RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2002-03597
            INDEX CODES:  A29.00, 100.06,
                          110.02

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  YES

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His entry level separation with uncharacterized service be upgraded to
an honorable discharge.

His narrative reason for separation be changed.

His reenlistment eligibility (RE) code of 2C be changed.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He is trying to enter the  Air  Force  Reserve.   The  reason  why  he
separated from the Air Force  was  due  to  both  his  parents  having
medical problems.  His father was recovering from open  heart  surgery
and his mother was suffering from seizures and  heart  problems.   The
Air Force permitted him to return home on leave once, but he  was  not
allowed any further leave.  This caused him undue stress, resulting in
his separation from the Air Force.  He  is  currently  working  as  an
airport manager, and he is continuing his education in aviation.   The
only thing he is trying to achieve is to complete his term of  service
by entering the Air Force Reserve.

In support of his appeal, the applicant provided  a  copy  of  DD Form
293, Application for the Review of Discharge  or  Dismissal  from  the
Armed Forces of the United States.

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

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force on 30  Nov  94  for  a
period of four years in the grade of airman basic.

On 2 Mar 95, the  applicant’s  commander  notified  him  that  he  was
recommending that the applicant be discharged for a  mental  disorder.
The reason for the action was that, on 10 Feb 95,  the  applicant  was
diagnosed by a psychiatrist as  having  an  adjustment  disorder  with
mixed  emotional  features,  as  described  in  the   Diagnostic   and
Statistical Manual of Medical  Disorders  (DSM-III-R),  which  was  so
severe that his  ability  to  function  effectively  in  the  military
environment was significantly impaired.  The applicant’s disorder  was
evidenced by his impaired sleep, poor appetite, insomnia, low  energy,
and poor concentration.  The applicant was advised of  his  rights  in
the matter and that an entry level separation would be recommended.

On 8 Mar 95,  the  Office  of  the  Staff  Judge  Advocate  found  the
discharge case file to be legally sufficient and  concurred  with  the
commander’s recommendation that the applicant should be discharged.

On 9 Mar 95, the discharge authority approved the  separation  of  the
applicant and directed that he be furnished an entry level separation.

On 10 Mar 95, the applicant was separated under the provisions of  AFI
36-3208 (Personality Disorder) with an entry level separation.  He was
credited with 3 months and 11 days of active service.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The Medical Consultant noted that the applicant developed symptoms  of
depressed mood with anxiety  while  in  technical  training  that  was
diagnosed as an adjustment disorder with mixed emotional features, and
was discharged for  this  unsuiting  condition  with  an  entry  level
separation.

According to the  Medical  Consultant,  an  adjustment  disorder  with
depressed mood results from identifiable stressors that  overcome  the
individual's  ability  to  cope.   It  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.  One of the key features of an adjustment disorder is that
the condition resolves with relief of the stressors.  Individuals  who
develop an 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.

The Medical Consultant indicated  that  stressful  life  circumstances
such as marital discord, divorce, illness, or death of a  parent,  are
commonly experienced by members of the military, the majority of  whom
continue to function effectively in their jobs in spite of  their  sad
feelings.  When an individual responds to a common  life  stressor  to
the degree of becoming dysfunctional, their ability to cope  with  the
stresses of military service, operational environments and  combat  is
called into question.  While  in  technical  training,  the  applicant
demonstrated his  inability  to  deal  with  the  combined  rigors  of
military training and concomitant family illness.  The fact that he is
functioning well at this time at home confirms  his  diagnosis  of  an
adjustment disorder, however, it does not predict that he will respond
well to the stresses of military  operations,  deployment,  or  combat
when he is separated from his familiar surroundings and usual  support
system of family and friends.  His past experience is predictive of an
increased  risk  for  recurrence  of  debilitating  anxiety   and   an
adjustment disorder if re-exposed to the rigors of  military  training
and service.

The Medical Consultant noted that the applicant's narrative reason for
separation on his DD Form 214 was for  a  personality  disorder,  even
though he was not diagnosed with a personality disorder or maladaptive
personality traits.  The Department of the Defense (DoD) uses the term
"personality disorder" administratively on the DD Form 214 to  include
all unsuiting character and behavior disorders,  including  adjustment
disorders, 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 the personality  that
do not include an adjustment disorder  or  impulse  control  disorder.
Prior  regulations  used  the  more  inclusive  and   less   confusing
"character and behavior disorder."

