AIR FORCE DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD DECISIONAL DOCUMENT  
	CASE NUMBER

 FD-2022-00516 	
					
SUMMARY: 

The applicant was discharged on 3 April 2008 in accordance with AFI 36-3208 with an Honorable Discharge for Homosexual Admission.  The applicant appealed for an upgrade of her discharge narrative reason.

The applicant was not represented by counsel.    

The applicant 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 Discharge Review Board (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 requested the narrative reason be changed due to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT).

Based on the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010, the DADT policy was repealed effective 20 September 2011.  The act authorized some former military members discharged under DADT (or a similar policy prior to DADT) to request a correction to their discharge records.  Based on this, the board concluded her discharge was improper due to the change in law.  Per guidance from the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, an applicant’s request should be approved when the original discharge was based solely on DADT (or a similar policy prior to DADT) and there were no aggravating factors in the record, such as misconduct.  The board determined the facts in this case met both criteria and therefore approved the applicant’s request.

FINDING:  The DRB voted unanimously to approve the applicant’s request to upgrade her discharge narrative reason to “Secretarial Authority” and to change the reenlistment eligibility code to “3K.”

CONCLUSION:  After a thorough review of the available evidence, to include the Applicant’s issues, summary of service, service/medical record entries, and discharge process, the Board found the discharge was improper.  Therefore, the awarded characterization of service shall remain “Honorable,” the narrative reason for separation shall change to “Secretarial Authority,” and the reentry code shall change to “3K.” The Air Force DRB (AFDRB) results were approved by the board president on 8 February 2023.  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)