RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2004-03633
            INDEX CODE:  100.06
            COUNSEL:  None

            HEARING DESIRED:  No

MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE:  27 May 06

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His reenlistment eligibility (RE) code be changed from 2C to one  that
allows reenlistment in the military.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He  never  received  less  than  an  overall  rating  of  “5”  on  his
performance reports, was promoted to  senior  airman  (SRA),  and  was
awarded “Airman of the Quarter” in his squadron.   He  loved  military
life but was discharged for Personality Disorder due to his method  of
relieving stress [self-mutilation].  He sought  help  for  his  mental
condition and has freed himself from his affliction.  He would like to
rejoin the military and his dedication to his country would make him a
tremendous asset.   He  is  currently  working  at  the  Massachusetts
Institute of Technology as a circuit board  design  engineer  and  lab
manager in the Computer Architecture Group.

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

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant entered active duty on 25 Oct 95, and  was  assigned  to
the 355th Equipment Maintenance Squadron at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ,  as
a combat armament  support  team  member.   He  was  promoted  to  SRA
effective 25 Apr 98.  His three Enlisted  Performance  Reports  (EPRs)
have overall ratings of “5.”

The applicant presented to the Mental Health Clinic (MHC) on 12 Feb 99
with issues related  to  dealing  more  positively  with  stress.   He
exhibited logical, coherent, and linear thought processes  and  denied
suicidal  or  homicidal  ideations.   He  indicated  he  had  met  his
counseling goals but wanted to keep his case open for possible follow-
up.

A 25 Feb 99 Primary Care  Report  indicated  the  applicant  described
frequent and/or excessive alcohol consumption  and  family  separation
problems.

On 22 Jun 99, the applicant was assigned to the 44th Fighter  Squadron
(44 FS) at Kadena, Japan.

Within 48 hours of his  arrival  at  Kadena  AB,  on  24 Jun  99,  the
applicant’s  supervisors  referred  him  to   the   Kadena   Community
Counseling  Center  (CCC)  after  he  revealed  a  history  of   self-
mutilation.  He indicated he was lonely, depressed,  and  experiencing
impulses to cut himself.   He  reported  he  cut  himself  to  relieve
feelings of loneliness and stress since  age  13.   He  also  reported
falling in love with a woman while on a 30-day leave prior  to  coming
to Kadena.  He had been referred to the Davis-Monthan  MHC  in  Jan 99
for self-mutilation observed by his roommate.  Provisional  assessment
was  Impulse  Control  Disorder  not  otherwise  specified  (NOS)  and
Adjustment Disorder; Borderline Personality  Disorder  was  suspected.
He  was  started  on  antidepressant  medication  and  scheduled   for
individual counseling.

A 6 Jul 99 Statement of Medical Condition by the CCC flight  commander
noted the applicant had acknowledged his history of self-mutilation at
his last base and was cleared for temporary duty (TDY)  and  permanent
change of station (PCS).  The commander noted that while tissue damage
had been superficial up to this point,  the  applicant’s  difficulties
with impulse control clearly placed him at increased risk for  serious
injury.  He concluded the applicant had an impulse control disorder so
severe that he would continue to experience  significant  difficulties
if  he  remained  on  active  duty.   Administrative   discharge   was
recommended.

The applicant continued counseling at the  Kadena  MHC.   However,  on
20 Jul 05, he reported to the emergency room for razor lacerations  on
his arms, back, and chest that  had  been  self-inflicted  to  relieve
stress.  The event was triggered by his fighting with  his  girlfriend
and then brooding over it.  He indicated he  stopped  cutting  himself
when he “felt better” and called his supervisor  for  a  ride  to  the
hospital.  He denied suicidal ideation.

