RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBERS:  BC-2003-03036
            INDEX CODE 110.02  108.10
            COUNSEL:  None

            HEARING DESIRED:  Yes

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His  2002  entry-level  separation  (ELS)  be  changed  to  a  medical
discharge.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

The Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) diagnosed  high  blood
pressure (BP) and still allowed him  to  enter  the  military  without
informing him of  the  condition.  His  life  was  threatened  by  the
possibility of suffering a  heart  attack  during  extensive  physical
training without  being  on  medication.  He  wants  to  receive  full
medical/educational benefits and a monthly stipend.

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

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

A civilian  medical  entry  prior  to  enlisting,  dated  25  Oct  00,
indicated the applicant’s BP was 118/72.

A Report of Medical Examination at the MEPS, dated 8 Aug 01, reflected
a BP of 140/82.

The applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force on 20 May 02,  in  the
grade of airman first class for a period of six years.   He  completed
basic military training and entered  technical  school  as  a  traffic
management apprentice.

Evaluation of the applicant over five consecutive days  (7-13 Sep  02)
showed elevation of BP  in  the  mildly  hypertensive  range.  He  was
counseled regarding a low salt diet pending laboratory evaluation  and
follow-up.

A 13 Sep 02 medical entry diagnosed hypertension and tachycardia. Also
noted was the BP reading of 140/82 on the MEPS physical and  that  the
applicant was unaware of the condition. His condition  was  determined
to be disqualifying for service and to have existed prior  to  service
(EPTS).

On 2 Oct 02, a civilian physician provided medical records dating back
to 1996 and asserted the applicant had a history of normal BP readings
while under his care.

A 22 Oct 02 reading by his civilian physician showed  the  applicant’s
BP was 140/82.

On 23 Oct 02, the applicant was notified of his commander’s intent  to
recommend an honorable discharge for erroneous enlistment based on the
13  Sep  02  diagnosis  of  EPTS  hypertension  and  tachycardia.  The
applicant provided a statement for  consideration  and  the  commander
recommended his honorable discharge for erroneous enlistment. However,
on 4 Nov 02, the  recommendation  letter  was  amended  to  reflect  a
recommendation for an ELS rather  than  an  honorable  discharge.  The
applicant      acknowledged      receipt      of      the      amended
notification/recommendation to reflect ELS.

On 4 Nov 02, the case was found  to  be  legally  sufficient  and  the
discharge authority approved the ELS.

The applicant was separated with an uncharacterized ELS on 7  Nov  02,
after 5 months and 18 days of active service.  Airmen  are  in  entry-
level status during the first 180 days of continuous  active  military
service and, if administratively separated during this period, receive
an ELS. This separation does not attempt to characterize the  type  of
service as either good or bad. The applicant was issued  a  separation
program designator  (SPD)  code  of  “JFC”  (Erroneous  Entry)  and  a
reenlistment eligibility (RE) code of  “2C”  (Involuntarily  Separated
with an Honorable Discharge or ELS).

In order to qualify for Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) benefits,  a  member
is required to complete 36 months of active  duty  (or  24  months  of
active duty followed by 48 months of Reserve duty).  However,  members
separated early for the following reasons may  be  eligible  for  MGIB
benefits:  Convenience of the Government (must have served at least 30
months), disability, hardship, an EPTS medical condition, a  condition
that interfered with performance  of  duty,  or  a  reduction-in-force
(RIF). When discharged for an EPTS condition, the benefit is a  month-
for-month benefit (i.e., the number of months served equals the number
of months of benefit, assuming the member elected  to  participate  in
the program at the time of enlisted). The  available  records  do  not
indicate whether or not the applicant elected MGIB benefits.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The AFBCMR Medical  Consultant  advises  that  medical  standards  for
enlistment indicate that BP over 140/90 (based  on  three  consecutive
readings) is disqualifying for enlistment. In addition, a  history  of
hypertension treated with medication or  diet  is  disqualifying.  The
applicant’s BP at the MEPS was  not  disqualifying.  However,  medical
standards for enlistment apply to all Air Force members in their first
six  months  of  service  and   the   applicant’s   BP   was   clearly
disqualifying. Evidence of the record shows he was developing high  BP
prior to entry onto active duty. Further, chronic conditions  such  as
hypertension that develop within the first six months of  service  are
presumed to have EPTS. For early stage high BP in the absence of other
risk factors, non-pharmacological management is appropriate during the
initial stages  of  evaluation.  There  is  no  evidence  that  active
military service  permanently  aggravated  his  condition  beyond  its
natural progression. Action and disposition  complied  with  governing
directives and the appeal should be denied.

A complete copy of the evaluation is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A complete copy of the Air  Force  evaluation  was  forwarded  to  the
applicant on 5 Mar 04 for review and comment within 30  days.   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.    Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented  to  demonstrate
the existence of an injustice warranting partial relief.  With  regard
to the applicant’s stated request, we agree  with  the  rationale  and
recommendation  of  the  AFBCMR  Medical  Consultant  that  a  medical
discharge is unwarranted. In this regard, the applicant’s  BP  at  the
MEPS was not disqualifying and,  for  early-stage  high  BP  absenting
other risk  factors,  non-pharmacological  management  is  appropriate
during initial stages of evaluation. As noted by the  Consultant,  the
applicant’s BP was presumed to have EPTS, and the  applicant  presents
no  evidence  active  military  service  permanently  aggravated   his
condition beyond its natural progression. This, coupled with the  fact
that the applicant served  for  less  than  six  months,  renders  the
uncharacterized ELS appropriate.  However,  while  the  SPD  code  and
narrative reason of “Erroneous Entry”  are  technically  accurate,  we
believe this definition could inadvertently imply a negative action on
the part of the applicant. The applicant  did  not  know  he  had  the
condition and, in our view,  an  SPD  code  and  narrative  reason  of
“JFF/Secretarial Authority” would give a more  neutral  impression  of
the applicant’s separation. Therefore, we  recommend  the  applicant’s
records be corrected to the extent indicated below.

4.    The applicant’s case is adequately documented  and  it  has  not
been shown that a personal appearance with  or  without  counsel  will
materially  add  to  our  understanding  of  the  issue(s)   involved.
Therefore, the request for a hearing 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, in conjunction  with
his entry level separation  on  7  November  2002,  he  was  issued  a
separation program designator code of “JFF,” instead of “JFC,”  and  a
narrative reason of “Secretarial Authority,”  rather  than  “Erroneous
Entry.”

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the  Board  considered  this  application  in
Executive Session on 21 April 2004 under the  provisions  of  AFI  36-
2603:

                 Mr. Thomas S. Markiewicz, Chair
                 Mr. Frederick R. Beaman III, Member
                 Mr. Vance E. Lineberger, Member

All members  voted  to  correct  the  records,  as  recommended.   The
following documentary evidence relating to AFBCMR  Docket  Number  BC-
2003-03036 was considered:

   Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 18 Aug 03, w/atchs.
   Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C. Letter, AFBCMR Medical Consultant, dated 18 Feb 04.
   Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 5 Mar 04.





                                   THOMAS S. MARKIEWICZ
                                   Chair




AFBCMR BC-2003-03036




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 7 November 2002, he was issued a
separation program designator code of “JFF,” instead of “JFC,” and a
narrative reason of “Secretarial Authority,” rather than “Erroneous
Entry.”






   JOE G. LINEBERGER

   Director

   Air Force Review Boards Agency