RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2019-04159

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX	COUNSEL: NONE

	HEARING REQUESTED: NO

APPLICANT’S REQUEST

Her narrative reason for separation be changed from a personality disorder to a medical discharge.

In electronic mail dated 16 Jun 20, the applicant amended her request to include changing her Reenlistment Eligibility (RE) code of “2C,” which denotes “Involuntarily separated with an honorable discharge; or entry level separation without characterization of service,” to “Secretarial Authority.”

APPLICANT’S CONTENTIONS

Her discharge was both improper and inequitable.  In 2003, she experienced some traumatic events in her life.  Her stepfather passed away and shortly thereafter, her mother attempted a drug overdose.  She requested a humanitarian reassignment to assist with caring for her two younger siblings, but the request was denied.  These personal issues only exacerbated her previous symptoms of anxiety and depression.  In Nov 03, the Air Force psychologist who was treating her had given her a mental health diagnosis of anxiety disorder and adjustment disorder.  Then in Feb 04, the psychologist changed the diagnosis to personality disorder, stating he was being pressured by the commanding officer.  The discharge was improper because additional processing is required before Airmen who have served in an imminent danger area can be discharged for a personality disorder.  She was deployed to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in Jun 02 as a security forces fire team member where she received hostile fire pay for her duties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  Special processing should have been implemented, including the Air Force Surgeon General’s endorsement of the diagnosis, to ensure a proper diagnosis was being made.

The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

The applicant is an honorably discharged Air Force senior airman (E-4).

On 23 Jun 04, the applicant was notified of her commander’s intent to recommend that she be discharged from the Air Force under the provisions of AFPD 36-32, Military Retirements and Separations and AFI 36-3208, Administrative Separation of Airmen, for conditions that interfere with military service, specifically, mental disorders – personality disorder.  The commander recommended the applicant’s discharge be characterized as honorable.

On 23 Jun 04, the applicant acknowledged receipt of the discharge notification and after consulting with counsel, she waived her right to submit statements on her behalf.

On 1 Jul 04, the discharge authority approved the applicant’s separation with an honorable discharge characterization, without probation and rehabilitation.

On 13 Jul 04, the applicant was discharged with an honorable character of service.  Her narrative reason for separation is “Personality Disorder,” and her reentry code is 2C.  She was credited with 3 years, 10 months, and 27 days of active service.

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

AIR FORCE EVALUATION

The AFBCMR Medical Advisor recommends changing the applicant’s narrative reason for separation, as a minimum, to Secretarial Authority.  However, the evidence is insufficient to warrant a medical separation or retirement due to her somatic conditions [chronic right shoulder and back pain]; noting, although initially placed on an “L4” profile, this was replaced with short-term“U2” and “L2” profile restrictions.  Since there is an implicit contention the applicant’s mental health diagnosis may have been inappropriately changed, the Medical Advisor recommends review by the Mental Health Advisor to determine if the applicant should have been separated due to a compensable Axis I mental disorder instead of the unsuitable Axis II diagnosis she was given.  The applicant’s exemplary performance record in an overseas environment and the family and occupational stressors that followed were of sufficient collective magnitude to create an untenable, perhaps maladaptive, emotional situation; characterized by one provider as a personality disorder in this otherwise proven outstanding Airman.  Therefore, the Medical Advisor recommends removing the stigma of a Personality Disorder from the applicant’s DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, with issuance of a new document to reflect the reason for discharge as Secretarial Authority.

The complete advisory opinion is at Exhibit C.

The AFBCMR Psychological Advisor finds insufficient evidence to support the applicant’s request for a medical discharge for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Adjustment Disorder or any other mental health conditions.  However, the Psychological Advisor concurs with the Medical Advisor to change the applicant’s narrative reason for discharge to “Secretarial Authority” due to potential stigma.

The complete advisory opinion is at Exhibit D.

AFPC/DP2SSR recommends denying the application.  The discharge documentation is absent from the record.  Based on the assumption of regularity, the applicant’s commander would have received documentation/recommendation from the medical authorities indicating the applicant’s diagnosis.  Furthermore, the medical authorities would have made a discharge recommendation based on the applicant having a condition that interferes with further military service.  The commander would have recommended to the base discharge authority who would have directed discharge.  Based on the presumption of regularity, there is no error or injustice with the discharge processing.

The complete advisory opinion is at Exhibit E.

APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION

The Board sent a copy of the advisory opinions to the applicant on 3 Jun 20 for comment (Exhibit F), and the applicant replied on 16 Jun 20.  In her response, the applicant requests her Reenlistment Eligibility (RE) code of 2C be changed in conjunction with a change to her narrative reason and separation code.

The applicant’s complete response is at Exhibit G.

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION

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 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.  The Board concurs with the rationale and recommendation of the AFBCMR Medical Advisor and the AFBCMR Psychological Advisor and finds a preponderance of the evidence substantiates the applicant’s contentions in part.  Specifically, the applicant has provided details of life circumstances during her service; to include the death of her stepfather, murder of her father, the attempted overdose of her mother, denial of humanitarian assignment, her self-referral to Life Skills, and the events that followed related to changes in her mental diagnosis.  In order to prevent a further burden with the stigma associated with the narrative reason of “Personality Disorder,” we find it is in the interest of justice to change her narrative reason for separation to “Secretarial Authority” with the corresponding separation code to “JFF.”  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.

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 her 13 July 2004 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-2019-04159 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 16 Aug 19.
Exhibit B:	Documentary evidence, including relevant excerpts from official records.
Exhibit C:	Advisory opinion, AFBCMR Medical Advisor, dated 6 May 20.
Exhibit D:	Advisory opinion, AFBCMR Psychological Advisor, dated 6 May 20.
Exhibit E:	Advisory opinion, AFPC/DPSSR, dated 3 Jun 20.
Exhibit F:	Notification of advisory, SAF/MRBC to applicant, dated 3 Jun 20.
Exhibit G:	Applicant’s response, dated 16 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.