RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  99-02331
            INDEX CODE:  110.00

            COUNSEL:  VETERANS SERVICE
                                           COMMISSION

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

The   characterization   of   her   discharge   be   changed    from
“uncharacterized” to honorable due to medical reasons.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

When she entered the Air Force, she was in good health; however, she
developed an inflammatory muscle condition in her  chest.   She  was
erroneously processed for psychiatric reasons.

Applicant’s complete submission is attached at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

On 21 Jul 99, the  applicant  enlisted  in  the  Regular  Air  Force
(RegAF) for a period of four years in the grade of airman.

On 31 Jul 99, the  applicant  (a  trainee  in  basic  training)  was
referred to the Emergency  Department  Behavioral  Analysis  Service
(BAS) at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB,  Texas,  because
of chest pain that was believed to be stress related and resulted in
two ambulance runs to the  training  area  and  disposition  in  the
Wilford Hall Medical Center emergency room.  The evaluation revealed
significant symptoms of both anxiety and depression.  The  diagnosis
was adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression.  The  diagnosis
did not meet retention standards  for  continued  military  service.
Her  ability  to  function   in   the   military   environment   was
significantly  impaired.    The   applicant   was   not   considered
potentially dangerous based upon absence  of  suicidal  thoughts  or
history of self harm.  The BAS recommended the applicant be returned
to her command  with  the  following  recommendation:   Process  for
expeditious administrative separation in  accordance  with  AFI  36-
3208.  The recommendations and diagnoses  were  discussed  with  the
applicant who acknowledged she understood them.   She  was  provided
information and guidance for seeking civilian mental health care.

On 5 Aug 99, the applicant was notified by the  commander  that  she
was recommending that applicant be discharged from the Air Force for
a condition that interfered with military service, specifically, for
mental disorders.  The reason for this action was that applicant was
diagnosed by the Department of Mental Health, Wilford  Hall  Medical
Center, as having a mental disorder as contained in  the  Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).  The Department
of Mental Health determined  this  condition  interfered  with  duty
performance and conduct  and  was  severe  enough  that  applicant’s
ability to function in the military was significantly impaired.  The
specific diagnosis was DSM-IV, Axis  I –  Adjustment  disorder  with
anxiety and depression.

On 5 Aug 99, applicant  acknowledged  receipt  of  the  notification
letter.  She waived her option to consult  counsel  and  waived  her
right to submit statements in her behalf.

On 5 Aug 99, the discharge  authority  approved  an  uncharacterized
entry level separation.

On 10 Aug 99, the applicant was separated under  the  provisions  of
AFI  36-3208,  by  reason  of  “Personality   Disorder,”   with   an
uncharacterized entry level separation, with  separation  code  JFX.
She was credited with 20 days of active service.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The BCMR Medical Consultant reviewed this application and  indicated
that the applicant entered the  Air  Force  on  21 Jul  99  and  was
separated three  weeks  later  after  being  evaluated  in  the  BAS
following two ambulance calls and  emergency  room  evaluations  for
chest pain which were felt secondary  to  anxiety  when  no  organic
cause could be found.  She was diagnosed  with  adjustment  disorder
and recommended for administrative  separation.   In  the  discharge
processing, however, the diagnosis became “Personality Disorder” due
to an administrative shortfall.  There is no evidence to support her
contention that she had an inflammatory muscle problem  that  should
have been the cause of her separation.

The BCMR Medical Consultant states that the current  AFI  regulating
separations for mental health problems does  not  allow  coding  for
other than “Personality Disorder,” an entirely different DSM-IV code
sequence from that with which the applicant was  diagnosed.   It  is
not proper to apply an erroneous label to an individual because of a
recognized  administrative  shortfall  as  occurred  in  this  case.
However, the timing of the applicant’s separation within six  months
of entry requires an uncharacterized entry  level  separation  which
applies regardless of the reason for separation.  The  BCMR  Medical
Consultant is of the opinion that, in order to correct an  injustice
of improperly labeling the applicant’s  disorder,  her  request  for
change  of  reason  for  discharge  should  be  granted.   Item   28
(Narrative Reason for Separation) on her DD Form 214, Certificate of
Release or Discharge From Active Duty, should be  changed  to  read:
Secretarial Authority,  and  the  corresponding  separation  program
designator (SPD) should be changed to JFF  (Secretarial  Authority),
in accordance with AFI 36-3208, paragraph  1.2.   The  reentry  code
should remain unchanged as it reflects her involuntary  entry  level
separation.

