RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  2003-00038
            INDEX CODE:  100.03, 100.06
            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

Her reenlistment eligibility (RE) code be changed to  one  that  would
allow her to enlist in the Air National Guard.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

Prior to separating from active  duty,  she  was  told  by  her  First
Sergeant and others that she would have no problem  reenlisting  after
her discharge.

In support of her request, applicant provided a personal statement,  a
copy of her DD Form 214, Certificate  of  Release  or  Discharge  from
Active Duty, and a statement from her recruiter.

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

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force as an airman basic  on
23 July 2002 for a term of 4 years.  She completed basic training  and
entered air Traffic Controller School.  After one (1) month  into  the
training she complained of headaches.  She was diagnosed with migraine
headaches and was medically  disqualified  from  Air  Traffic  Control
Technical Training on 1 November 2002.  Because this was no  fault  of
her own, in accordance with her  AF  Form  3007,  Guaranteed  Training
Enlistment Agreement Non-Prior Service-USAF, she may be  involuntarily
discharged, choose to complete enlistment in  another  available  AFSC
based on the needs of the AF or she may request separation.   She  was
offered  training  in  the  “Services”  specialty  but  declined.   On
 14 November 2002, she  requested  voluntary  separation  and  it  was
approved on 21 November 2002.

On 21 November 2002, the  applicant  was  administratively  discharged
under the provisions of  AFI  36-3208,  Administrative  Separation  of
Airmen   (Defective   Enlistment   Agreement),   and    received    an
uncharacterized entry-level separation and a (RE)  code  of  2C.   She
served three  (3)  months  and  twenty-nine  (29)  days  total  active
service.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The  BCMR  Medical  Consultant  reviewed   applicant’s   request   and
recommends denial.  The applicant was disqualified from  Ground  Based
Controller duty because of her  history  of  migraine  headaches  that
existed prior to service and continued to occur requiring prescription
medication while on active duty.  Apparently she had  been  prescribed
the medication to treat her migraines prior to  entering  service,  as
there are no service medical record entries showing she received  this
medication from a military health care  provider.   Medical  standards
for Ground Based Controller  duty  are  stricter  than  standards  for
enlistment  and  continued  general  military  service  and  recurrent
migraine headache of any severity or frequency  is  disqualifying  for
duty in  that  Air  Force  specialty.   Enlistment  medical  standards
specify that “Recurrent headaches of all types of sufficient  severity
or frequency as to interfere with normal function or a history of such
headaches within 3 years” are disqualifying for enlistment.  Standards
for continued service specify “frequent disabling attacks  which  last
for several  consecutive  days,  and  are  unrelieved  treatment”  are
disqualifying  for   continued   service.    There   is   insufficient
information in the available records to draw a conclusion and make any
recommendation regarding her migraine headaches  and  her  suitability
for military service, however at the time she was offered training  in
another Air Force specialty she  was  presumably  considered  fit  for
continued service.

Her discharge was not because of her medical  condition,  but  because
she received an entry-level separation as a result of her  declination
of training in an alternate field  and  request  for  separation.   It
cannot be determined if her history  of  migraine  headaches  will  be
disqualifying for entry.  Such a determination  can  be  made  through
routine  enlistment  evaluation  if  the  administrative  issues   are
resolved in the applicant’s favor.

The Medical Consultant’s evaluation is at Exhibit C.

AFPC/DPPAE indicates that based on the review of her case file, her RE
code 2C, “Involuntarily separated  with  an  honorable  discharge;  or
entry  level  separation  without  characterization  of  service”   is
correct.

The DPPAE evaluation is at Exhibit D.

AFPC/DPPRS does not provide a recommendation on this case and provides
this advisory for information only.   Airman,  are  given  entry-level
separation/uncharacterized service characterization when separation is
initiated in the first 180 days of  continuous  active  service.   The
Department of Defense determined if a member served less than 180 days
continuous active service, it would be unfair to the  member  and  the
service  to  characterize  their  limited  service.   Therefore,   her
uncharacterized character of service is correct and in accordance with
Department  of  Defense  and  Air  Force  instructions.    An   entry-
level/uncharacterized separation should not be viewed as negative  and
should not be confused with other types of separation.

The DPPRS evaluation is at attachment E.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Applicant states that she does not have a history of chronic  migraine
headaches.  In May 2000, she experienced one severe headache  and  was
seen by her pediatrician at  Kaiser  Permanente.   She  then  had  two
additional headaches in two months and was told  by  her  doctor  that
they were related to her menstrual cycle.  She doesn’t  recall  having
any headaches in 2001.  She can’t  explain  the  provider’s  statement
quoted in the medical consultant’s report, suggesting that she gave  a
history of  chronic  headaches.   She  feels  that  her  remarks  were
misinterpreted.

Her complete submission, with attachments, 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.  Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented  to  demonstrate
the existence of  an  error  or  injustice  to  warrant  changing  the
applicant’s reenlistment eligibility (RE) code.  We took notice of the
applicant’s complete submission in judging the  merits  of  the  case,
however; we agree with the opinions and  recommendations  of  the  Air
Force offices of primary responsibility and adopt their  rationale  as
the basis for our conclusion that  the  applicant  has  not  been  the
victim of an  error  or  injustice.   Therefore,  in  the  absence  of
evidence to the contrary, we find no  compelling  basis  to  recommend
granting the relief sought in this application.

_________________________________________________________________



THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The  applicant  be  notified  that  the  evidence  presented  did  not
demonstrate the existence of 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 Docket Number 2003-00038
in Executive Session on 19 August 2003, under the provisions of AFI 36-
2603:

                 Mr. Richard A. Peterson, Panel Chair
                 Mr. Roscoe Hinton, Member
                 Ms. Cheryl Jacobson, Member

The following documentary evidence was considered:

      Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 13 Jan 03 w/atch.
      Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
      Exhibit C. Letter, BCMR Medical Consultant, dated 2 Jun 03.
      Exhibit D. Letter, AFPC/DPPAE, dated 11 Jul 03.
      Exhibit E. Letter, AFPC/DPPRS, undated.
      Exhibit F. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 18 Jul 03
      Exhibit G. Letter, Applicant, 24 Jul 03, w/atch.




      RICHARD A. PETERSON
      Panel Chair