IN THE CASE OF: BOARD DATE: 23 February 2016 DOCKET NUMBER: AR20150006802 THE BOARD CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE: 1. Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents provided, if any). 2. Military Personnel Records and advisory opinions (if any). THE APPLICANT'S REQUEST, STATEMENT, AND EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant requests: a. correction of her records to show she was medically discharged and b. amendment of her character of service (uncharacterized) to honorable. 2. The applicant states: a. She believes she should have been educated about and/or offered a medical separation or medical retirement with an honorable character of service. b. She received an uncharacterized discharge under the provisions of chapter 11 of Army Regulation 635-200 (Active Duty Enlisted Administrative Separations), due to failure to meet basic combat training requirements because she could not pass the run portion of her physical fitness test after being diagnosed with bilateral flat feet with foot pain. She successfully completed all other aspects of basic combat training. 3. The applicant provides: * letter of explanation, dated 16 April 2015 * Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Rating Decision, dated 14 January 2015 * health records, dated December 2013 * DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) * two DA Forms 705 (Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) Scorecard) * six DA Forms 4856 (Developmental Counseling Form) * VA letter, dated 16 April 2015 CONSIDERATION OF EVIDENCE: 1. The applicant enlisted in the Regular Army on 7 October 2013 for a period of 6 years. 2. She was counseled for failing to meet APFT standards for basic combat training administered on 28 October 2013, 2 December 2013, 12 December 2013, and 6 January 2014. 3. She provided health records, dated December 2013, which show: * she was treated for left heel pain and bilateral foot pain * she was diagnosed with flat feet * she was given shoe inserts * she was released from medical care without limitations 4. Discharge proceedings were initiated against her on 8 January 2014. The unit commander cited the applicant's failure to adapt to the military emotionally. 5. Her Enlisted Record Brief, dated 9 January 2014, shows her physical profile rating as 111111. 6. On 13 January 2014, the separation authority approved the recommendation for discharge. 7. On 24 January 2014, she was discharged under the provisions of Army Regulation 635-200, chapter 11, by reason of entry-level performance and conduct. She completed 3 months and 18 days of creditable active service. Her service was uncharacterized. 8. She provided a VA Rating Decision, dated 14 January 2015, which shows she was granted service connection for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis (also claimed as foot pain) rated as 50-percent disabling. 9. She provided a self-authored letter, dated 16 April 2015, which states: a. In October 2013, she joined the Army. It was a decision that has changed her life for the better in so many ways. b. In November she began to experience some foot pain in both her feet, the left foot more than the right foot. She completed two APFTs prior to injuring her feet. She failed the first test on 28 October 2013 and she passed the second test on 27 November 2013. c. She went to the doctor on 3 December 2014 and she was diagnosed with flat feet. She was given inserts for her shoes and anti-inflammatory medication to reduce the pain. She struggled to participate in physical training, she could not complete the running portion of the APFT on 12 December 2013 and on 6 January 2014. She could not walk without a slight limp. d. She returned to the emergency room on 12 December 2013 following an APFT and a 16-kilometer ruck march (a forced march at a fast pace wearing a weighted backpack). She was then issued a physical profile for a week. After her return from holiday leave, she was told she would be receiving a discharge under the provisions of Army Regulation 635-200, chapter 11, for entry-level performance since she failed the make-up APFT on 6 January 2014. e. At that time she was unaware of what a medical evaluation board was or what it meant to be discharged due to a service-connected disability and/or being medically retired. Six months later, she was informed by a local VA representative that she may be entitled to VA benefits. She is currently receiving VA medical benefits, educational benefits, and disability compensation with a rating of 50 percent for bilateral foot pain and flat feet. 10. Army Regulation 40-501 (Standards of Medical Fitness), chapter 7 (Physical Profiling), provides that the basic purpose of the physical profile serial system is to provide an index to the overall functional capacity of an individual and is used to assist the unit commander and personnel officer in their determination of what duty assignments the individual is capable of performing and if reclassification action is warranted. Four numerical designations (1-4) are used to reflect different levels of functional capacity in six factors (PULHES): * P – physical capacity or stamina * U – upper extremities * L – lower extremities * H – hearing and ears * E – eyes * S – psychiatric 11. The numerical designator of 1 under all factors indicates an individual is considered to possess a high level of medical fitness and, consequently, is medically fit for any military assignment. A physical profile rating of 2 under any or all factors indicates an individual possesses some medical condition or physical defect which may require some activity limitations. 