RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2002-03362
            INDEX CODE:  112.10
      XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX      COUNSEL:  NONE

      XXXXXXXXXXXXXX   HEARING DESIRED:  NO

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His reentry (RE) code and narrative reason  for  separation  be  changed  to
allow him to reenlist in the military.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

His discharge is improper because he never had a personality disorder.   His
examining physician said he had a personality disorder only to speed up  the
process for a hardship discharge.  The hardship situation no  longer  exists
so he would like his reentry code and narrative reason for discharge  to  be
corrected.

In support of his request, the applicant submits a copy of a  Department  of
Veterans Affairs (DVA)  Rating  Decision.   His  complete  submission,  with
attachment, is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force on 10 July 1998 at  the  age
of 18 for a period of four years in the grade of  airman  basic  (E-1).   He
was progressively  promoted  to  the  grade  of  airman  first  class  (E-3)
effective and with a date of rank of 15 November 1999.  He  was  trained  in
the Air Force career field, Fire Protection Apprentice, Air Force  Specialty
Code 3E731.

On 15 March 2000, the applicant  presented  himself  to  the  mental  health
clinic for sleep disturbance, work dissatisfaction, and  depression  related
to an impending trial of his father.  He also reported fleeting thoughts  of
suicide.  His  mental  health  evaluation  dated  1  May  2000,  rendered  a
diagnosis of Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood that was so  severe  as
to interfere with continued military service and recommended  administrative
separation  for  unsuitability.   The   applicant   received   an   Enlisted
Performance Report for the period 15 July 1998 through 15 June 2000 with  an
overall rating of three.  The report reflected  a  satisfactory  performance
but noted a decline in duty performance during  the  middle  of  the  rating
period and difficulties with relationships with  supervisors.   On  26  June
2000, the applicant received a letter of reprimand (LOR)  from  his  section
commander for failure to go to his appointed  place  of  duty  at  the  time
prescribed.  The applicant submitted a rebuttal to the LOR on 28 June  2000.


On 18 July 2000, his commander notified  the  applicant  of  his  intent  to
recommend the applicant’s discharge.   The  applicant  was  advised  of  his
rights, acknowledged receipt, consulted counsel, and waived  his  rights  to
submit statements in his  own  behalf.   On  24  July  2000,  his  commander
recommended that the applicant be honorably discharged from  the  Air  Force
without offering  probation  and  rehabilitation.   On  27  July  2000,  the
discharge authority directed that the applicant be discharged from  the  Air
Force under the provisions of  AFI  36-3208,  paragraph  5.11.1,  Conditions
that Interfere with Military Service - Mental Disorders.  The applicant  was
separated with an  honorable  discharge  on  6  August  2000  by  reason  of
“Personality Disorder” with a Separation Code  of  JFX  and  a  Reenlistment
Eligibility  (RE)  code  of  2C,  (involuntary  separation  with   honorable
discharge).  The applicant had served 2 years and 22 days on active duty.

