more accurately reflected by an Honorable discharge and the discharge narrative reason was more accurately described as “Secretarial Authority.” The board did not change the reenlistment eligibility code.    

The DRB results were approved by the board president on 22 Jan 21.  If desired, the applicant can request a list of the board members and their votes by writing to:  

Air Force Review Boards Agency
Attn: Discharge Review Board
3351 Celmers Lane
Joint Base Andrews, NAF Washington, MD 20762-6602  

Attachment:
Examiner's Brief (Applicant Only)