RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  02-00044
            INDEX CODE:  110.00

      APPLICANT  COUNSEL:  None

      SSN   HEARING DESIRED: No

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His entry-level separation be changed  to  a  medical  retirement  and
Block 28 on his DD Form 214 be changed from "Personality Disorder"  to
"Medical."

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

His "Personality Disorder" was depression caused by extreme pain.  The
Air Force wanted him to solve his depression,  but  was  unwilling  to
help him solve the pain.

Applicant's complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

On 15 May 01, the applicant enlisted in the regular Air  Force  as  an
airman basic for a period of six years.

The applicant while in basic training, was seen twice in  the  medical
clinic for shin  splints.   He  successfully  completed  the  physical
portion of basic training.  He  completed  the  two  mile  run  in  15
minutes, 35 seconds (the minimum standard is 18 minutes).  After basic
training  the  applicant  was  assigned  to  Sheppard  AFB  and  began
experiencing foot pain.  He was diagnosed as having plantar fasciitis.
 His treatment consisted of shoe inserts, anti-inflammatory  medicines
and  restriction  from  running.   He  was  referred  for  a  podiatry
evaluation;  however,  he  was  separated  prior   to   the   podiatry
evaluation.

On 11 Jul 01, the applicant began individual and group  counseling  at
the Mental Health Clinic for depressed mood,  anxiety  and  difficulty
adjusting to military life.  After several individual
and group sessions the applicant's symptoms did  not  improve  and  he
agreed to a recommended Command Directed Evaluation for separation.  A
mental  health   evaluation   was   accomplished  on  21  Aug  01  and
revealed the applicant  suffered  from  an  Adjustment  Disorder  with
Depressed Mood,  unsuiting  for  continued  military  service,  not  a
personality disorder.

The applicant was notified on 28 Aug 01 that he was  being  discharged
for a mental disorder based on the 22 Aug 01 mental health evaluation.
 The Commander  indicated  that  before  recommending  discharge,  the
applicant  was  referred  to  the  Life  Skills  Support  Center   for
evaluation  and  counseling  regarding  his  inability  to  cope  with
military life.

The applicant was  discharged  on  31  Aug  01,  with  an  entry-level
separation.  He served 3 months and 16 days of active service.
_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The  Chief  Medical  Consultant,  AFBCMR,   states   individuals   are
considered in an entry level  status  for  the  first  six  months  of
service and any separation which occurs before the completion  of  six
months will receive an uncharacterized entry level separation,  a  did
the applicant.  The  applicant's  condition,  plantar  fasciitis,  was
service incurred and ratable, but  he  was  not  eligible  to  receive
severance pay because he had not completed six months of service.  The
reason for the applicant's  separation  was  his  adjustment  disorder
which was unsuiting and not ratable.  The evidence of  record  clearly
establishes that the applicant's  discharge  was  appropriate  to  the
circumstances of his separation.  However, the fact that  “Personality
Disorder” appears on the DD Form 214 as the reason  for  discharge  is
incorrect.  The current AFI  that  regulates  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 unfair to apply an erroneous
label  to  an  individual  because  of  a  recognized   administrative
shortfall.  The medical consultant  recommends  that  the  applicant’s
reason for separation be changed to read:  Secretarial Authority, with
the corresponding separation code of  “JFF,”  and  no  change  to  his
reenlistment code.  The reenlistment code reflects the uncharacterized
entry-level separation he received.

A complete copy of the Medical Consultant’s evaluation is attached  at
Exhibit C.

AFPC/DPPDS states the purpose of the  military  disability  evaluation
system is to maintain a fit and vital force by
separating or retiring members who are unable to perform the duties of
their office, rank and  grade.   The  members  who  are  separated  or
retired by reasons of physical disability may be eligible for  certain
disability compensation.  The Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) makes the
decision whether a member is to be processed  through  the  disability
evaluation  system,  when   the   member   is   determined   medically
disqualified for continued military  service.   The  member's  medical
treatment facility makes the decision  to  conduct  an  MEB.   Service
members who are separated or discharged from active service based on a
service connected medical condition  are  not  considered  unfit,  but
unsuitable at the time of their release should contact the  Department
of Veterans Affairs (DVA) for  treatment  and  possible  compensation.
The DVA provides medical care for veterans after leaving active  duty;
and they  may  increase  or  decrease  a  member's  service  connected
disability rating based on the seriousness of  the  medical  condition
throughout the member's life span.

DPPDS concurs with the AFBCMR Medical Consultant to change Block 28 on
his DD Form 214 to Secretarial Authority.  They  state  the  applicant
has not submitted any evidence to support that he was unfit  for  duty
due to a physical disability and recommend his request for  a  medical
retirement be denied (Exhibit D).

