RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  98-02636
            INDEX CODE:  110

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

The narrative reason for separation and her  reenlistment  eligibility  (RE)
code be changed to allow her to reenlist.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

The reasons the applicant believes the records to be in error or unjust  and
the evidence submitted in support of the appeal are at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The relevant facts  pertaining  to  this  application,  extracted  from  the
applicant's military records, are contained in the letters prepared  by  the
appropriate   Air   Force   offices   of   primary   responsibility   (OPR).
Accordingly, there is no need to  recite  these  facts  in  this  Record  of
Proceedings.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The  Chief  Medical  Consultant,  AFBCMR,  Medical  Advisor  SAF   Personnel
Council, reviewed the application and states that  in  the  interim  between
completion of basic  training  and  starting  her  technical  training,  the
applicant married another enlisted member which led  to  some  conflicts  in
their potential assignments, and, according to the applicant,  her  decision
to request out of her commitment.  Her commander  recognized  the  problems,
both mental and physical, and referred her for a  mental  health  evaluation
on 17 January 1995.  The evaluation resulted in the  applicant  receiving  a
diagnosis of Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood and her  administrative
discharge followed, although the  reason  for  her  receiving  an  honorable
discharge with less than six months of active duty service is not  apparent.
 An entry level separation would normally apply in this instance.

The current Air Force Instruction (AFI) regulating  separations  for  mental
health  problems  does  not  allow  coding  for  other   than   “Personality
Disorder.”  It is not proper to apply an erroneous label  to  an  individual
because of a recognized administrative shortfall as occurred in  this  case.
The applicant’s request for a change of  reason  for  separation  should  be
granted.  The RE code should remain unchanged.

A complete copy of the Air Force evaluation is attached at Exhibit C.

The  Military  Personnel  Management  Specialist,  Separations  Branch,   HQ
AFPC/DPPRS, concurs with  the  AFBCMR  Medical  Consultant’s  recommendation
that the applicant’s narrative reason  for  separation  should  be  changed.
AFPC/DPPRS also concurs that no change be made in the applicant’s  RE  code.


A complete copy of the Air Force evaluation is attached at Exhibit D.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR STAFF EVALUATION:

Copies of the Air Force evaluations were forwarded to the  applicant  on  25
January 1999, for review and response.  As of this  date,  no  response  has
been received by this office.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

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

2.  The application was not timely filed; however, it is in the interest  of
justice to excuse the failure to timely file.

3.  Sufficient relevant evidence  has  been  presented  to  demonstrate  the
existence of probable  error  or  injustice  to  warrant  a  change  in  the
applicant’s narrative reason for separation.  As stated by the BCMR  Medical
Consultant, the current Air Force Instruction (AFI)  regulating  separations
for  mental  health  problems  does  not  allow  coding   for   other   than
“Personality Disorder” which is an entirely different DSM-IV  code  sequence
from which the applicant was diagnosed.  The Medical  Consultant  felt  that
it was not proper to apply an erroneous label to an individual because of  a
recognized administrative shortfall and we agree.  Therefore,  we  recommend
that the applicant’s record be corrected as indicated below.

4.  We note that the applicant served less than 180  days  of  service  when
discharge action was initiated  and  HQ  AFPC/DPPRRB,  Retirements  Section,
corrected  applicant’s  DD  Form  214  to  reflect  the  correct   type   of
separation, “Entry Level” and character of service, “Uncharacterized.”

5.  Insufficient relevant evidence has been  presented  to  demonstrate  the
existence of probable error or injustice with  regard  to  the  reenlistment
eligibility (RE) code.  After a thorough review of the  evidence  of  record
and applicant’s submission, we are not persuaded that her RE code should  be
changed to allow reenlistment.  Her contentions are  duly  noted.   However,
we note that at the time of separation, members are  furnished  an  RE  code
predicated upon the quality of their  service  and  circumstances  of  their
separation.  At the time an RE code is assigned, it reflects the  Air  Force
position  regarding  whether  or  not  or  under  what   circumstances   the
individual should be allowed to reenlist.  We do believe that  the  RE  code
2C is the correct code assigned at the time of applicant’s separation.   The
applicant has failed to sustain her burden that she has suffered  either  an
error or an injustice.  Therefore, we find no compelling basis to  recommend
changing the RE code.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air  Force  relating
to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that at  the  time  of  her  entry  level
separation on 21 February 1995, the narrative reason for her separation  was
Secretarial Authority, and the separation program designator (SPD) code  was
“KFF.”

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered this application in  Executive
Session on 27 July 1999, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                  Mr. Oscar A. Goldfarb, Panel Chair
                  Mr. Patrick R. Wheeler, Member
              Mr. Charlie E. Williams Jr., Member

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

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 3 Oct 98, w/atchs..
   Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, BCMR Medical Consultant, dated 16 Nov 98.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPRS, dated 2 Dec 98.
   Exhibit E.  Letter, AFBCMR, dated 25 Jan 99.




                                   OSCAR A. GOLDFARB
                                   Panel Chair

INDEX CODE:  110

AFBCMR 98-02636




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 --------------, -----------, be corrected to show that at the
time of her entry level separation on 21 February 1995, the narrative
reason for her separation was Secretarial Authority, and the separation
program designator (SPD) code was “KFF.”








JOE G. LINEBERGER

Director

Air Force Review Boards Agency