Although there was some concern raised regarding the diagnosis  of  an
impulse  control  disorder  (intermittent  explosive  disorder),   the
Medical Consultant stated that the applicant was not clearly diagnosed
with an impulse  control  disorder,  and  was  further  not  noted  to
demonstrate  maladaptive  traits  or  misconduct   suggestive   of   a
personality  disorder.   Therefore,  it  is  inaccurate  to  list  the
narrative reason as personality disorder, even though administratively
it is correct.  Although the action and disposition in this  case  was
proper and equitable reflecting compliance with Air  Force  directives
that implement the law, the Medical Consultant  recommended  that  the
narrative reason for separation be changed to "Secretarial Authority."
 However, he does not  believe  that  a  change  of  the  RE  code  is
warranted.

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

AFPC/DPPRS indicated that based on the documentation in the file, they
believe  the  discharge  was  consistent  with  the   procedural   and
substantive requirements of the discharge regulation, and  was  within
the sound discretion of the discharge  authority.   Airmen  are  given
entry-level separation/uncharacterized service  characterization  when
separation is initiated in the first 180  days  of  continuous  active
service.  The Department of the Defense (DoD)  determined  that  if  a
member served less than 180 days  of  continuous  active  service,  it
would be unfair to the member and the service  to  characterize  their
limited service.  Therefore, the applicant's uncharacterized character
of service is correct  and  in  accordance  with  DoD  and  Air  Force
Instructions.  An entry level/uncharacterized separation should not be
confused with other types of separation.

AFPC/DPPRS stated that they concur with  the  Medical  Consultant  and
recommended that the applicant's narrative reason  for  separation  be
changed to "Secretarial Authority" and his separation code to "KFF."

A complete copy of the AFPC/DPPRS evaluation is at Exhibit D.

AFPC/DPPAE  indicated   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 AFPC/DPPAE evaluation is at Exhibit E.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Copies of the Air Force evaluations were forwarded to applicant on  16
May 03 for review and response.  As of this date, no response has been
received by this office (Exhibit F).

_________________________________________________________________


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 error or injustice  warranting  partial  relief.   Having
carefully reviewed this application, we agree with the  recommendation
of the Medical Consultant and adopt his rationale as the basis for our
decision that the applicant has been the victim  of  an  error  or  an
injustice with regard to the  narrative  reason  for  his  separation.
Accordingly, we recommend that the applicant’s records be corrected as
indicated below.

4.  Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented  to  demonstrate
the  existence  of  probable  error  or   injustice   concerning   the
applicant’s  requests   that   his   entry   level   separation   with
uncharacterized service be upgraded to an honorable discharge and  his
RE Code of 2C be changed.  The evidence of record indicates  that  the
applicant was given an entry level separation  after  being  diagnosed
with an adjustment disorder.  No evidence  has  been  presented  which
would lead us to believe that the applicant’s separation from the  Air
Force was based on erroneous information or that his commander  abused
his discretionary authority in effecting his separation.  Furthermore,
we find no evidence which convinces us that the problems he had  which
led to his separation would not recur if he were again exposed to  the
rigors of the highly regimented military environment.  In view of  the
foregoing, and in the absence  of  evidence  to  the  contrary,  these
requests are 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, in conjunction  with
his entry level separation on 10 Mar 95, he was  issued  a  separation
program  designator  code  of  "KFF"  and  a   narrative   reason   of
"Secretarial Authority" rather than "Personality Disorder."

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-
2002-03597 in Executive Session on 8 Jul 03, under the  provisions  of
AFI 36-2603:

      Mrs. Barbara A. Westgate, Chair
      Mr. Roscoe Hinton, Jr., Member
      Ms. Carolyn J. Watkins-Taylor, Member

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

     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 18 Nov 02, w/atch.
     Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
     Exhibit C.  Letter, Medical Consultant, dated 20 Feb 03.
     Exhibit D.  Letter, AFPC/DPPRS, dated 25 Mar 03.
     Exhibit E.  Letter, AFPC/DPPAE, dated 6 May 03.
     Exhibit F.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 16 May 03.




                                   BARBARA A. WESTGATE
                                   Chair




AFBCMR BC-2002-03597




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, in conjunction with his
entry level separation on 10 Mar 95, he was issued a separation
program designator code of "KFF" and a narrative reason of
"Secretarial Authority" rather than "Personality Disorder."







    JOE G. LINEBERGER

    Director

    Air Force Review Boards Agency