HQ AFPC/DPPRS states the Department of Defense (DOD) determined  that,
if a member served less than 180 days of continuous active service, he
would  receive  an  entry  level  separation/uncharacterized   service
characterization when separation was  initiated.   The  separation  is
uncharacterized because it would be  unfair  to  the  member  and  the
service to try  and  characterize  the  limited  time  served.   DPPRS
concurs with the comments and recommendations of  the  AFBCMR  Medical
Consultant.   DPPRS further states the discharge was  consistent  with
procedural and substantive requirements of the  discharge  regulation.
Also, the discharge was within the sound discretion of  the  discharge
authority.  Based on the evidence provided, DPPRS recommends  changing
block 28 on his DD 214 from  "Personality  Disorder"  to  "Secretarial
Authority" with a Separation Program designator of "JFF" (Exhibit E).

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The applicant reviewed the Air Force evaluation and  states  that  the
BCMR Medical Consultant confirms that the problems with his  feet  are
service  connected.   He  disagrees  with  the  FACT  portion  of  the
memorandum.  His referral to podiatry was delayed and delayed until it
was time for him to be separated and he was never seen by the podiatry
clinic.  He requested for his feet to
be x-rayed and was told that it was not necessary.  He was  constantly
harassed for not being able to run or march.  He was in constant pain.
 It was the pain that he could not deal with not  the  military  life.
He enjoyed his class work  and  thinks  that  he  would  have  enjoyed
working on the equipment and he had planned on being in  the  military
for a long time.

He accepted the discharge because he thought it was the  only  way  he
could get rid of the pain.  His foot problems were real.  He feels the
Air Force assumed he was goldbricking, but the civilian doctors  found
the problem after a few x-rays.  He wonders  why  the  Air  Force  was
unwilling to help him with his foot pain.

The civilian doctors tell him his foot problems will  only  get  worse
not better.  He is unable to do  the  work  that  he  did  before  his
enlistment in the Air Force.  His foot pain does not allow him  to  do
the work of electrician's apprentice.

He feels if the Air Force had treated his foot  problem  correctly  he
would still be in the Air Force and not in pain  everyday.   Now  he's
been told that if he had suffered through  the  pain  for  three  more
months he would have received a medical retirement.  It is too late to
fix the problem with his feet, but he requests the  Board  to  do  the
right thing now.

Applicant's complete response is at Exhibit G.

_________________________________________________________________

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 regard to the reason for applicant's
separation.  Having carefully reviewed  this  application,  we  agree
with the opinion and recommendation of the AFBCMR Medical  Consultant
that, in order to correct an injustice  of  improperly  labeling  the
applicant's  disorder,  his  narrative  reason  for  separation   and
separation code should be changed.  In  view  of  the  foregoing,  we
recommend the applicant's records be corrected as indicated.

4.     Insufficient  relevant  evidence   has   been   presented   to
demonstrate  the  existence  of  error   injustice   concerning   the
applicant's request for a disability retirement.  The  applicant  has
provided no evidence showing that he was unfit at the time
of his separation.  Notwithstanding the  change  we  propose  to  the
narrative reason for his separation, the applicant has not  submitted
sufficient evidence to show that the decision  to  separate  him  was
improper based on the situation at that time.  Therefore, we  are  in
agreement with the comments  and  recommendation  of  the  Air  Force
concerning this issue and adopt their rationale as the basis for  our
conclusion that the applicant has not been the victim of an error  or
an injustice.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the  Department  of  the  Air  Force
relating to APPLICANT be corrected to show that on 31 August 2001,  he
was  honorably  discharged  under  the  provisions  of  AFI   36-3208,
Secretarial Authority, and issued a Separation Program Designator code
of “JFF.”

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number 01-
02616 in Executive Session on 22 May 2002, under the provisions of AFI
36-2603:

                       Mr. Roscoe Hinton, Jr., Panel Chair
                       Mr. Laurence M. Groner, Member
                       Ms. Martha Maust, Member

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

      Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 28 Dec 01, w/atchs.
      Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
      Exhibit C. Letter, AFBCMR Medical Consultant, dated
      12 Feb 02.
      Exhibit D. Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPD, dated 18 Mar 02.
      Exhibit E. Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPRS, dated 21 Mar 02.
      Exhibit F. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 5 Apr 02.
      Exhibit G. Applicant’s Response, dated 11 Apr 02.




                       ROSCOE HINTON, JR.
                       Panel Chair






AFBCMR 02-00044
INDEX CODE:  110.00


MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF

      Having received and considered  the  recommendation  of  the  Air
Force Board for Correction for 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, SSN, be corrected to  show  that  on  31  August
2001, he was honorably discharged under the provisions of AFI  36-3208,
Secretarial Authority, and issued a Separation Program Designator  code
of “JFF.”




                             JOE G. LINEBERGER
                             Director
                             Air Force Review Boards Agency