RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2017-01115

XXXXXXXXXX	COUNSEL: NONE

	HEARING: YES

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, be corrected to reflect a medical retirement discharge.

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He had medical issues post-Vietnam, served 18 years and was discharged after an alcohol/drug addiction incident.  The applicant’s complete submission is at Exhibit A.

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Per AF Form 910’s, TSGT, SSGT, SGT Performance Reports,

Close out date of 02 Aug 86, the applicant received a 9 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 01 Apr 85, the applicant received a 9 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 01 Apr 84, the applicant received a 9 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 01 Apr 83, the applicant received a 9 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 22 Apr 82, the applicant received a 9 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 22 Apr 81, the applicant received an 8 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 02 May 80, the applicant received a 9 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 02 May 79, the applicant received a 9 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 02 May 78, the applicant received a 9 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 01 Nov 77, the applicant received a 9 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 24 Feb 77, the applicant received a 7 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 25 Nov 76, the applicant received an 8 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 04 Feb 76, the applicant received a 9 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 23 Dec 74, the applicant received a 7 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 02 Aug 74, the applicant received a 9 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 04 Jan 74, the applicant received an 8 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 04 Jan 72, the applicant received a 7 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 10 Aug 71, the applicant received an 8 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 30 Nov 70, the applicant received a 6 out of 9 rating.
Close out date of 31 May 70, the applicant received an 8 out of 9 rating.

On 03 Oct 86, a positive drug urinalysis test showed a result for Benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.

On 07 Oct 86, the applicant received a recommendation for discharge under authority AFR 39-10, paragraph 5-49c, Separation of Airmen, Misconduct-Drug Abuse.

On 08 Oct 86, per Standard Form 93, Report of Medical History, continuation sheet, the clinician noted “Depression, 1975, due to medical problems at that time, lasted for 30 days, abated with resolution of problems, no treatment required, NCNS (No Complications, No Sequelae).”

On 08 Apr 87, the applicant received an honorable discharge as an Air Force technical sergeant with credit for 18 years and 7 days of active service to include 4 years, 8 months and 27 days of Foreign Service.

For more information, see the excerpt of the applicant’s record at Exhibit B and the advisories at Exhibits C and D.

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFBCMR Medical Advisor recommends partially granting the application.  In regards to the applicant’s petition to supplant his misconduct discharge with a medical retirement, the Medical Advisor recommends denial.  In order to qualify for a medical separation or retirement, there must be evidence of a medical condition (during military service) that prevented the service member from reasonably performing the duties of his or her office, grade, rank, or rating.  This may be identified through observations made by commanding officers and/or clinical assessments by medical personnel, who would then assign profile restrictions to protect the member from further harm to self or others.  No such service medical evidence is supplied.  However, the Medical Advisor suggests that the Board may “liberally consider” the applicant’s alleged past traumatic events, the recent evidence of PTSD, and its recognized association with drug use, to change the reason for separation to Secretarial Authority.  The complete advisory is at Exhibit D.

AFBCMR Psychological Advisor recommends partially granting the application.  There was insufficient evidence to support granting the applicant’s request for a medical retirement for PTSD, however the Psychological Advisor concurs with the Medical Advisor that the Board may consider changing the applicant’s narrative reason for separation to Secretarial Authority based on new evidence that his drug use was associated with his traumatic experience from deployment.  The complete advisory is at Exhibit E.

APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The Board sent a copy of the Air Force evaluation to the applicant on 29 Aug 18 for comment (Exhibit E), but has received no response.

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

1.  The application was timely filed.

2.  The applicant exhausted all available avenues of non-judicial relief before applying to the Board.

3.  After reviewing all Exhibits, the Board concludes the applicant has presented evidence sufficient to demonstrate an error or injustice regarding part, but not all, of his request.  Based on a thorough review of the applicant’s official military personnel records, the Board determined the applicant’s Narrative Reason for Separation should be updated to Secretarial Authority.  However, for the remainder of the applicant’s request, the evidence presented did not demonstrate an error or injustice, and the Board therefore finds no basis to recommend granting that portion of the applicant’s request.  Therefore, the Board recommends correcting the applicant’s records as indicated below.

4.  The applicant has not shown that a personal appearance with or without counsel would materially add to the Board’s understanding of the issues involved.

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to the APPLICANT be corrected to show that his DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, issued in conjunction with his 08 Apr 87 discharge, be amended to read “Secretarial Authority” in Block 28, Narrative Reason for Separation.

However, regarding the remainder of the applicant’s request, the Board recommends the applicant be informed the evidence did not demonstrate material error or injustice and the application could only be reconsidered upon receipt of relevant evidence not already considered by the Board.

The application was adjudicated without a personal appearance.

CERTIFICATION:

The following quorum of the Board, as defined in Air Force Instruction (AFI) 36-2603, Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records (AFBCMR), paragraph 1.5, considered Docket Number BC-2017-01115 in Executive Session on 18 Oct 18:

, Vice Chair 
, Panel Member
, Panel Member

All panel members voted to correct the record in part, as noted above.  The panel considered the following:

Exhibit A:	Application, DD Form 149, w/atchs, dated 08 Mar 17.
Exhibit B:	Documentary evidence, including relevant excerpts from official records.
Exhibit C:	Advisory opinion, AFBCMR Medical Advisor, dated 30 Apr 18.
Exhibit D:	Advisory opinion, SAF/MRBC, dated 15 Aug 18.
Exhibit E:	Notification of Advisory, SAF/MRBC to applicant, dated 29 Aug 18.

Taken together with all Exhibits, this document constitutes the true and complete Record of Proceedings required by AFI 36-2603, paragraph 4.11.9.