RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2019-04056

XXXXXXXXXX	COUNSEL: NONE
	
	HEARING REQUESTED: NO

APPLICANT’S REQUEST

His uncharacterized discharge be changed to honorable.

APPLICANT’S CONTENTIONS

He believes his service was honorable due to his simple phobia-claustrophobia, which limited his ability to remain in closed classrooms with no windows.  This environment created a difficult situation.  He was also dealing with the death of a family member during training.  The anxiety and claustrophobia could have been addressed with counseling.  He received several AETC Forms 341, Excellence/Discrepancy Report, for excellence during basic military training and successfully completed leadership training.  
 
The applicant’s complete submission is at Exhibit A.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

On 5 Jan 94, the applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force in the grade of airman (E-2).

On 7 Apr 94, the applicant’s commander notified him that he was recommending he be discharged from the Air Force for a mental disorder that interfered with military service.  The commander stated if the recommendation was approved; the applicant’s discharge would be described as an entry-level separation.  

On 12 Apr 94, the staff judge advocate determined the separation actions was legally sufficient and recommended the applicant be discharged with an entry-level separation.

On 15 Apr 94, the applicant received an entry-level separation with an uncharacterized character of service.  His narrative reason for separation is Personality Disorder with the corresponding separation code of JFX.  He was credited with 3 months and 11 days of active service.

For more information, see the excerpt of the applicant’s record at Exhibit B.

AIR FORCE EVALUATION

The AFBCMR Psychological Advisor recommends partial relief.  There was no error or injustice identified in his character of service discharge classification and thus, his request for an honorable discharge could not be supported.  There was evidence from his mental health evaluation that his condition of claustrophobia, existed prior to service and was not aggravated by military service.  Therefore, liberal consideration is also exempt.  Finally, there was an error identified on the applicant’s DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, as personality disorder is currently listed as the narrative reason for separation.  The applicant was not diagnosed with a personality disorder but with simple phobia, claustrophobia, which was the reason for his discharge.  He was reported to have exhibited traits of avoidant personality disorder but he did not meet full diagnostic criteria for a confirmed diagnosis or was not the primary condition influencing his behaviors.  Both disorders, claustrophobia and personality disorder, are considered unsuiting mental health conditions and may have resulted in this classification error. The AFBCMR Psychological Advisor recommends changing his narrative reason for discharge to “Secretarial Authority” to correct the identified administrative error.

The complete advisory opinion is at Exhibit C.

AFPC/DP2STM recommends denial of the applicant’s request to change his character of service. Airmen are given entry level separation with uncharacterized service when the discharge action is initiated within the first 180 days of active service.  The Department of Defense (DoD) determined that it was unfair to the service and to the member to characterize their limited service.  To grant relief would be contrary to the criteria established by DODI 1332.14.

The complete advisory opinion is at Exhibit D.

APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATIONS

The Board sent a copy of the advisory opinions to the applicant on 1 Jun 20 for comment (Exhibit E), but has received no response.

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION

1.  The application was timely filed.

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

3.  After reviewing all Exhibits, the Board concludes the applicant is the victim of an error or injustice.  While the Board notes the recommendation of AFPC/DP2STM against correcting the record, the Board agrees with the recommendation and rationale of the AFBCMR Psychological Advisor and finds a preponderance of the evidence warrants a correction to the applicant’s record, in part.  Specifically, we agree with the AFBCMR Psychological Advisor that the narrative reason for discharge contains an administrative error.  Therefore, the Board recommends correcting the applicant’s records as indicated below.

RECOMMENDATION

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to the APPLICANT be corrected to show the DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, issued in conjunction with his 15 April 1994 discharge, be amended to read “JFF” in Block 26, Separation Code, and “Secretarial Authority” in Block 28, Narrative Reason for Separation.

However, regarding the remainder of the applicant’s request, the Board recommends informing the applicant the evidence did not demonstrate material error or injustice, and the application will 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-2019-04056 in Executive Session on 29 Sep 20:

, Panel Chair
, Panel Member
	, Panel Member

All members voted to correct the record.  The panel considered the following:

Exhibit A:	Application, DD Form 149, w/atchs, dated 7 Aug 19.
Exhibit B:	Documentary evidence, including relevant excerpts from official records.
Exhibit C:	Advisory opinion, AFBCMR Psychological Advisor, dated 7 Apr 20.
Exhibit D:	Advisory opinion, AFPC/DP2STM, dated 16 Apr 20.
Exhibit E:  Notification of advisory, SAF/MRBC to applicant, dated 1 Jun 20.

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