RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:                       DOCKET NUMBER:  01-01551
                                        INDEX CODE 100.06  110.02
                                        COUNSEL: No

                                        HEARING DESIRED: No


_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His reenlistment eligibility (RE) code be changed.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He was discharged because he had blacked out for a while. No one could
find anything wrong with him so they  discharged  him.  The  attending
doctor told him that he thought it was stress related.  He  wants  the
code changed to set his life in order and so he can reenlist.

His complete submission is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant entered active duty on 15  Jun  95  and,  subsequent  to
being  diagnosed  as  having  an  adjustment  disorder  with  physical
complaints, was discharged after 15 days of  active  service  with  an
uncharacterized, entry-level separation for personality disorder.  The
Department of Defense (DOD)  determined  that  service  members  whose
separation is initiated in the first 180 days  of  continuous  service
should be  given  an  entry-level  separation/uncharacterized  service
characterization.

The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application, extracted
from the applicant's military records (Exhibit B),  are  contained  in
the letters prepared by the  appropriate  offices  of  the  Air  Force
(Exhibits C and D).  Accordingly, there is no  need  to  recite  these
facts in this Record of Proceedings.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The  AFBCMR  Medical  Consultant  notes  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. In order
to  correct  an  injustice  of  improperly  labeling  the  applicant’s
disorder, the  narrative  reason  for  discharge  and  the  separation
program designator  (SPD)  code  should  be  changed  to  “Secretarial
Authority” and “KFF,” respectively.  The RE code, however, should  not
be changed.

A complete copy of the evaluation is at Exhibit C.

The Assistant NCOIC, Separation  Procedures  Section,  HQ  AFPC/DPPRS,
concurred with the Medical Consultant’s evaluation and also  recommend
that the SPD and narrative reason for separation be changed to reflect
“JFF” [sic] and “Secretarial Authority.” The uncharacterized character
of service is correct  and  in  accordance  with  DOD  and  Air  Force
instructions. An  entry-level  separation  should  not  be  viewed  as
negative or less than honorable and should not be confused with  other
types of separation.

A complete copy of the evaluation is at Exhibit D.

The  Assistant  Chief,  Skills  Management  Branch,   HQ   AFPC/DPPAE,
indicates  that  the  applicant’s  RE  code  of  “2C”   (Involuntarily
separated  with  an  honorable  discharge  or  entry-level  separation
without characterization of service) is correct.

A complete copy of the evaluation is at Exhibit E.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Complete copies of the evaluations were forwarded to the applicant  on
3 Aug 01 for review and comment within 30 days.  As of this date, this
office has received no response.

_________________________________________________________________

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  partial
relief. We agree with the  Medical  Consultant’s  assessment  that  an
administrative shortfall should not continue to mislabel the applicant
with a personality  disorder  when  he  was  diagnosed  as  having  an
adjustment disorder.  We note the discrepancies between the SPD  codes
offered by  the  Medical  Consultant  and  HQ  AFPC/DPPRS.  Since  the
applicant was discharged in 1995 and “KFF” was used  for  “Secretarial
Authority” until 1998-1999, when  it  was  replaced  with  “JFF,”  the
proper SPD code should be “KFF.” As for his request  to  have  his  RE
code changed, the applicant was separated with only 15 days of  active
service  Therefore,  his  entry-level  uncharacterized  separation  is
correct, as is his RE code of “2C,” which was driven by his discharge.
 An entry-level separation is not derogatory or  less  then  honorable
and should not be confused with other types of separation. In order to
preclude a possible injustice, we conclude that  the  applicant’s  SPD
code and narrative reason for discharge should be changed as indicated
below, but his request for a different RE code should be denied.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the  Department  of  the  Air  Force
relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that, on 29 June 1995,  he
was  honorably  discharged  under  the  provisions  of  AFI   36-3208,
Secretarial Authority, and was issued a separation program  designator
code of “KFF.”

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the  Board  considered  this  application  in
Executive Session on 20 September 2001, under the provisions of AFI 36-
2603:

                  Mr. Teddy L. Houston, Panel Chair
                  Mr. Roscoe Hinton Jr., Member
                  Mr. Roger E. Willmeth, Member

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

   Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 30 May 01.
   Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C. Letter, AFBCMR Medical Consultant, dated 25 Jun 01.
   Exhibit D. Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPRS, dated 20 Jul 01.
   Exhibit E. Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPAE, dated 25 Jul 01.
   Exhibit F. SAF/MIBR, dated 3 Aug 01.




                                   TEDDY L. HOUSTON
                                   Panel Chair


AFBCMR 01-01551




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 29 June
1995, he was honorably discharged under the provisions of AFI 36-3208,
Secretarial Authority, and was issued a separation program designator
code of “KFF.”





JOE G. LINEBERGER

Director

Air Force Review Boards Agency