AIR FORCE DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD DECISIONAL DOCUMENT  
	CASE NUMBER

 FD-2017-00580	
					
GENERAL:  The applicant was discharged on 2 May 2016 in accordance with AFI 36-3209 with an Entry Level Separation for Erroneous Enlistment.  The applicant appealed for an upgrade of his discharge characterization to Honorable, and a change to the discharge narrative reason.  The board was conducted on 15 Nov 18.  

The applicant was offered a personal appearance before the Discharge Review Board (DRB), but declined and requested the board be completed based on a records only review.  The applicant was represented by counsel.    

Pursuant to 10 USC §1553, the board included a member who is a psychiatrist with training on mental health issues connected with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI), and training on mental health disorders.

The attached examiner’s brief (provided to applicant only), extracted from available service records, contains pertinent data regarding the circumstances and character of the applicant’s military service. 
  
FINDING:  The DRB voted unanimously to deny the applicant’s request to upgrade his discharge characterization to Honorable, to change the discharge narrative reason to Secretarial Authority and to change the reenlistment eligibility code to 3K.

DISCUSSION:  The DRB, under its responsibility to examine the propriety and equity of an applicant’s discharge, is authorized to change the characterization of service and the narrative reason for discharge if such changes are warranted.  If applicable, the board can also change the applicant’s reenlistment eligibility code.  In reviewing discharges, the board presumes regularity in the conduct of governmental affairs unless there is substantial credible evidence to rebut the presumption, to include evidence submitted by the applicant.  The board completed a thorough review of the circumstances that led to the discharge and the discharge process to determine if the discharge met the pertinent standards of equity and propriety.  

The applicant contended the discharge was inequitable because the waiver submitted by Behavioral Assessment Services (BAS) was done in an arbitrary and capricious manner.  The applicant insists there was never an official diagnosis, nor was there any proof of anything past the one-time event.  The applicant believes sleep deprivation caused him to misinterpret the questions and answer them in a different way than he normally would.  The applicant states his original answer that referred to self-mutilation and suicidal thoughts, was answered from the perspective of a fleeting thought when he was 14 years of age.  The applicant states he signed the waiver for “history of suicidal thoughts or self-mutilation” because he thought it would allow him to return to training and continue with his Air Force career.  The applicant believes the North Dakota Air National Guard denied the waiver routed and approved by the BAS, because they were not provided the necessary information to make a decision.  

Airmen are in entry level status during the first 180 days of continuous active military service.  If separated during this time, they normally receive an Entry Level Separation that is not characterized.  Because it is Air Force policy to not characterize this type of separation, the applicant’s request to “upgrade” it to Honorable could not be approved.  The board reviewed the applicant’s record and noted BAS based their recommendation for discharge on the information provided by the applicant during the counseling sessions.  The board found no evidence of impropriety or inequity to warrant any changes to the narrative reason.

After a thorough review of the service record and inputs from the board’s psychiatrist, the DRB found no conclusive indication that any mental health issues had a direct impact on the applicant's misconduct or discharge.

CONCLUSION:  The board found insufficient evidence of an inequity or impropriety that would warrant a change to the applicant’s discharge.  Therefore, the discharge received by the applicant was deemed to be appropriate and his request was not approved. 

The DRB results were approved by the board president on 21 Nov 18.  If desired, the applicant can request a list of the board members and their votes by writing to:  
Air Force Review Boards Agency
Attn: Discharge Review Board
1500 West Perimeter Road, Suite 3700
Joint Base Andrews, NAF Washington, MD 20762-6602  

Attachment:
Examiner's Brief