AIR FORCE DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD DECISIONAL DOCUMENT  
	CASE NUMBER

 FD-2019-00009	
					
GENERAL:  The applicant was discharged on 21 Apr 17 in accordance with AFI 36-3208 with an Honorable discharge for Adjustment Disorder.  The applicant appealed for an upgrade of his discharge characterization to Honorable.  The board was conducted on 22 Aug 19.  

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 not 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 deny the applicant’s request to change the reenlistment eligibility code to 3K.  However, the DRB voted unanimously to approve a change of the narrative reason to reflect Secretarial Authority.

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 did not include any disciplinary actions for misconduct. 

The applicant made no contentions that the discharge was inequitable or improper.  The applicant admits he had trouble adjusting to military life during his first enlistment, and insists that he has matured since the discharge.  The applicant is requesting the change in order to return to military service as an officer upon completion of his college career.

Per guidance from the Department of Defense, applicant requests to change the narrative reason should be approved when the original narrative reason was Adjustment/Personality Disorder and there were no aggravating factors in the record, such as misconduct.  The board determined the facts in this case met the criteria and, therefore approved the applicant’s request to change the narrative reason.  

After a thorough review of the service record and inputs from the board’s psychiatrist, the DRB found sufficient indication that any mental health issues had a direct impact on the applicant's discharge.

CONCLUSION:  The board determined the applicant’s discharge was improper based the guidance released.  Therefore, it determined the applicant’s discharge narrative reason should more accurately reflected as “Secretarial Authority.”

The DRB results were approved by the board president on 29 Aug 19.  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