1. Applicant's Name: a. Application Date: 28 December 2016 b. Date Received: 12 January 2017 c. Counsel: None 2. REQUEST, ISSUES, BOARD TYPE, AND DECISION: The applicant requests a narrative reason change. The applicant seeks relief contending, in effect, he was misdiagnosed at the time of his discharge. Based on his VA medical records, he has a service connected disability for PTSD, which warrants a narrative reason change from borderline personality disorder. 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. However, PTSD does not invalidate the Personality Disorder characterization. In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 16 May 2018, and by a 5-0 vote, the Board determined the narrative reason for the applicant's separation is improper based on the current discharge standards. Therefore, the board directed the issue of a new DD Form 214 changing the separation authority to AR 635-200, paragraph 5-17, and the narrative reason for separation to Condition, Not a Disability, with a corresponding separation code to JFV. The board determined the RE code was proper and equitable and voted not to change it. (Board member names available upon request) 3. DISCHARGE DETAILS: a. Reason / Authority / Codes / Characterization: Personality Disorder / AR 635-200, Paragraph 5-13 / JFX / RE-3 / Honorable b. Date of Discharge: 15 August 2007 c. Separation Facts: (1) Date of Notification of Intent to Separate: 3 July 2007 (2) Basis for Separation: The applicant was informed of the following reasons: He was diagnosed by Division Mental Health as having a Personality Disorder. (3) Recommended Characterization: Honorable (4) Legal Consultation Date: 9 July 2007 (5) Administrative Separation Board: NA (6) Separation Decision Date / Characterization: 27 July 2007 / Honorable 4. SERVICE DETAILS: a. Date / Period of Enlistment: 8 June 2006 / 4 years, 18 weeks b. Age at Enlistment / Education / GT Score: 21 / GED / 105 c. Highest Grade Achieved / MOS / Total Service: E-3 / 88M1P, Motor Transport Operator / 1 year, 2 months, 8 days d. Prior Service / Characterizations: None e. Overseas Service / Combat Service: SWA / Afghanistan (27 January 2007 - 27 June 2007) f. Awards and Decorations: NDSM, ACM, GWOTSM, ASR, NATOMDL g. Performance Ratings: NA h. Disciplinary Action(s) / Evidentiary Record: Memorandum, dated 25 June 2007, reflects the applicant was command referred for a Mental Health Evaluation. i. Lost Time / Mode of Return: j. Diagnosed PTSD / TBI / Behavioral Health: Report of Mental Status Evaluation, dated 14 May 2007, reflects the applicant was cleared for any administrative actions deemed appropriate by the command. The applicant could understand the difference between right and wrong and could participate in the proceedings. The applicant was diagnosed with: Partner Relational Problem; R/O Poly-substance Dependence (per member's report); and, Borderline Personality Disorder. Report of Mental Status Evaluation, dated 31 May 2007, reflects the applicant could understand the difference between right and wrong and could participate in the proceedings. The applicant was diagnosed with a Borderline Personality Disorder. Report of Mental Status Evaluation (memo), dated 28 June 2007, reflects the applicant was cleared for any administrative actions deemed appropriate by the command. The applicant could understand the difference between right and wrong and could participate in the proceedings. The applicant was diagnosed with: Partner Relational Problem; R/O Poly- substance Dependence (per member's report); and, Borderline Personality Disorder. The applicant provided a copy of his VA medical records, dated 30 December 2016, which reflects the applicant was rated 50 percent disability for PTSD. 5. APPLICANT-PROVIDED EVIDENCE: DD Form 293 and VA medical records. 6. POST SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: None submitted with the application. 7. REGULATORY CITATION(S): Army Regulation 635-200 provides the basic authority for the separation of enlisted personnel. Paragraph 5-13 in effect at the time, provided that a Soldier may be separated for a personality disorder, not amounting to disability, when the condition interfered with assignment to or performance of duty. The regulation requires that the condition is a deeply ingrained maladaptive pattern of behavior of long duration that interferes with the Soldier's ability to perform military duties. The regulation also directs that commanders will not take action prescribed in this Chapter in lieu of disciplinary action and requires that the disorder is so severe that the Soldier's ability to function in the military environment is significantly impaired. Army policy requires the award of a fully honorable discharge in such case. Characterization of service under honorable conditions may be awarded to a Soldier who has been convicted of an offense by general court-martial or who has been convicted by more than one special court-martial in the current enlistment, period of obligated service, or any extension thereof. 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 "JFX" as the appropriate code to assign enlisted Soldiers who are discharged under the provisions of Army Regulation 635-200, Chapter 5-13, personality disorder. 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 narrative reason change. The applicant's record of service, the issues and documents submitted with his application were carefully reviewed. The record confirms that the applicant was diagnosed by competent medical authority with: Partner Relational Problem; R/O Poly-substance Dependence (per member's report); and, Borderline Personality Disorder. The applicant provided no independent corroborating evidence demonstrating that either the command's action was erroneous or that the applicant's service mitigated his duty performance, such that he should have been retained on Active Duty. The applicant contends his narrative reason for separation should be changed because he was misdiagnosed at the time of his discharge with a borderline personality disorder. However, the applicant was separated under the provisions of Chapter 5, paragraph 5-13, AR 635-200 with an honorable discharge. The narrative reason specified by Army Regulations for a discharge under this paragraph is "Personality Disorder," and the separation code is "JFX." Army Regulation 635-5, Separation Documents, governs preparation of the DD Form 214 and dictates that entry of the narrative reason for separation, entered in block 28 and separation code, entered in block 26 of the form, will be exactly as listed in tables 2-2 or 2-3 of AR 635-5-1, Separation Program Designator (SPD) Codes. The regulation further stipulates that no deviation is authorized. There is no provision for any other reason to be entered under this regulation. The applicant contends the Veterans Administration has granted him a service connected disability for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, a careful review of the entire record reveals that this medical condition did not overcome the reason for discharge and characterization of service granted. The record shows that on 31 May 2007, the applicant underwent a mental status evaluation which indicates he was mentally responsible, with thought content as clear, and was able to recognize right from wrong. It appears the applicant's chain of command determined that he knew the difference between what was right and wrong as indicated by the mental status evaluation. 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 16 May 2018, and by a 5-0 vote, the Board determined the narrative reason for the applicant's separation is improper based on the current discharge standards. Therefore, the board directed the issue of a new DD Form 214 changing the separation authority to AR 635-200, paragraph 5-17, and the narrative reason for separation to Condition, Not a Disability, with a corresponding separation code to JFV. The board determined the RE code was proper and equitable and voted not to change it. 10. BOARD ACTION DIRECTED: a. Issue a New DD-214: Yes b. Change Characterization to: No Change c. Change Reason to: Condition, Not a Disability d. Change Authority to: AR 635-200, paragraph 5-17 e. Change SPD / RE Code to: JFV/ 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 AR20170001259 1