AIR FORCE DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD DECISIONAL DOCUMENT  
	CASE NUMBER

 FD-2019-00517	
					
GENERAL:  The applicant was discharged on 08 Jul 2010 in accordance with AFI 36-3207 with a(n) General discharge for Unsatisfactory Performance.  The applicant appealed for an upgrade of her discharge characterization to Honorable.  The board was conducted on 10 Mar 2020.  

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/ psychologist 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 4 to 1 to deny the applicant’s request to upgrade her 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 several Record of Counseling’s, Memorandum for Records, Letters of Reprimand and Counseling, and a Letter of Admonition.  Her misconduct included:  numerous inappropriate behavioral issues, failure to respond to superior, using insulting language, failure to administer medication, providing false information, lack of military bearing.

Due to evidence of  mental health condition/s  found in the applicant’s medical record, the board considered the case based on the liberal consideration standards required by guidance from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and/or 10 USC §1553.

The applicant contended the discharge was inequitable/improper.  Applicant contends she was wrongfully discharged and was a victim of retaliation by an officer in charge.  She states that she was harassed, physically assaulted, was subjected to racial slurs and a hostile work environment by her superior.  Her only fault was that she was standing up to the bullying and racial injustice she experienced while in service.  She went up the chain of command and to the Inspector General to file complaints for months regarding the issue.  She spent days in an institution from the ordeal, which resulted in her becoming fearful and grew more unstable.  She was continued to be harassed by her superior until she was moved from her unit.   Her anxiety, depression, fear, low self-esteem, paranoia, delusion and emotion disorder continue to haunt her from her experience and has created difficulty in her line of work.  She states that her superior and former co-workers lied on her records to force her out with the General discharge.  She is requesting the upgrade to overcome her obstacle since she contends that she served honorably and with integrity.

The DRB determined that, through the administrative actions taken by the chain of command in this case, the applicant had ample opportunities to change her negative behavior.  The board concluded the negative aspects of the applicant’s service outweighed the positive contributions she made during her Air Force career.    

After a thorough review of the service record and input from the board’s psychiatrist/ psychologist, the DRB found that some of the applicant’s mental health condition was a mitigating factor to the applicant's misconduct, however, it could not completely explain or excuse the misconduct sufficiently to warrant upgrading the 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 her request was not approved. 

The DRB results were approved by the board president on 27 Apr 20.  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
3351 Celmers Lane
Joint Base Andrews, NAF Washington, MD 20762-6602  

Attachment:
Examiner's Brief (Applicant Only)