AIR FORCE DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD DECISIONAL DOCUMENT  
	CASE NUMBER

FD-2021-00042	
					
The applicant was discharged on 20 Jan 06 in accordance with AFI 36-3208 with an Honorable discharge for Personality Disorder.  The applicant appealed for a change to the discharge narrative reason.  The Board was conducted on 13 May 21.  

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 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 unanimously to approve the applicant’s request to change the discharge narrative reason to Condition, Not a Disability. It voted unanimously to deny changing the reenlistment eligibility code to 3K.  (The Board did not approve the request to change the narrative reason to Secretarial Authority.)

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.  

Due to evidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mental health conditions 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 and counsel contend that under liberal consideration, the member’s PTSD diagnosis warrants a change to the Narr Reason. They also contend that even if the board cannot conclude that the member suffered PTSD while in service, he has received numerous MH diagnoses that imply he never had a Personality Disorder. They contend that under the Wilkie memo, fairness requires that he receive and amended Narrative Reason. Finally, they contend that the AF failed to provide the member with proper notice that he was being separated for a personality disorder.

The board noted the contention of failure to provide proper notice of reason for discharge however, the Board did not agree as the discharge notice signed by the applicant on 7 Dec 15 was the service record.  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. 

CONCLUSION: 
The DRB found neither the evidence of record, nor that provided by the applicant substantiated an impropriety.  However, sufficient evidence existed to convince the board the discharge was inequitable.  After a thorough review of the service record and input from the board’s psychiatrist/ psychologist, the DRB determined the discharge narrative reason was more accurately described as “Condition, Not a Disability.”  The Board did not change the reenlistment eligibility code so that it would be consistent with the updated narrative reason.  

If the applicant can provide additional information to substantiate the 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.  

The DRB results were approved by the board president on 20 May 21.  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  

Instructions on how to appeal to AFDRB or AFBCMR can be found at 
https://afrbaportal.azurewebsites.us

Attachment:
Examiner's Brief (Applicant Only)