RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2003-00455

            COUNSEL:  No

            HEARING DESIRED:  No

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His reenlistment eligibility (RE) code  of  “2C”  and  narrative  reason  be
changed so that he may pursue a career in the military.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

When he signed up for the Air Force, his recruiter  said  that  after  Basic
Training, he would have a job at Vandenburg  California  with  NASA.   While
going through basic, he was sent to the  Medical  Department  for  a  flight
physical.  He learned later that while going through  his  flight  physical,
he was not given a chest  x-ray,  which  was  needed  so  he  could  receive
clearance.  Toward the end  of  basic  training,  he  received  orders.   He
received orders to Kessler Air Force Base for AC&W radar  school.   After  a
couple of months at Kessler, he was not gasping electronics.   He  had  good
and bad days, but he had trouble absorbing  the  information.   Sometime  in
May, he went to speak to the officer in charge of training.  He  talked  for
a while; he informed him that he thought he was going to work for NASA  upon
signing up.  He was told that he could be reclassified,  but  could  not  be
guarantee what he would be doing.  He was also given the choice  to  take  a
separation under 180 days, which would allow him to go back to  college  and
reenlist at a later date.

Now it is almost 10 years later and he is trying to reenlist in the  Reserve
as an Aircraft Mechanic.  He has been working with American Airlines  for  6
six years as a mechanic and would like the opportunity to serve his  country
with the skills he had.

In support of his appeal, he submits a copy of DD Form  293,  Applicant  for
the Review of Discharge or Dismissal From the Armed  Forces  of  the  United
States, a personal statement, and DD Form 214,  Certificate  of  Release  or
Discharge from Active Duty.

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  11
February 1994 for a period of 4 years.  He was separated from the Air  Force
on 9 June 1994 under the provisions of AFR  39-10  (Entry-Level  Performance
and Conduct) and received an  uncharacterized  entry-level  separation.   He
served 3 months and 29 days total active service.

On 2 June 1994, the commander notified the member that he  was  recommending
an entry-level discharge because he failed to make passing scores on  Blocks
I and III of his technical training.  He scored 52%  and  48%  respectively,
passing is 70%.  He was counseled and given extra help; however, he did  not
improve his scores.  On 23 May 1994, he was  eliminated  from  training  for
academic deficiency. Applicant waived his  right  to  submit  statements  or
consult with counsel.  The Discharge Authority approved the separation on  8
June 1994 and ordered an uncharacterized, entry-level discharge.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPRS recommended denial and stated that based on the documentation  in
the file, we believe the discharge was consistent with  the  procedural  and
substantive requirements of the  discharge  regulation.   Additionally,  the
discharge was within 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 Defense (DOD)  determined  if  a  member  served
less than 180 days continuous service, it would be unfair to the member  and
the  service  to  characterize  their  limited  service.    Therefore,   his
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.

AFPC/DPPRS complete evaluation is at Exhibit C.

AFPC/DPPAE stated that  the  applicant  separated  on  9  June  1994,  after
serving  3  months  and  29  days  active  service.   The  RE  code  of  2C,
"Involuntarily  separated  with  an  honorable  discharge;  or  entry  level
separation without characterization of service" is correct.

AFPC/DPPAE complete evaluation is at Exhibit D.

_________________________________________________________________


APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Complete  copies  of  the  Air  Force  evaluations  were  forwarded  to  the
applicant on 18 April 2003, for review and comment within 30  days.   As  of
this date, no response has been received by this office

_________________________________________________________________

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 that failure to timely file.

3.    Sufficient relevant evidence has been  presented  to  demonstrate  the
existence of an error or injustice.  While  the  RE  code  assigned  to  the
applicant, at the time was technically correct and in  accordance  with  the
applicable instructions, we believe it would be  an  injustice  for  him  to
continue to suffer its effects in the way  of  enlistment  opportunities  in
the armed forces.  It appears that his  ability  to  progress  in  his  AC&W
radar training was affected in part by an academic deficiency which we  note
no longer exists.  We note also that he wishes to pursue  a  career  in  the
military using his 10 years of experience in aircraft mechanic  skills  and,
in view of the totality of  the  circumstances  present  in  this  case,  we
believe that he should be given the opportunity  to  apply  for  enlistment.
Whether or not he is successful will depend on the needs of the service  and
our recommendation in no way guarantees that he will be  allowed  to  return
to any branch of the service.  Therefore,  the  reason  for  his  separation
should be changed to Secretarial Authority and his RE code of 2C  should  be
changed to 3K, a code that  can  be  waived  for  prior  service  enlistment
consideration.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air  Force  relating
to APPLICANT be corrected to show that on 9  June  1994,  he  was  separated
under the provisions of AFR 39-10 (Secretarial Authority) with a  separation
code of KFF and a reenlistment eligibility (RE) code of 3K.

_________________________________________________________________




The following members of the Board considered  Docket  Number  BC-2003-00455
in Executive Session on 3 June 2003, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

      Mr. Wayne R. Gracie, Panel Chair
      Mr. George Franklin, Member
      Ms Carolyn J. Waktins-Taylor, Member

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


     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 19 Feb 03, w/atchs.
     Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
     Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPRS, dated 6 Mar 03.
     Exhibit E.  Letter, AFPC/DPPAE, dated 11 Apr 03.
     Exhibit F.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 18 Apr 03.




                                  WAYNE R. GRACIE
                                  Panel Chair

AFBCMR BC-2003-00455




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 APPLICANT, be corrected to show that be corrected to show that
on 9 June 1994, he was separated under the provisions of AFR 39-10,
(Secretarial Authority) with a separation code of KFF and a reenlistment
eligibility (RE) code of 3K.







  JOE G. LINEBERGER

  Director

  Air Force Review Boards Agency