1. Applicant's Name: a. Application Date: 30 November 2016 b. Date Received: 9 January 2017 c. Counsel: None 2. REQUEST, ISSUES, BOARD TYPE, AND DECISION: The applicant requests a change to the narrative reason for separation. The applicant did not submit any issues of equity or propriety to be considered by the Board. Per the Board's Medical Officer, a voting member, based on the information available for review in the service record, AHLTA, and JLV, the applicant was diagnosed with PTSD. Based on the available information, the applicant should have been referred to IDES for MEB/PEB given the fact that he had two boardable psychiatric diagnoses (PTSD, MDD). However, this change to the DD Form 214 does not fall within the purview of this Board. The applicant may apply to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR), on the ARBA website using a DD Form 149 regarding this matter. In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 2 May 2018, and by a 5-0 vote, the Board denied the request upon finding the separation was both proper and equitable. (Board member names available upon request) 3. DISCHARGE DETAILS: a. Reason / Authority / Codes / Characterization: Condition, Not A Disability / AR 635- 200 / Chapter 5, Paragraph 5-17 / JFV / RE-3 / Honorable b. Date of Discharge: 8 March 2007 c. Separation Facts: Yes (1) Date of Notification of Intent to Separate: 22 January 2007 (2) Basis for Separation: The applicant was informed of the following reasons for his discharge: in August 2006, while deployed, he informed his chain of command that he was having problems and requested to see mental health. On 11 November 2006, after being sent back to Baumholder from Iraq, Dr. C., a staff psychiatrist at LRMC, diagnosed him with major depressive disorder and PTSD (Related to Military Service) which manifests disturbances of emotional control; sufficiently severe and significantly impairs his ability to effectively perform his military duties. As of 29 November 2006, he has failed to overcome these deficiencies. He have trouble concentrating on extremely low level taskings and unable to focus or follow simple instructions. The medication he take prevents him from performing any 24 hour charge of quarters or late night courtesy patrol duties. His inability to carry or handle a weapon potentially impacts his ability to be an effective Soldier, and potentially interferes with assignment to future duties to include deployment. (3) Recommended Characterization: Honorable (4) Legal Consultation Date: 24 January 2007 (5) Administrative Separation Board: NA (6) Separation Decision Date / Characterization: 1 February 2007 / Honorable 4. SERVICE DETAILS: a. Date / Period of Enlistment: 31 August 2005 / 2 years b. Age at Enlistment / Education / GT Score: 24 years / 1 year of college / 114 c. Highest Grade Achieved / MOS / Total Service: E-5 / 19D10, Cavalry Scout / 4 years, 9 months, 24 days d. Prior Service / Characterizations: RA, 15 May 2002 to 30 August 2005 / HD e. Overseas Service / Combat Service: Germany / SWA / Kuwait, 13 November 2005 to 6 August 2006 / Iraq x2, 27 April 2003 to 6 July 2004 and 7 August 2006 to 1 September 2006 f. Awards and Decorations: ARCOM-2, AGCM, NDSM, ICM, GWOTEM, GWOTSM, NOPDR, ASR, OSR-2 g. Performance Ratings: June 2005 to 28 February 2007, Fully Capable h. Disciplinary Action(s) / Evidentiary Record: The applicant received several counseling statements regarding PTSD and being recommended for separation under Chapter 5-17. i. Lost Time / Mode of Return: None j. Diagnosed PTSD / TBI / Behavioral Health: Report of Mental Status Evaluation, dated 11 November 2006, relates that the applicant was diagnosed with major depressive disorder, severe, single episode and PTSD (related to military service). He met the retention standards as prescribed in Chapter 3, AR 40-501, and there were no psychiatric disease or defect that warrants medical board. However, criteria for administrative separation are present. He was and is mentally responsible, able to distinguish right from wrong and to adhere to the right, and had the mental capacity to understand and to participate in board proceedings. He was psychiatrically cleared for any administrative action deemed appropriate by command. VA discharge summary, 8 June 2010, relates that the applicant had an Axis I diagnosis of PTSD, chronic, stable, depression, not otherwise specified, improving and TBI, stable; Axis III, active problems, mood disorder, not otherwise specified, obstructive sleep apnea (adult) and concussion. 5. APPLICANT-PROVIDED EVIDENCE: Online application (six pages); and VA medical documents (1030 pages). 6. POST SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: None submitted with the application. 7. REGULATORY CITATION(S): Army Regulation (AR) 635-200 provides the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel. Paragraph 5-17 specifically provides that a Soldier may be separated for other physical or mental conditions not amounting to a disability, which interferes with assignment to or performance of duty and requires that the diagnosis be so severe that the Soldier's ability to function in the military environment is significantly impaired. AR 635-200, paragraph 5-1, states that a Soldier being separated under this paragraph will be awarded a characterization of service of honorable, under honorable conditions, or an uncharacterized description of service if in entry-level status. A general, under honorable conditions discharge is normally inappropriate for individuals separated under the provisions of Chapter 5-17 unless properly notified of the specific factors in the service that warrant such characterization. Army Regulation 635-5-1 (Separation Program Designator (SPD) Codes) provides the specific authorities (regulatory or directive), reasons for separating Soldiers from active duty, and the SPD codes to be entered on the DD Form 214. It identifies the SPD code of "JFV" as the appropriate code to assign enlisted Soldiers who are discharged under the provisions of Army Regulation 635-200, Chapter 5, paragraph 5-17, for a condition, not a disability. The SPD Code/RE Code Cross Reference Table shows that a Soldier