On 24 July 2003, after  he  made  application  to  the  AFBCMR,  AFPC/DPPRSP
notified the applicant that his DD  Form  214,  Certificate  of  Release  or
Discharge From Active Duty, was corrected to reflect  the  narrative  reason
for discharge as being  “Secretarial  Authority.”   On  10  September  2000,
AFPC/DPPAE, notified the applicant that the RE Code of “2C” he  received  at
the time of his discharge was correct based  on  his  involuntary  discharge
with an honorable characterization of service.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The BCMR Medical Consultant is of the opinion that the narrative reason  for
the applicant’s discharge should be changed to  Secretarial  Authority,  but
feels no change in the RE Code is warranted.  The  BCMR  Medical  Consultant
notes that the applicant’s service  medical  record  is  not  available  for
review; however, the mental health recommendation letter dated 1  May  2000,
indicates he presented to the  mental  health  clinic  in  March  2000  with
depressed mood related to job difficulties and an  impending  trial  of  his
father in which the  applicant  was  to  testify.   His  formal  psychiatric
diagnosis  was  Adjustment  Disorder  with  Depressed  Mood.   Therapy  with
medication and counseling did not improve his symptoms.   The  BCMR  Medical
Consultant  states  that  Adjustment  Disorder  with   Depressed   Mood   is
characterized by marked psychological distress in response  to  identifiable
stressors that overcome the individual’s ability to cope and  is  frequently
associated  with  significant  impairment   in   social   and   occupational
functioning.  The emotional and behavioral responses may  be  in  excess  of
what  would  normally  be  expected  given  the  nature  of  the  stressors.
Manifestations can include depressed  mood,  anxiety,  and  disturbances  of
conduct.  Individuals who develop Adjustment Disorder due to the  stress  of
the routine rigors of military service with or without concomitant  personal
issues  are  not  suited  for  military   service   and   are   subject   to
administrative discharge by their commander.  One of  the  key  features  of
Adjustment Disorder is that the condition resolves with the  relief  of  the
stressors; however, in this case the applicant’s symptoms of depressed  mood
persisted  and  he  was  subsequently  diagnosed  with  Dysthymic  Disorder.
Dysthymic Disorder is characterized by a chronically sad mood  that  is  not
of a severity to warrant  diagnosis  of  Major  Depressive  Disorder.   Many
active members with Dysthymic Disorder continue  to  function  well  despite
their chronically sad mood.

The BCMR Medical Consultant notes that the  DVA  Rating  Decision  dated  10
June 2002, granted the applicant a disability  rating  of  ten  percent  for
service connected Dysthymic Disorder.  The DVA specifically  commented  that
a diagnosis of a  Personality  Disorder  was  not  warranted  and  that  the
applicant’s symptoms were mild  in  nature.   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 disorder” 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
demonstrate 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.  Although action and disposition in this  case  are  proper  and
equitable reflecting compliance with Air  Force  directives  that  implement
the law, change  in  the  narrative  reason  for  discharge  to  Secretarial
Authority is recommended.  The applicant’s reenlistment code should  not  be
changed since the applicant  is  at  high  risk  of  recurrent  symptoms  of
Adjustment Disorder that would interfere with military duty when  re-exposed
to the stresses of military life.  Details of the BCMR Medical  Consultant’s
evaluation are at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Copy of the Air Force evaluation  was  forwarded  to  the  applicant  on  12
September 2003, for review and comment within 30 days
(Exhibit D).  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 timely filed.

3.  Insufficient relevant evidence has been  presented  to  demonstrate  the
existence of probable error or injustice concerning the applicant  RE  Code.
We note that the Air Force has changed the applicant’s narrative reason  for
separation from “Personality Disorder” to “Secretarial Authority and  issued
a corrected DD Form 214.  The RE code which was issued at the  time  of  the
applicant’s  separation  accurately  reflects  the  circumstances   of   his
separation, i.e., involuntarily separated with an honorable  discharge,  and
we do not find this code to be  in  error  or  unjust.   The  applicant  has
provided no evidence that would lead us to believe that he would  not  again
suffer the effects of an adjustment disorder when exposed to the  rigors  of
military life.  Accordingly, his request  to  change  his  RE  Code  is  not
favorably considered.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The applicant be notified that the evidence presented  did  not  demonstrate
the existence of probable material error or injustice; that the  application
was denied without a personal appearance;  and  that  the  application  will
only be reconsidered  upon  the  submission  of  newly  discovered  relevant
evidence not considered with this application.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered this application in  Executive
Session on 6 November 2003, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

            Ms. Marilyn Thomas, Vice Chair
            Mr. Roscoe Hinton Jr., Member
            Mr. J. Dean Yount, Member


The following documentary evidence for AFBCMR  Docket  Number  BC-2002-03362
was considered:

     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 29 Nov 02 w/atchs.
     Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
     Exhibit C.  Letter, BCMR Medical Consultant, dtd 3 Jul 03.
     Exhibit D.  Applicant’s Rebuttal, dated 14 Jul 03.




                                  MARILYN THOMAS
                                  Vice Chair