RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  98-02602
            INDEX CODE:  110.00

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His separation code be changed to a code that would allow him to  join
the U.S. Army.
_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He  was  separated  due  to  academic  failure   and   difficulty   in
comprehending his course as an F-16 crew chief.  He  repeatedly  asked
for reclassification, but his instructors kept telling him to  try  to
the point where he was pulled out of  class  and  separated  for  poor
academic grades and performance.

In support of his request, applicant submits a copy of his DD Form 214
and additional documents associated  with  the  issues  cited  in  his
contentions.  These documents are appended at Exhibit A.
_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Applicant contracted his initial enlistment in the Regular  Air  Force
on 20 Aug 97 for a period of 4 years.

On 7 Apr 98, applicant was notified  he  was  being  recommended   for
discharge by his squadron section commander  for  unsatisfactory  duty
performance.  The reason for this discharge action was for failure  to
perform his assigned duties properly.  Specifically, he failed  Blocks
I (Aircraft Fundamentals), II (Aircraft Systems II) and III  (Aircraft
Systems B) of his training program with scores of  56%,  58%  and  56%
respectively.  He had retest scores of 82%, 73% and 76%  respectively.
The minimum passing score was 70%.  In addition, on or about 25 and 26
Feb 98, the applicant failed to follow proper technical orders  and/or
Operational Risk Management  guidelines  by  failing  to  wear  safety
glasses.  After proceeding to Block III, he continued  to  demonstrate
unsatisfactory progress by again failing to wear protective head gear.
 As a result, on 26 Mar  98,  he  was  eliminated  from  training  for
academic deficiency.  The  applicant  was  advised  of  his  right  to
counsel and  the  right  to  submit  statements  on  his  own  behalf.
Applicant waived his right to  consult  counsel  and  did  not  submit
statements.  On 15  Apr  98,  the  discharge  authority  approved  the
recommendation for discharge for unsatisfactory performance.

On 16 Apr 98, he was honorably discharged in the grade of airman (E-2)
under the provisions of AFI 36-3208 (unsatisfactory performance), with
a separation code of “JHJ”.  He had completed 7 months and 27 days  of
active service at the time of discharge.  He received an  RE  Code  of
2C, which defined means "Involuntarily  separated  with  an  honorable
discharge; or  entry  level  separation  without  characterization  of
service."

Applicant's request for a change of reason for discharge was denied by
the Air Force Discharge Review Board (AFDRB) on 4 Feb 99.  A  copy  of
the AFDRB Hearing Record is appended at Exhibit C.
_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The Education and Training Branch, HQ AFPC/DPPAT,  stated  that  after
reviewing the applicant’s request, reconsideration of  his  separation
code should be approved.  Based on  the  applicant’s  AQE  scores,  he
would have been more suitable in an administrative career  field  (67)
versus  a  mechanical  field  (59).   DPPAE  indicated  the  applicant
expressed  his  concerns  on  numerous  occasions  that  he  was   not
comfortable working as an F-16 crew chief and his performance failures
should have flagged his trainers to elevate this deficiency  to  their
superiors for resolution – this was not done.  There  appeared  to  be
many indicators that should have been identified and corrected  before
he was considered for separation (Exhibit D).


The Separations Branch, HQ AFPC/DPPRS, stated that this case has  been
reviewed for separation processing and although there  are  no  errors
noted, DPPRS concurred with the recommendation of  the  Education  and
Training Branch  and  recommended  the  Board  grant  the  applicant’s
request and change his narrative reason for separation to “Secretarial
Authority” and his separation code to “KFF” (Exhibit E).


The Special programs and BCMR Manager, HQ AFPC/DPPAES, stated that the
applicant’s reenlistment eligibility (RE) code of 2C is correct.   The
type of discharge is the reason for assignment of the RE code (Exhibit
F).
_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The applicant reviewed the  advisory  opinions  and  agrees  with  the
recommendation of HQ AFPC/DPPRS to change  the  narrative  reason  for
separation to “Secretarial  Authority”  and  his  separation  code  to
“KFF.”  A complete copy of this response is appended at Exhibit H.
_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

1.  The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by existing  law
or regulations.

2.  The application was timely filed.

3.  Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the
existence  of  probable  error  or  injustice.   We  note   that   the
applicant’s  separation  was  based  on  unsatisfactory   performance.
However, the Education and Training Branch, HQ  AFPC/DPPAT,  indicated
that there were many indicators concerning his technical training that
should  have  been  identified   and   corrected   before   separation
consideration.   Based  on  the  circumstances  of   the   case,   the
appropriate  Air  Force  offices,  HQ AFPC/DPPAT  and   HQ AFPC/DPPRS,
recommended changing the reason for  his  separation  to  “Secretarial
Authority” and his separation code to “KFF.”  We are in agreement with
the  opinions  and  recommendation  of  the  Air  Forces  offices   of
responsibility that the evidence  supports  changing  the  applicant’s
reason for separation.  In addition, we note that the applicant wishes
to enlist in the U.S. Army.  We do not believe he should be  penalized
by depriving him of any opportunity to serve in a capacity  for  which
he is qualified because of a situation over which he  had  no  control
and which he made every reasonable effort to  rectify.   We  therefore
recommend that the applicant’s reenlistment eligibility (RE)  code  of
“2C” be changed to “3K.”  RE code “3K” is  reserved  for  use  by  the
Board and is a code which can be waived for prior  service  enlistment
based on the needs of the branch and component of the Armed Forces  to
which he applies for entry.  In view  of  the  foregoing,  and  in  an
effort to offset any possibility of an injustice to the applicant,  we
recommend his record be corrected to the extent indicated below.
_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the  Department  of  the  Air  Force
relating to APPLICANT be corrected to show that the  narrative  reason
for separation, issued in conjunction with his honorable discharge  on
16 April 1998, was Secretarial Authority, rather  than  Unsatisfactory
Performance, with  a  separation  code  of  KFF,  and  a  reenlistment
eligibility (RE) code of 3K.
_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the  Board  considered  this  application  in
Executive Session on 24 August 1999, under the provisions of  AFI  36-
2603:

                  Mr. Richard A. Peterson, Panel Chair
                  Ms. Patricia D. Vestal, Member
              Mr. Patrick R. Wheeler, Member

All members  voted  to  correct  the  records,  as  recommended.   The
following documentary evidence was considered:

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 10 Aug 98, w/atchs.
   Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  AFDRB Brief, dated 4 Feb 99.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPAT, dated 2 Apr 99.
   Exhibit E.  Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPRS, dated 20 Apr 99.
   Exhibit F.  Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPAES, dated 7 May 99.
   Exhibit G.  Letter, AFBCMR, dated 27 May 99.
   Exhibit H.  Letter from applicant, undated.




                                   RICHARD A. PETERSON
                                   Panel Chair



AFBCMR 98-02602




MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF

      Having received and considered the recommendation of the Air
Force Board for Correction of Military Records and under the authority
of Section 1552, Title 10, United States Code (70A Stat 116), it is
directed that:

      The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air
Force relating to APPLICANT be corrected to show that, when he was
honorably discharged on 16 April 1998, the narrative reason for his
discharge was “Secretarial Authority,” his separation code was “KFF,”
and his reenlistment eligibility (RE) code was “3K.”




            JOE G. LINEBERGER
                                        Director
                                        Air Force Review Boards Agency