1. Applicant's Name: a. Application Date: 14 August 2018 b. Date Received: 10 September 2018 c. Counsel: None 2. REQUEST, ISSUES, BOARD TYPE, AND DECISION: The applicant requests a change to the narrative reason for separation. The applicant seeks relief contending, in effect, the narrative reason for separation is incorrect and deemed by the VA as incorrect. The applicant was diagnosed with PTSD and has a disability percentage and should be annotated in block 28 instead of "Personality Disorder." Per the Board's Medical Officer, a voting member, based on the information available for review at the time in the service record, the Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application (AHLTA), and Joint Legacy Viewer (JLV), notes indicate that due to the period of service, the applicant's active duty records are unavailable for review. The applicant is 70% service- connected for PTSD from the VA. In summary, the applicant's discharge was inaccurate. In a records review conducted at Arlington, VA on 4 March 2020, and by a 5-0 vote, the Board determined the narrative reason for the applicant's separation is inequitable based on the applicant's circumstances surrounding the discharge. 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 / Chapter 5, Paragraph 5-13 / JFX / RE-3 / Honorable b. Date of Discharge: 9 November 2004 c. Separation Facts: Yes (1) Date of Notification of Intent to Separate: NIF (2) Basis for Separation: The applicant was informed of the following reasons for her discharge; she was diagnosed by a psychiatrist or doctoral-level clinical psychologist with histrionic personality disorder, chronic and severe with occupational problems and that her pattern of emotional instability renders her nonfunctional as a military police officer, and unlikely to succeed in any military occupational specialty. (3) Recommended Characterization: Honorable (4) Legal Consultation Date: 17 October 2004, consulted with legal counsel, even though his election of rights indicates she waived counsel. (5) Administrative Separation Board: NA (6) Separation Decision Date / Characterization: 2 November 2004 / Honorable 4. SERVICE DETAILS: a. Date / Period of Enlistment: 28 June 2004 / 3 years b. Age at Enlistment / Education / GT Score: 21 years / HS Graduate / 97 c. Highest Grade Achieved / MOS / Total Service: E-4 / 31B10, Military Police / 4 years, 6 months, 5 days d. Prior Service / Characterizations: ARNG, 9 May 2000 to 7 November 2000 / NA IADT, 8 November 2000 to 30 March 2001 / NA ARNG, 31 March 2001 to 8 October 2001 / NA AD, 9 October 2001 to 24 September 2002 / HD ARNG, 25 September 2002 to 5 February 2003 / NA AD, 6 February 2003 to 22 January 2004 / HD ARNG, 23 January 2004 to 27 June 2004 / HD e. Overseas Service / Combat Service: SWA / Kuwait, 23 May 2003 to 13 September 2003 f. Awards and Decorations: ARCAM, NDSM, AFEM, GWOTEM, GWOTSM, AFRM-2 M DEV, ASR, OHAWM, OHBCTR g. Performance Ratings: NA h. Disciplinary Action(s) / Evidentiary Record: She received a counseling statement, dated 19 October 2004, for being recommended for separation under Chapter 5-13. i. Lost Time / Mode of Return: None j. Diagnosed PTSD / TBI / Behavioral Health: Report of Mental Status Evaluation, dated 5 October 2004, relates that the applicant had an Axis I diagnosis of occupational problems and Axis II, histrionic personality disorder, chronic and severe. This pattern of emotional instability renders her nonfunctional as a military police officer, and she is unlikely to succeed in any Military Occupational Specialty. Recommend administrative separation in a manner which bars further military service. Personality problems like this are handled per AR-635-200 as administrative rather than medical cases, and she has no diagnosable mental disease or condition which would require disposition through Army medical department channels. She was cleared for any administrative actions deemed appropriate by her command. 5. APPLICANT-PROVIDED EVIDENCE: DD Form 214 (two pages). The applicant did not submit any VA documents as indicated on her application. 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. A 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, paragraph 5-13, for a personality disorder. The SPD Code/RE Code Cross Reference Table shows that a Soldier assigned an SPD Code of "JFX" 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 issues submitted with her application were carefully reviewed. The applicant requests a change to the narrative reason for separation; and her narrative reason for separation is incorrect and deemed by the VA as incorrect. 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, paragraph 5-13, for a personality disorder. The regulation further stipulates that no deviation is authorized. The applicant seeks relief contending, she was diagnosed with PTSD and has disability percentage and should be annotated in block 28 instead of "Personality Disorder." The applicant bears the burden of presenting substantial and credible evidence to support this contention. There is no evidence in the record, nor has the applicant produced any evidence to support the contention that she was diagnosed with PTSD. 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 4 March 2020, and by a 5-0 vote, the Board determined the narrative reason for the applicant's separation is inequitable based on the applicant's circumstances surrounding the discharge. 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 AR20180013185 1