DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON DC

Office of the Assistant Secretary

SAF/MRB
3351 Celmers Lane
IBA NAF Washington, MD 20762-6435
Dear XXXXXXX
Reference your application submitted under the provisions of DoDI 6040.44 (Section 1554, 10 USC), PDBR Case Number PD-2021-00032.
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 in accordance with the guidelines of the Veterans Affairs Schedule for Ratmg 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 fmding, accept the 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 ofthis letter, you must contact the Air Force Personnel Center via email at AFPC.SBP@US.AF.MIL to make arrangements to obtain an SBP briefmg prior to rendering an election.  If a valid election is not received within 90 days from the date of this letter, you will not be emolled  in the SBP program unless at the time of your separation, you were married, in such a case, failure to render an election will result in automatic emollment by law.

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS PHYSICAL DISABILITY BOARD OF REVIEW

NAME: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
BRANCH OF SERVICE: AIR FORCE

CASE: PD-2021-00032 SEPARATION DATE: 20050815

SUMMARY OF CASE: Data extracted from the available evidence of record reflects this covered individual (Cl) was an active duty ES, Communication/Computer Systems Planning and Implementation Craftsman medicall y separated for " asthma, severe persistent " with a disability rating of 10%.

Cl CONTENTION: I could have continued to serve the Air Force with my asthma condition . 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 rati ngs assigned to those conditions determined by the Physica l Evaluation Board (PEB) to be unfitting for continued milit ary service, and when specifically requested by the Cl, those conditions identifi ed by the Medical Evaluation Board (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 fut ure consideration by the Board for Correction of Milit ary Records. The panel' s authority is limited to assessing the fairness and accuracy of PEB rating determinat ions and recommending corrections when appropriate. The panel gives consideration to VA evidence, part icu larly within 12 months of separation, but only to the extent that it reasonably refl ect s the severity of disability at the time of separation.

RATINGCOM PARISON:

SERVICE PEB • 20050504	VARD • 20060221	
Condition	I	Code	I  Ratin£	Condition	I	Code	I Ratin£  I	Exam	
Asth ma Severe Persistent   I	6602	I	10%	Bronchial Ast hma	I	6602	I  30%   I  20051121	
COMBINED RATING: 10%	COMBINED RATING OF ALL VA CONDITIONS: 50%	

ANALYSIS SUM M ARY: According to the service treatment record (STR), the Cl init iall y experienced breathing problems in around 2003 while mowing the lawn and was subsequently diagnosed with asthma and t reated with Advair, Singulair and albuterol. The STR shows that from 2004 through 2005, physicians from family medicine, allergy/ asthma, and pulmonary specialties treated the Cl with Advair and Singu lair / albuterol for his asthma condition .

During the 4 March 2005 MEB narrative summary consult examination , 5 months prior to separation, the Cl indicated he experienced shortness of breath with exercise, pollen, all ergens, and vapors. He used Advair. Physica l examination showed pulmonary function studies of FEVl at 71% predict ed and FEVl / FVCratio of 58%. The Cl was placed on an oral steroid regimen for 2 weeks.

The 13 July 2005 medical clinic not e, one month prior to separation, document ed current medication of Advair and albuterol. The 21 November 2005 VA Compensation and Pension (C&P) examination , 3 mont hs after separation, also documented the Cl' s asthma t reatme nt with Advair

and Singu lair. The STR showed another oral steroid prescript ion, the second in one year, occurred one day after the C&P examination.

The panel directed attent ion to its rating recommendation based on the above evidence. The PEB rated the asthma condition 10%, coded 6602 (asthma) noting treatment with Advair.  The VA rated asthma condition 30%, coded 6602, based on the C&P examination, citing FEV-1 of 56 to 70% of predic t ed volume, or FEV-1/FVC of 56 to 70%; or the requirement for inhalationa l anti­ inflammatory medication.

A 30% rating stipu lates "FEV-1 of 56- to 70-percent predicted, or; FEV-1/FVC of 56 to 70 percent, or; daily inhalationa l or ora l bronchodilator therapy, or; inhalat iona l anti-inflammatory medication." The panel agreed that a 30% rat ing is supported by the FEV-1 at 57/58/59% predicted pulmonary func t ion test results proximate to separation. Alt ernative ly, a 30% rating is supported due the Cl' s prescribed use of inhalational anti-infl ammat ory medication (Advair), as documented in the STR and VA evidence. A higher 60% rating was not justified in the absence of month ly visits to a physician for required care of exacerbat ions, or int erm ittent   (at least three per year) courses of systemic corticosteroids. After due deliberation, considering all of the evidence and mindful of VASRD §4.3 (reasonab le doubt), the panel recommends a disability rating of 30% for the asthma condition, coded 6602.

BOARD FINDINGS: In the matter of the asthma condition, the panel recommends a disability rating of 30%, coded 6602 IAW VASRD §4.97. There are no other conditions within the panel' s scope of review for consideration.

The panel recommends the Cl's prior determination be modified as follows; and, that the discharge with severance pay be re-charact erized to reflect permanent disabilit y retirement, effective the date of medical separation:

CONDITION	VASRD CODE	PERMANENT RATING

Asthma, Severe Persist ent	6602	30%

The fo ll ow ing documentary evidence was considered:

2	PD-2021-00032