RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  01-01252
            INDEX CODE:  112.00

            COUNSEL:  CHAGNON W. FRANCIS

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His separation and reenlistment eligibility (RE) codes  and  narrative
reason for separation be changed to reflect  convenience  of  the  Air
Force.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

On 16 April 1997, his  parents  attended  his  graduation  from  Basic
Military Training.  While there, his father told him he  had  terminal
cancer.  It hurt him to find out that his father was  dying.   Because
he was worried about his father and preoccupied by his  condition,  he
had a tough time getting  through  technical  training.   However,  he
successfully  graduated  from  the  Supply  Management  Apprenticeship
Course at Lackland AFB, TX, and requested a humanitarian  reassignment
to Travis AFB.  That request was granted and he arrived at  Travis  on
27 June 1997.  On  19  August  1997,  his  father  passed  away.   His
father’s death really shook him up.   On  13  November  1997,  he  was
ordered to go to the hospital and  prescribed  the  drug  Buspar.   He
started having nightmares.  He was taken off the drug Buspar  and  has
been feeling much better.

He states that when he received this discharge  package  he  was  very
surprised.  He acknowledges that he has had difficulty in the past six
(6) months or so.   His  father’s  sudden  death  explains  that.   He
believes his reaction was fairly normal and he is stunned that the Air
Force would propose his discharge based on his temporary difficulty to
adjust. He states he did not want to be discharged from the Air  Force
and believes he can be an effective airman.

Applicant's complete submission is attached at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________



STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The relevant facts pertaining to this application, extracted from  the
applicant’s military records, are contained in the letter prepared  by
the appropriate office of the Air Force.   Accordingly,  there  is  no
need to recite these facts in these Records of Proceedings.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The Chief Medical Consultant, AFBCMR,  reviewed  the  application  and
states that there is no  question  that  the  events  surrounding  his
father’s diagnosis of cancer and demise some 4 months later had a huge
impact  on  the  applicant’s  psyche.   Appropriate   counseling   and
treatment were initiated which brought some relief, but also  resulted
in  diagnosing  his  underlying  personality  disorder  that   clearly
contributed to the unusual and disruptive reactions when his  father’s
untimely death ensued.  While the maladjustment to this event was  the
trigger  to  his  psychological  testing  and  hospitalizations,  such
reactions to grief are not what are normally seen,  and  this  can  be
attributed to an underlying personality  makeup  that  compounded  the
problem for the applicant.  In this case, the applicant  furnishes  no
information from other sources that would point to his not  possessing
this particular personality disorder, and without  such  evidence,  he
must rely on the diagnoses rendered by competent medical authority  as
being  valid  and  unsuiting  reasons  for  his  shortened  Air  Force
enlistment.   Favorable  consideration  of   this   request   is   not
recommended.  Therefore, he recommends denial of applicant’s request.

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

The  Assistant  NCOIC,  Separation  Procedures  Section,   AFPC/DPPRS,
reviewed the application and states that they  believe  the  discharge
was consistent with the procedural and substantive requirements of the
discharge regulation at that time.  Additionally,  the  discharge  was
within the sound discretion of the discharge authority.   Accordingly,
they concur with the Medical Consultant and recommend  denial  of  the
applicant’s request.

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

The Assistant Chief, Skills Management  Branch,  AFPC/DPPAE,  reviewed
the application and states that the  RE  code  of  2C,  “Involuntarily
separated with an  honorable  discharge;  or  entry  level  separation
without characterization of service” is correct.

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

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

On 27 July 2001, complete copies of the  Air  Force  evaluations  were
forwarded to the applicant for review and response within 30 days.  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 an injustice in regards to the reason for applicant’s
separation.   In  this  respect,  we  note  that  the  Chief   Medical
Consultant indicates  that  there  is  no  question  that  the  events
surrounding his father’s diagnosis of cancer and demise some 4  months
later had a huge impact on  the  applicant’s  psyche.   Therefore,  we
believe that the  reason  for  his  separation  is  unduly  harsh  and
recommend the reason be changed to “Secretarial Authority”.

4.    Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate
the existence of probable error or injustice warranting  a  change  in
his Reenlistment Eligibility (RE) code.  While  we  believe  that  the
reason for his separation was harsh, the RE code he was issued appears
to have been appropriate.  Therefore, in the absence  of  evidence  to
the contrary, we find no  basis  upon  which  to  recommend  favorable
action on his request for a change in his 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 on  20 February 1998,
he was discharged under the provisions  of  AFI  36-3208,  Secretarial
Authority, and issued a Separation Program Designator of “JFF.”

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the  Board  considered  this  application  in
Executive Session on 11 September 2001, under the provisions of AFI 36-
2603:


                  Ms. Peggy E. Gordon, Panel Chair
                  Mr. Thomas J. Topolski, Jr., Member
              Mr. Christopher Carey, Member

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

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 12 Feb 01, w/atchs.
   Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, AFBCMR, dated 24 May 01.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, AFPC/DPPRS, dated 15 Jun 01.
   Exhibit E.  Letter, AFPC/DPPAE, dated 21 Jun 01.
   Exhibit F.  Letter, AFBCMR, 27 Jul 01.




                                   PEGGY E. GORDON
                                   Panel Chair




AFBCMR 01-01252
INDEX CODE:  112.00




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 20 February 1998, he
was discharged under the provisions of AFI 36-3208, Secretarial
Authority, and issued a Separation Program Designator of “JFF.”







            JOE G. LINEBERGER
            Director
            Air Force Review Boards Agency