assigned an SPD Code of "JFV" will be assigned an RE Code of 3. National Defense Authorization Act 2017 provided specific guidance to the Military Boards for Correction of Military/Naval Records and Discharge Review Boards when considering discharge upgrade requests by Veterans claiming Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in connection with combat or sexual assault or sexual harassment as a basis for discharge review. Further, it provided that Boards will include, as a voting board member, a physician trained in mental health disorders, a clinical psychologist, or a psychiatrist when the discharge upgrade claim asserts a mental health condition, including PTSD; TBI; as a basis for the discharge. In August 2017, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness provided further clarifying guidance to the Military Discharge Review Boards and Boards for Correction of Military/Naval Records when considering requests by Veterans for modification of their discharge due to mental health conditions, including PTSD; TBI; sexual assault; or sexual harassment. Liberal consideration will be given to Veterans petitioning for discharge relief when the application for relief is based in whole or in part on matters relating to mental health conditions, including PTSD; TBI; sexual assault; or sexual harassment. Special consideration will be given to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) determinations that document a mental health condition, including PTSD; TBI; or sexual assault/harassment potentially contributed to the circumstances resulting in a less than honorable discharge characterization. Special consideration will also be given in cases where a civilian provider confers diagnoses of a mental health condition, including PTSD; TBI; or sexual assault/harassment if the case records contain narratives supporting symptomatology at the time of service or when any other evidence which may reasonably indicate that a mental health condition, including PTSD; TBI; or sexual assault/harassment existed at the time of discharge might have mitigated the misconduct that caused a discharge of lesser characterization. Conditions documented in the service record that can reasonably be determined to have existed at the time of discharge will be considered to have existed at the time of discharge. In cases in which a mental health condition, including PTSD; TBI; or sexual assault/harassment may be reasonably determined to have existed at the time of discharge, those conditions will be considered potential mitigating factors in the misconduct that caused the characterization of service in question. All Boards will exercise caution in weighing evidence of mitigation in cases in which serious misconduct precipitated a discharge with a less than Honorable characterization of service. Potentially mitigating evidence of the existence of undiagnosed combat related PTSD, PTSD-related conditions due to TBI or sexual assault/harassment as causative factors in the misconduct resulting in discharge will be carefully weighed against the severity of the misconduct. PTSD is not a likely cause of premeditated misconduct. Caution shall be exercised in weighing evidence of mitigation in all cases of misconduct by carefully considering the likely causal relationship of symptoms to the misconduct. 8. DISCUSSION OF FACT(S): The applicant requests a change to the narrative reason for separation. The applicant's record of service, and the documents submitted with his application were carefully reviewed. The applicant requested a change to the narrative reason for separation. Army Regulation 635- 5-1 (Separation Program Designator (SPD) Codes) provides the specific authorities (regulatory or directive), reasons for separating Soldiers from active duty, and the SPD codes to be entered on the DD Form 214. It identifies the SPD code of "JFV" as the appropriate code to assign enlisted Soldiers who are discharged under the provisions of Army Regulation 635-200, Chapter 5, paragraph 5-17, condition, not a disability. The regulation further stipulates that no deviation is authorized. The applicant contends he should have been referred to a Medical Evaluation Board prior to separation. However, this change to the DD Form 214 does not fall within the purview of this Board. The applicant may apply to the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR), on the ARBA website using a DD Form 149 regarding this matter. A DD Form 149 may also be obtained from a Veterans' Service Organization. The applicant did not submit any issues of equity or propriety to be considered by the Board. The discharge was consistent with the procedural and substantive requirements of the regulation, was within the discretion of the separation authority, and the applicant was provided full administrative due process. 9. BOARD DETERMINATION: In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 2 May 2018, and by a 5-0 vote, the Board denied the request upon finding the separation was both proper and equitable. 10. BOARD ACTION DIRECTED: a. Issue a New DD-214 / Issue a New Separation Order: No b. Change Characterization to: No Change c. Change Reason to: No Change d. Change Authority to: No Change e. Change SPD / RE Code to: No Change Authenticating Official: Legend: AWOL - Absent Without Leave GD - General Discharge NCO - Noncommissioned Officer SCM - Summary Court Martial BCD - Bad Conduct Discharge HS - High School NIF - Not in File SPCM - Special Court Martial BH - Behavioral Health HD - Honorable Discharge NOS - Not Otherwise Specified SPD - Separation Program Designator CG - Company Grade Article 15 IADT - Initial Active Duty Training OAD - Ordered to Active Duty TBI - Traumatic Brain Injury CID - Criminal Investigation Division MP - Military Police OMPF - Official Military Personnel File UNC - Uncharacterized Discharge ELS - Entry Level Status MST - Military Sexual Trauma PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder UOTHC - Under Other Than Honorable Conditions FG - Field Grade Article 15 NA - Not applicable RE - Reentry VA - Veterans Affairs ARMY DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARD CASE REPORT AND DIRECTIVE AR20170000302 3