12. Army Regulation 635-40 (Physical Evaluation for Retention, Retirement, or Separation) governs the evaluation of physical fitness of Soldiers who may be unfit to perform their military duties because of physical disability. The unfitness must be of such a degree that a Soldier is unable to perform the duties of his or her office, grade, rank, or rating in such a way as to reasonably fulfill the purposes of his or her employment on active duty. 13. Title 10, U.S. Code, chapter 61, provides disability retirement or separation for a member who is physically unfit to perform the duties of his or her office, rank, grade, or rating because of disability incurred while entitled to basic pay. 14. Army Regulation 635-200 sets forth the basic authority for separation of enlisted personnel. a. Chapter 11 provides for the separation of Soldiers because of unsatisfactory performance and/or conduct while in an entry-level status. This provision applies to individuals who demonstrate they are not qualified for retention because they could not adapt socially or emotionally to military life; or because they lacked the aptitude, ability, motivation, or self-discipline for military service; or they demonstrated characteristics not compatible with satisfactory continued service. (1) This policy applies to Soldiers who cannot meet the minimum standards prescribed for successful completion of training because of lack of aptitude, ability, motivation, or self-discipline. (2) Separation under this chapter applies to Soldiers who are in an entry-level status and have completed no more than 180 days of continuous active duty before the date of initiation of separation action and demonstrated they could not or would not adapt socially or emotionally to military life. (3) Service will be described as uncharacterized under the provisions of this chapter. b. Chapter 3 provides that an honorable discharge is a separation with honor and entitles the recipient to benefits provided by law. The honorable characterization is appropriate when the quality of the member's service generally has met the standards of acceptable conduct and performance of duty for Army personnel or is otherwise so meritorious that any other characterization would be clearly inappropriate. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: 1. The applicant implies she should have been medically discharged because she was diagnosed with bilateral flat feet and she could not pass the running event of the APFT. 2. Her Enlisted Record Brief shows her physical profile rating was 111111 on 9 January 2014. The numerical designator of 1 under all factors indicates an individual is considered to possess a high level of medical fitness and, consequently, is medically fit for any military assignment. 3. Since there is no evidence showing she could not perform her duties while serving on active duty, there is insufficient evidence to show a medical discharge was warranted. 4. An uncharacterized discharge is not meant to be a negative reflection of a Soldier's military service. It merely means the Solder has not served on active duty long enough for his or her character to be rated. 5. Her administrative separation was accomplished in compliance with applicable regulations with no indication of procedural errors which would have jeopardized her rights. The type of discharge directed and the reasons were therefore appropriate considering all the facts of the case. BOARD VOTE: ________ ________ ________ GRANT FULL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT PARTIAL RELIEF ________ ________ ________ GRANT FORMAL HEARING ____X___ ____X___ ____X___ DENY APPLICATION BOARD DETERMINATION/RECOMMENDATION: The evidence presented does not demonstrate the existence of a probable error or injustice. Therefore, the Board determined the overall merits of this case are insufficient as a basis for correction of the records of the individual concerned. _______ _ _X_____ ___ CHAIRPERSON I certify that herein is recorded the true and complete record of the proceedings of the Army Board for Correction of Military Records in this case. ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150006802 3 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ABCMR Record of Proceedings (cont) AR20150006802 6 ARMY BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1