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

The  Military  Personnel  Management  Specialist,  AFPC/DPPRS,  also
reviewed  this  application  and  concurs  with  the  BCMR   Medical
Consultant’s recommendation that applicant’s  narrative  reason  for
separation should be changed to “Secretarial Authority” with an  SPD
of “JFF.”  DPPRS does not recommend approval of her  request  for  a
change in her characterization of discharge.  Airmen are given entry
level  separation/uncharacterized  service   characterization   when
separation is initiated in the first 180 days of  continuous  active
service.  Applicant only served 20  days  of  active  service.   The
Department of Defense (DOD) determined if a member served less  than
180 days’ continuous active service,  it  would  be  unfair  to  the
member and  the  service  to  characterize  their  limited  service.
Therefore,  applicant’s  uncharacterized  character  of  service  is
correct and in accordance with DOD and Air Force  instructions.   An
entry level/uncharacterized  separation  should  not  be  viewed  as
negative and should not be confused with other types of separation.

A complete copy of their evaluation is attached at Exhibit D.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Copies  of   the   Air   Force   evaluations   were   forwarded   to
applicant/counsel on 11 Feb 00 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 timely filed.

3.    Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate
the existence of probable error or injustice to warrant granting the
applicant  some  form  of  relief.   We  found  no   evidence   that
responsible officials applied inappropriate standards  in  effecting
the applicant’s discharge, that pertinent regulations were  violated
or that the applicant was not  afforded  all  the  rights  to  which
entitled at the time of discharge.  Therefore,  we  do  not  believe
favorable consideration of the applicant’s stated request  would  be
appropriate on the basis of the evidence provided.  Nevertheless, in
view of the fact that the  applicant  was  diagnosed  as  having  an
“adjustment  disorder”  rather  than  a  “personality  disorder”  as
reflected in the narrative reason for separation,  we  believe  some
form of relief is warranted.  Based on careful consideration of  the
circumstances surrounding the applicant’s discharge, we  believe  it
would be an injustice for her to  continue  to  suffer  the  adverse
effects of the narrative reason for discharge.  Therefore, we  agree
with the recommendation of the  BCMR  Medical  Consultant  that  the
reason for separation should  be  amended  to  reflect  the  correct
diagnosis that was made in this case.  However, since the  governing
directives do not provide for  a  narrative  reason  of  “adjustment
disorder,” we recommend that the reason for separation be changed to
“Secretarial Authority,” with a  corresponding  separation  code  of
“JFF.”

4.    Applicant’s  request  that  her  uncharacterized  entry  level
separation be changed to  an  honorable  discharge  is  duly  noted.
However, airmen are considered to be in an entry level status during
the first 180 days of continuous active duty.  If  discharge  action
is initiated during this time,  as  in  the  applicant’s  case,  the
separation is described as an entry level separation.  Based on  the
foregoing, and in the absence of evidence to the contrary,  we  find
no basis upon which to recommend favorable action on the applicant’s
request to  change  her  entry  level  separation  to  an  honorable
discharge.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of  the  Air  Force
relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that on 10 Aug  99,  she
was discharged by reason of “Secretarial Authority,” with  SPD  code
JFF.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered  this  application  in
Executive Session on 3 August 2000, under the provisions of AFI  36-
2603:

                  Dr. Gerald B. Kauvar, Panel Chair
                  Mr. Roger E. Willmeth, Member
              Ms. Marcia J. Bachman, Member



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

     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 2 Sep 99, w/atchs.
     Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
     Exhibit C.  Letter, BCMR Medical Consultant, dated 4 Nov 99.
     Exhibit D.  Letter, AFPC/DPPRS, dated 14 Jan 00.
     Exhibit E.  Letter, AFBCMR, dated 11 Feb 00.




                                   GERALD B. KAUVAR
                                   Panel Chair


AFBCMR 99-02331




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 on 10 August 1999,  she
was discharged by reason of “Secretarial Authority,” with Separation
Program Designator (SPD) code JFF.







                                                           JOE    G.
LINEBERGER
                                                         Director
                                                          Air  Force
Review Boards Agency