AIR FORCE DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD DECISIONAL DOCUMENT  
	CASE NUMBER

 FD-2022-00374 	
					
SUMMARY: 

The applicant was discharged on 17 January 2020 in accordance with AFI 36-3208 with a Bad Conduct discharge characterization and Narrative Reason for Separation was Court Martial (Drug Abuse). The applicant appealed for an upgrade of her discharge characterization and a change to her discharge narrative reason.

The applicant was not represented by counsel and requested the board be completed based on a records only review.

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. 

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 a sentence of a Bad Conduct Discharge and reduction in rank as the result of a special court martial.  Her misconduct was drug abuse.
  
The applicant made no contentions that her discharge was inequitable or improper.  She stated that she made a mistake when she was younger and has learned from that mistake. She stated that she made many changes in her life and did not want the incident to hinder her future endeavors.   

The applicant did not provide any additional evidence to indicate the nature of her post service conduct or to demonstrate to the board a basis to grant clemency.  Although, she stated she was young when the misconduct occurred, her age was not any younger than most new airmen who serve honorably.  The DRB determined that due to the lack of evidence provided by the applicant, she did not provide any justification for an upgrade of her discharge characterization.  The DRB found no evidence of impropriety or inequity and no significant indications of the applicants positive conduct since leaving the service to warrant any changes to the discharge.  

FINDING:  The DRB voted unanimously to deny the applicant’s request to upgrade her discharge characterization to Honorable, to change the discharge narrative reason to Secretarial Authority, and to change the reenlistment eligibility code to 2C or 3K.
 
CONCLUSION:  After a thorough review of the available evidence, to include the Applicant’s issues, summary of service, service records, and discharge process, the Board found the discharge was proper and equitable. Therefore, the awarded characterization of service, the narrative reason for separation, and the reentry code shall not change.  The AFDRB results were approved by the board president on 14 November 2022.  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 an AFDRB decision can be found at 
https://afrbaportal.azurewebsites.us

Attachment:
Examiner's Brief (Applicant Only)