AIR FORCE DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD DECISIONAL DOCUMENT  

CASE NUMBER

 FD-2019-00635
      					
GENERAL:  The applicant was discharged on 16 Jan 2013 in accordance with AFI 36-3208 with a General discharge for Misconduct (Minor Infractions).  The applicant appealed for an upgrade of her discharge characterization to Honorable.  The board was conducted on 9 Jan 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 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 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 multiple Letters of Counseling and Reprimand and nonjudicial punishment under Article 15, UCMJ.   Her misconduct included:  failure to obey orders and regulations, and dereliction of duty.    

Due to evidence of  a mental health condition 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 believed she deserved an honorable discharge asserting she only had minor incidents of misconduct during her career.  She requested an upgrade to allow her access to veteran's benefits.  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, the DRB found that it was possible 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 10 Feb 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