AIR FORCE DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD DECISIONAL DOCUMENT  
	CASE NUMBER

 FD-2020-00329	
					
GENERAL:  The applicant was discharged on 01 Dec 2019 in accordance with AFI 36-3209 with a(n) General discharge for Paragraph 3.21.3.2.: Misconduct-Drug Abuse Through Urinalysis.  The applicant appealed for an upgrade of his discharge characterization to Honorable.  The board was conducted on 22 Sep 2020.

The applicant initially chose to have a personal appearance before the Discharge Review Board (DRB), but due to lack of response/s from the applicant in regards to scheduling the appearance, the President of the AFDRB authorized to complete its review of the discharge, per DOD 1332.8, E3.2.6.2.  The applicant did not have a prior records only review, therefore, the board deemed him eligible for one.  

The applicant was not represented by counsel.    

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 made no contentions that the discharge was inequitable/improper.  He states that he was exemplary in his duties while serving.  However, after returning home from training, he allowed his home life and a juvenile action interfere with his service.  He would like the opportunity to serve again and notes that everything correlated to his misconduct has been expunged from his record.

The DRB determined that, through the administrative actions taken by the chain of command in this case, it concluded the negative aspects of the applicant’s service outweighed the positive contributions he made during his Air Force career.  The DRB reviewed the applicant’s entire service record and found no evidence of impropriety or inequity to warrant an upgrade of the discharge.  It found the seriousness of the applicant’s willful misconduct offset the positive aspects of his service.  

Upon review of the applicant’s service record, the board was not able to find any documentation regarding the discharge.  Since the board relies on the presumption of regularity, it concluded the discharge received by the applicant was appropriate.  

If the applicant can provide additional information to substantiate his contentions, the board recommends he  exercise the right to make a personal appearance before the DRB or directly appeal the DRB’s decision to the Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records.    

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 2 Oct 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)