Also on 20 Jul 05, he was notified of the 44 FS commander’s intent  to
recommend honorable discharge.  The commander  cited  the  applicant’s
referral to the CCC on 24 Jun 99, and the CCC commander’s diagnosis of
Impulse Control  Disorder  NOS,  manifested  by  a  history  of  self-
mutilation, with severely impaired ability to function effectively  in
the military environment.  The applicant acknowledged receipt and  the
advisement of his rights.  The 44 FS commander recommended to the 18th
Wing  Group  (18  WG)  commander  that  the  applicant  be   honorably
discharged  for  a  condition  interfering  with   military   service.
Probation and rehabilitation (P&R) were not recommended because of the
applicant’s long history of self-mutilation, and  that  his  condition
was neither amenable to psychiatric care nor resolvable  by  transfer,
disciplinary action, training, or reclassification.

On 22 Jul 99, the applicant waived his right to  consult  counsel  and
submit statements in rebuttal.  That same date,  18  WG  legal  review
found the case sufficient for discharge and recommended the  applicant
be honorably discharged without P&R.

On 28 Jul 99, after three years, nine months and six  days  of  active
duty, the applicant was honorably discharged in the grade of  SRA  for
Personality Disorder.  His RE code  was  2C  (Involuntarily  separated
with an honorable discharge).

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The  AFBCMR  Medical  Consultant  provides   details   regarding   the
applicant’s medical condition.  He advises that the applicant’s  self-
mutilation behavior is strongly indicative of  Borderline  Personality
Disorder. Personality Disorders are not disease but enduring  patterns
of perception, coping, emotions, and behavior that  deviate  from  the
expectations of the individual’s culture (including occupational), and
leads  to  distress  or  impairment  in  social  and/or   occupational
functioning.  The features of a Personality  Disorder  usually  become
recognizable during adolescence or early adult life and are  pervasive
and inflexible.  Manifestations (symptoms and behavior) are frequently
exacerbated by stress and may present with  symptoms  consistent  with
Adjustment Disorder.  In the  applicant’s  case,  he  cut  himself  in
response to stress, in addition to  feelings  of  depressed  mood  and
anxiety.  Manifestations wax and wane  over  time,  depending  on  the
nature and degree of stressors present at any  given  time.   Although
not formally diagnosed with Personality Disorder, the applicant’s long-
standing behavior pattern was  clearly  inflexible,  maladaptive,  and
rendered him  unsuited  for  military  service.   The  fact  that  the
applicant is functioning well at this time 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  inability  to
cope with stress is predictive of recurrence of his behavior  patterns
if re-exposed to the rigors of military service.   Therefore,  the  RE
code should not be changed.

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 21 Sep 05 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 not timely filed;  however,  it  is  in  the
interest of justice to excuse the failure to timely file.

3.    Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate
the existence of error or injustice.  The applicant’s contentions  are
duly noted; however, we are  not  persuaded  his  RE  code  should  be
changed.  At the time members are separated from the Air  Force,  they
are furnished an RE code predicated  on  the  circumstances  of  their
separation.  After a thorough review of the  evidence  of  record,  we
agree with the AFBCMR Medical Consultant that, given  the  applicant’s
inability  to  adjust  to  military  life,  the  RE  code  issued  was
appropriate and should remain unchanged.  As noted by the  Consultant,
although not formally diagnosed with Borderline Personality  Disorder,
the applicant’s self-mutilation behavior  is  strongly  indicative  of
that condition, and the long-standing  behavior  pattern  was  clearly
inflexible,  maladaptive,  and  unsuitable   for   military   service.
Although the applicant asserts  he  has  “freed  [himself]  from  this
affliction,” he provides no evidence this  is  so  or  that  his  past
inability to cope with stress would not recur if he were again exposed
to the rigors of active duty.  Therefore, we find no basis on which to
recommend favorable action on 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  this  application  in
Executive Session on 3 Nov 05 under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                 Mr. Richard A. Peterson, Panel Chair
                 Ms. Sue A. Lumpkins, Member
                 Mr. James L. Sommer, Member

The following documentary evidence relating to AFBCMR Docket Number BC-
2004-03633 was considered:

  Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 30 Nov 04, w/atchs.
  Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
  Exhibit C.  Letter, AFBCMR Medical Consultant, dated 19 Sep 05.
  Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 21 Sep 05.





                                   RICHARD A. PETERSON
                                   Panel Chair