AIR FORCE DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD DECISIONAL DOCUMENT  
	CASE NUMBER

 FD-2017-00733	
					
GENERAL:  The applicant was discharged on 17 Oct 14 in accordance with AFI 36-3208 with a General discharge for Misconduct (Minor Infractions).  The applicant appealed for an upgrade of his discharge characterization to Honorable.  The board was conducted on 25 Sept 18.  

The applicant appeared and testified before the Discharge Review Board (DRB), without counsel, at Joint Base Andrews, MD, on 25 Sept 18.  No witnesses were present to testify on the applicant’s behalf.  No additional exhibits were submitted at the hearing.  

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.

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’s record of service included one Article 15, one vacation of suspended nonjudicial punishment, and two Letters of Counseling. His misconduct included:  failure to report for duty (x2), Derelict in performance of duty, deceit and misuse of government travel card, false official statement.

The applicant made no contentions that the discharge was inequitable/improper.  

The applicant stated the discharge should be upgraded due to lack of Transitional Assistance preparation during his administrative discharge.   The applicant also cited the desire to receive educational benefits and his present service characterization renders him ineligible.  The board reviewed the applicant’s entire service record and found no evidence of impropriety or inequity to warrant any changes to the discharge.  

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 1Oct 2018.  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