RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:                       DOCKET NUMBER:  02-02648
                                       INDEX CODE:  112.10
      XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX           COUNSEL: NONE

      XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX                   HEARING DESIRED:  NO

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His reenlistment eligibility (RE) code  be  changed  from  2C  (entry  level
separation without characterization of service) to enable him to  enter  the
Air Force Reserve.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He was an ignorant and irresponsible 17-year old kid, who  was  experiencing
difficult family matters, when he enlisted in the military.  He  should  not
be punished for the rest of his  life  for  bad  decisions  he  made  as  an
immature teen.  He is  now  a  mature  family  man,  working  full-time  and
attending college full-time.  He is intelligent and responsible  and  wishes
to serve his country proudly and with great honor.  His records need  to  be
changed to show a different reason for discharge so he  can  enlist  in  the
Air Force Reserve.

In support of his application, the applicant provided a personal  statement.
 The applicant’s complete submission, with attachment, is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

On 12 June 1997, the applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force at the  age
of 17 in the grade of airman  basic  (E-1)  for  a  period  of  four  years.
During his basic military training, the applicant was  referred  to  Wilford
Hall Medical Center Behavioral Analysis Service by his Chaplain  because  of
the applicant’s expressed concerns about the fear of dying.   The  applicant
experienced  difficulty  with  sleep,   appetite,   concentration,   energy,
feelings of depression, and persistent worries of dying.

On 26 June 1997, the attending psychiatrist  diagnosed  the  applicant  with
adjustment disorder with depressed mood and  recommended  the  applicant  be
returned to duty.  On 30 June 1997, the applicant  was  reevaluated  by  the
inpatient  psychiatry  service  because  he  was  experiencing  increasingly
severe symptoms.  The attending  psychiatrist  concurred  with  the  earlier
diagnosis of adjustment disorder with depressed  mood  and  recommended  the
applicant’s administrative  discharge  because  the  disorder  significantly
impaired his ability to function in the  military.   On  3  July  1997,  the
applicant’s commander  notified  the  applicant  of  his  recommendation  to
discharge the applicant under an entry-level separation  and,  if  approved,
he would be ineligible to reenlist in the Air Force.  On 3  July  1997,  the
applicant acknowledged receipt of the recommendation, waived his  option  to
consult counsel and waived his right to submit statements.  On 8 July  1997,
the recommendation was found to  be  legally  sufficient  by  the  assistant
judge advocate and was approved by the discharge authority under  provisions
of AFPD 36-32 and AFI  36-3208,  Chapter  5,  Section  B,  Paragraph  5.11.1
because of mental disorder.

The applicant was discharged effective 9 July 1997 with  an  uncharacterized
entry-level separation with a reentry code of  2C  (entry  level  separation
without  characterization  of  service)  and  a  separation  code   of   JFX
(personality disorder).  He had served 28 days on active duty.

________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The BCMR Medical Consultant states that even  though  the  narrative  reason
for discharge on the applicant’s  DD  Form  214  is  listed  as  personality
disorder, the applicant was  not  diagnosed  with  a  personality  disorder.
Department of Defense uses the term “personality order” administratively  to
include all unsuiting character and behavior disorders including  Adjustment
Disorder, Personality Disorders, and Impulse Control Disorders.   This  term
is confusing  because  the  Diagnostic  and  Statistical  Manual  of  Mental
Disorders uses the  term  “personality  disorder”  in  a  specific,  defined
manner to classify specific disorders of personality  that  do  not  include
Adjustment Disorder or Impulse Control  Disorder.   Prior  regulations  used
the more inclusive and less confusing “character and behavior disorder.”

Since the applicant was not diagnosed with a personality  disorder  and  was
further not  noted  to  demonstrated  maladaptive  traits  suggestive  of  a
personality disorder, it is the Medical  Consultant’s  opinion  that  it  is
inaccurate to list  the  narrative  reason  as  personality  disorder,  even
though administratively it is correct.  Action and disposition in this  case
are proper and equitable reflecting compliance  with  Air  Force  directives
that implement the law.

The BCMR Medical Consultant is of the opinion that the narrative reason  for
discharged should be changed to Secretarial Authority, but feels  no  change
in the RE Code is warranted.  Details of his evaluation are at Exhibit C.

AFPC/DPPAE  indicated  that  the  reenlistment   code   2C,   “Involuntarily
separated with an honorable discharge; or  entry  level  separation  without
characterization of  service”  was  properly  accessed  to  the  applicant’s
record as he was discharged in accordance with Air  Force  directives.   The
DPPAE evaluation is at Exhibit D.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Copies of the Air Force evaluations were forwarded to  the  applicant  on  3
January 2003, for review and comment within 30  days  (Exhibit  E).   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 warranting a change in  the  reason
for separation.  After reviewing the evidence of record,  we  are  persuaded
that some relief is warranted.  We note  that  the  discharge  action  taken
against the applicant was in accordance  with  the  applicable  instruction.
However, after  reviewing  the  applicant’s  request  and  the  evidence  of
record, we  find  the  narrative  reason  for  his  entry-level  separation,
“Personality Disorder,” to be inappropriate.  We feel  since  the  applicant
was never diagnosed with a personality disorder, it is  inaccurate  to  list
the narrative reason for  separation  as  such.   We  noted  that  the  BCMR
Medical  Consultant  has  indicated  that  current  Air  Force  Instructions
regulating separations  for  mental  health  do  not  allow  for  variations
thereof, thus at times, improperly labeling the reason for  separation.   We
believe this has happened in this case.  Therefore, we  recommend  that  the
narrative reason for his  separation  be  changed  to  reflect  “Secretarial
Authority.”  The applicant states he is coping well with  stress  associated
with family responsibilities, full-time work and  college  coursework  since
his discharge; however,  he  has  failed  to  provide  documentary  evidence
showing that he  would  not  experience  the  same  symptoms  of  adjustment
disorder in the military that he suffered previously while on  active  duty.
The RE Code which was issued at  the  time  of  the  applicant’s  separation
accurately reflects the circumstances of his separation and we do  not  find
this code to be in error or unjust.  Accordingly, his request to change  his
RE Code is not favorably considered.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force
relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that the narrative reason for
separation, issued in conjunction with his honorable discharge on 9 July
1997, 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 5 February 2003, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

      Mr. Roscoe Hinton Jr., Panel Chair
      Mr. Thomas J. Topolski Jr., Member
      Mr. Steven A. Shaw, Member

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

     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 13 Aug 02, w/atch.
     Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
     Exhibit C.  Letter, BCMR Medical Consultant, dated
                 25 Oct 02.
     Exhibit D.  Letter, AFPC/DPPAE, dated 24 Dec 02.




                                  ROSCOE HINTON JR.
                                  Panel Chair
AFBCMR 02-02648




MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF

      Having received and considered the recommendation of the Air Force
Board of 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 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, be corrected to show that the
narrative reason for separation, issued in conjunction with his honorable
discharge on 9 July 1997, was “Secretarial Authority” and the separation
program designator (SPD) code was “KFF.”



                                                       JOE G. LINEBERGER
                                                       Director
                                                       Air Force Review
                 Boards Agency