RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2010-03151 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 1. Her narrative reason for separation “Personality Disorder” be changed to “medical discharge.” 2. Her records be corrected to reflect service in Saudi Arabia. (A DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, does not specify exact locations of Foreign Service – Her Foreign Service in Saudi Arabia from 21 Aug to 7 Dec 02 has been verified. The applicant was provided a letter to use as proof of “boots on ground” in Saudi Arabia.) _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: Her medical diagnosis “Personality Disorder” gives others a reason to look at her differently. It is embarrassing for her to show her DD Form 214. In support of her request, the applicant provides copies of her DD Form 214, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Certificate, and the eligibility criteria for award of the AFEM. The applicant's complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. _________________________________________________________________ STATEMENT OF FACTS: On 12 Jan 95, the applicant entered active duty in the Regular Air Force. She served as a security forces member, and her highest grade held was staff sergeant. On 8 Jun 05, the applicant was notified by her squadron commander that he was recommending her discharge from the Air Force for a condition that interfered with military service, specifically a mental disorder. The reason for the proposed action was: On 24 May 05, the applicant was diagnosed with a Personality Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder that rendered her unfit for duty. The applicant was referred to the Life Skills Support Center, for anxiety management. The Life Skills Support Center report indicated she met the criteria for diagnosis of Personality Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified, with Obsessive Compulsive and Histrionic Traits. In addition, the applicant met the criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder; however, the latter diagnosis and her ongoing problems with family, work reliability and functioning are a likely result of her underlying personality disorder conflicting with her environment. It was determined she did not have a psychiatric disorder that required action through medical channels, and her ongoing work problems and personal problems strongly suggested she was temperamentally and emotionally unsuited for continued military service. On 8 Jun 05, the applicant acknowledged receipt of the discharge notification and, after consulting with counsel, waived her right to a hearing before an administrative discharge board, and did not submit statements in her own behalf. On 16 Jun 05, the base legal office found the case legally sufficient to support the basis for discharge and recommended an honorable service characterization. On 27 Jun 05, the discharge authority approved the discharge. On 29 Jun 05, the applicant was honorably discharged by reason of Personality Disorder, after serving on active duty for a period of 10 years, 5 months, and 7 days. _________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSOS recommends denial. DPSOS states based on the documentation on file in the master personnel records, the discharge, to include her “Narrative Reason for Separation” was consistent with the procedural and substantive requirements of the discharge instruction and was within the discretion of the discharge authority. DPSOS states a medical evaluation revealed the presence of a Personality Disorder which was concurrently preventing the applicant from moving forward in treatment and functioning effectively in her duty position. Although the applicant was fully qualified for worldwide assignment, she had lost the confidence of her commander. The medical evaluation stated the applicant had poor coping skills and was characterized as one who is temperamentally and emotionally unsuited for military service. Although the applicant is apparently succeeding and coping well in her civilian capacity, it does not change the basis for which she was discharged from the Air Force. The military environment is unique and stressors encountered in such an environment may not appear or surface when removed from the military environment. The complete DPSOS evaluation is at Exhibit C. The BCMR Medical Consultant recommends denial of the applicant’s request to change her narrative reason for separation from Personality Disorder to a medical discharge; however, recommends the Board consider granting relief by changing the narrative reason for separation to “Secretarial Authority.” The Medical Consultant states the applicant was diagnosed with an Anxiety Disorder and a Personality Disorder. Although the Anxiety Disorder was potentially disqualifying and could warrant processing through the Military Disability Evaluation System, the evaluating military mental health provider determined that it was the applicant’s underlying noncompensable Axis II Personality Disorder, and not her Anxiety Disorder, which significantly interfered with her ability to perform her military duties and to carry out recommended therapies. Indeed, the applicant was administratively discharged for a mental condition that is considered unsuitable for military service, under the provisions of AFI 36-3208, Administrative Separation of Airmen, paragraph 5.11.9 Mental Disorders. The Medical Consultant concedes that professional opinions may vary regarding the comparative influence of the applicant’s Personality Disorder versus the Anxiety Disorder upon her ability to function in the military environment. Nevertheless, the Medical Consultant found no evidence of an error or injustice to warrant the desired changed of record. Indeed, had the applicant’s case been referred to a Physical Evaluation Board for an assessment of her fitness to serve, based upon the assessment by her military mental health provider, the Anxiety Disorder would not have been found unfitting, and the case would have been returned for processing under other administrative directives, e.g., AFI 36-3208, due to the Personality Disorder. The Board may consider granting the applicant relief, after collectively considering her life circumstances and the concurrent stressors she experienced (single parenthood, somewhat special needs child, interrupted sleep, financial stressors, supervisory responsibilities, and job training requirements; either of which could have independently formed the basis for a separation if not properly met); and her apparent recovery with the absence of an Axis I diagnosis and the uncertainty (“deferred”) of an Axis II diagnosis since release from military service. The Medical Consultant states that the narrative reason for separation of Personality Disorder on her DD Form 214 may pose a lifelong injustice. As such, he recommends it be changed to “Secretarial Authority.” The complete BCMR Medical Consultant’s evaluation is at Exhibit D. _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: On 9 Aug 11, copies of the Air Force evaluations were forwarded to the applicant for review and comment within 30 days. To date, a response has not been received (Exhibit E). _________________________________________________________________ THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 1. The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by existing law or regulations. 2. The application was not timely filed; however, it is in the interest of justice to excuse the failure to timely file. 3. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice to warrant partial relief. After a thorough review of facts and circumstances of this case, no evidence has been presented which shows to our satisfaction the applicant was improperly diagnosed or that her separation was in error or contrary to the prevailing instruction. That said, we do not believe she should have received a medical discharge. However, after considering the evidence of record and the analysis provided by the Medical Consultant, we believe in order to preclude any further injustice to the applicant, her narrative reason for separation should be changed to Secretarial Authority. As noted above, the applicant has been provided a “boots on the ground” letter that reflects her service in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Therefore, in view of the above, we recommend her records be corrected as indicated below. _________________________________________________________________ THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that on 29 June 2005, she was honorably discharged with a narrative reason for separation of “Secretarial Authority” rather than “Personality Disorder,” and separation code of “KFF” rather than “HFX.” _________________________________________________________________ The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2010-03151 in Executive Session on 13 Sep 11, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The following documentary evidence pertaining to Docket Number BC-2010-03151 was considered: Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 23 Aug 10. Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSOS, dated 7 Mar 11. Exhibit D. Letter, BCMR Medical Consultant, dated 4 Aug 11. Exhibit E. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 9 Aug 11.