RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2017-01577

XXXXXXXXXX	COUNSEL: NONE

	HEARING: NO

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, be corrected to reflect the following:  Block 23 – change Entry Level Separation to medical retirement; Block 24 – change Uncharacterized discharge to an Honorable discharge; Block 26 – change Separation Code JFK to JFL; and Block 28 – change Personality Disorder to Mental Condition/Major Depression with a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)-related disorder.

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He is entitled to an honorable discharge considering his disability of major depressive disorder and PTSD that he incurred in service.  The applicant’s complete submission is at Exhibit A.

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

On 8 Apr 03, the applicant received a discharge under authority of AFPD-36-32, Military Retirements and Separations and AFI 36-3208, Administrative Separation of Airmen, Chapter 5, Section B, paragraph 5.11.9, Mental Disorders with uncharacterized service, in the grade of airman basic, with credit for 4 months and 14 days of active service.  

On 26 Oct 16, the Discharge Review Board (DRB) heard the applicant’s request to upgrade his discharge and unanimously voted to deny.  See Exhibit H.

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

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DP2STM recommends partially granting the application.  AFPC/DP2STM recommends correction of the narrative reason for separation to “Secretarial Authority” with corresponding separation code of “JFF.”  However, based on the military human resource records, the discharge was otherwise consistent with the procedural and substantive requirements on the discharge instruction and was within the discretion of the discharge authority.  The complete advisory is at Exhibit D.

SAF/MRBP recommends denying the request to upgrade the applicant’s discharge characterization to honorable.  The complete advisory is at Exhibit E.

AFBCMR Psychological Advisor recommends changing the applicant’s narrative reason for separation to “Secretarial Authority” since the applicant was never diagnosed with any personality disorders.  He was also never diagnosed with Major Depression or any PTSD-related disorder, and so a correction to Secretarial Authority would correct the original mistake.  The complete advisory is at Exhibit F.

APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The Board sent a copy of the Air Force evaluation to the applicant on 21 Sep 18 for comment (Exhibit G), but has received no response.

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

1.  The application was not timely filed, but it is in the interest of justice to excuse the delay.

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.  In particular, the Board concurs with the rationales and recommendations of AFPC/DP2STM and the AFBCMR Psychological Advisor regarding the narrative reason for separation and the SPD code.  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.

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that the narrative reason for his 8 April 2003 separation is “Secretarial Authority” and the corresponding SPD code is “JFF”.

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.

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-2017-01577 in Executive Session on 18 Oct 18:

, Vice Chair
, Panel Member
, Panel Member

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

Exhibit A:	Application, DD Form 149, w/atchs, dated 23 Feb 17.
Exhibit B:	Documentary evidence, including relevant excerpts from official records.
Exhibit C:	Hagel Memo SECDEF Guidance, w/atchs, mailed to applicant 21 Sep 18.
Exhibit D:	Advisory opinion, AFPC/DP2STM, dated 06 Oct 17.
Exhibit E:	Advisory opinion, SAF/MRBP, dated 08 Dec 17.
Exhibit F:	Advisory opinion, SAF/MRB-MH, dated 10 Aug 18.
Exhibit G:	Notification of Advisory, SAF/MRBC to applicant, dated 21 Sep 18.
Exhibit H:	DRB Hearing Record with Rationale, dated 26 Oct 16.

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