RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
PHYSICAL DISABILITY BOARD OF REVIEW

NAME:  XXXXXXXXXX	CASE:  PD-2017-03951
BRANCH OF SERVICE:  Air Force 	SEPARATION DATE:  20061106

SUMMARY OF CASE:  Data extracted from the available evidence of record reflects this covered individual (CI) was an active duty E3, Dental Assistant, medically separated for “asthma” with a disability rating of 10%.   

CI CONTENTION:  Review requested of additional conditions not identified by the Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) and Physical Evaluation Board (PEB).  The complete submission is at Exhibit A.  

SCOPE OF REVIEW:  The panel’s scope of review is defined in DoDI 6040.44.  It is limited to review of disability ratings assigned to those conditions determined by the PEB to be unfitting for continued military service, and when specifically requested by the CI, those conditions identified by the MEB, but determined by the PEB to be not unfitting or non-compensable.  Any conditions outside the panel’s defined scope of review, and any contention not requested in this application, may remain eligible for future consideration by the Board for Correction of Military Records.  The panel’s authority is limited to assessing the fairness and accuracy of PEB rating determinations and recommending corrections when appropriate.  The panel’s assessment of the PEB rating determination is based on review of medical records and all available evidence relevant to application of the Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD) standards for the unfitting medical condition(s) at the time of separation.  The panel has neither the role nor the authority to compensate for post-separation progression or complications of service-connected conditions; that role and authority is granted by Congress to the Department of Veterans Affairs, which operates under a different set of laws.  The panel gives consideration to VA evidence, particularly within 12 months of separation, but only to the extent that it reasonably reflects the severity of disability at the time of separation.  

RATING COMPARISON:  

SERVICE PEB - 20060925	VARD - NA	
Condition	Code	Rating	Condition	Code	Rating	Exam	
Asthma	6602	10%	No VA Examination Proximate to Separation in Evidence	
COMBINED RATING:  10%	COMBINED RATING OF ALL VA CONDITIONS:  NA	

ANALYSIS SUMMARY:  

Asthma.  According to the service treatment record and MEB narrative summary (NARSUM), the CI underwent pulmonary function testing (PFT) on 2 June 2006 after experiencing significant shortness of breath and difficulty breathing with physical exertion.  The PFT results showed an FEV-1 of 100% of predicted and an FEV-1/FVC of 83%.  During the 4 August 2006 MEB NARSUM examination, 3 months prior to separation, the CI reported intermittent asthma symptoms.  The examiner noted she was taking albuterol (bronchodilator therapy) on an as needed basis, and additionally prescribed Advair (inhalational anti-inflammatory medication) twice a day along with Zyrtec (antihistamine) once daily. The 12 October 2006 family practice examination (for separation physical), 1 month before separation, noted that active medications included albuterol and Advair.  There was no VA examination proximate to separation in evidence.

The panel directed attention to its rating recommendation based on the above evidence.  The PEB rated the asthma 10%, coded 6602 (asthma).  A 30% rating stipulates “FEV-1 of 56- to 70-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 56 to 70 percent, or; daily inhalational or oral bronchodilator therapy, or; inhalational anti-inflammatory medication,” and panel members agreed that the CI’s prescription for Advair noted in the NARSUM examination met criteria for this rating.   A 60% rating was not justified in the absence of at least monthly visits to a physician for required care of exacerbations, or intermittent (at least three per year) courses of systemic corticosteroids.  After due deliberation, considering all the evidence and mindful of VASRD §4.3 (reasonable doubt), the panel recommends a disability rating of 30% for the asthma, coded 6602.  

BOARD FINDINGS:  In the matter of the asthma, the panel recommends a disability rating of 30%, coded 6602 IAW VASRD §4.96.    There are no other conditions within the panel’s scope of review for consideration.  

The panel recommends the CI’s prior determination be modified as follows; and, that the discharge with severance pay be re-characterized to reflect permanent disability retirement, effective the date of medical separation:  

CONDITION	VASRD CODE	PERMANENT RATING	
Asthma	6602	30%	

SAF/MRB
3351 Celmers Lane
JBA NAF Washington, MD 20762-6435

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Dear XXXXXXXXXX:

		Reference your application submitted under the provisions of DoDI 6040.44 (Section 1554, 10 USC), PDBR Case Number PD-2017-03951.

After careful consideration of your application and treatment records, the Physical Disability Board of Review determined that the rating assigned at the time of final disposition of your disability evaluation system processing was not appropriate under the guidelines of the Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disabilities.  Accordingly, the Board recommended your separation be re-characterized to reflect disability retirement, rather than separation with severance pay

I have carefully reviewed the evidence of record and the recommendation of the Board.    I concur with that finding, accept their recommendation and determined that your records should be corrected accordingly.  The office responsible for making the correction will inform you when your records have been changed.

As a result of the aforementioned correction, you are entitled by law to elect coverage under the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP).  Upon receipt of this letter, you must contact the Air Force Personnel Center at to make arrangements to obtain an SBP briefing prior to rendering an election.  If a valid election is not received within 30 days from the date of this letter, you will not be enrolled in the SBP program unless at the time of your separation, you were married or had an eligible dependent child, in such a case, failure to render an election will result in automatic enrollment.