RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2005-00436
            INDEX CODE:  112.00

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  YES

MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE:  9 AUG 06

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His Reenlistment Eligibility (RE) code be changed.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He desires his RE code changed to reenlist in the service.  He believes  the
mental health evaluation received prior to his discharge is inaccurate.   He
has since been reevaluated and the results  indicate  he  does  not  have  a
personality disorder.  He further indicates that he  was  informed  that  he
could reenlist after a grace period.

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

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

On 15 January 2002, the applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force  in  the
grade of airman basic for a period of four years.

A Mental Health Evaluation, dated 20 February 2002, indicates the  applicant
was absent without leave (AWOL) for one  day  and  turned  himself  in.   He
reported that he had done this because he was considering suicide if he  had
to stay in the military and was too depressed to  stay.   He  reported  poor
sleep, frequent crying, poor  concentration,  and  suicidal  ideation.   His
motivation to be in the military was extremely  low  and  he  was  concerned
about making a suicidal gesture that could  accidentally  result  in  actual
harm in an attempt to show how serious he was in his desire to  leave.   The
evaluation further indicated the applicant  would  never  be  successful  in
this type of environment and should be  discharged  for  his  sake  and  the
benefit of the military.  He was diagnosed with Axis  I:   309.0  Adjustment
Disorder with Depressed Mood; Axis II: V71.09 no diagnosis; Axis III:  defer
to medical  record.   The  applicant’s  diagnosis  did  not  meet  retention
standards for  continued  military  service.   The  applicant’s  ability  to
function in the military environment was significantly impaired  on  a  long
term basis.   It  was  recommended  that  the  applicant  be  processed  for
expeditious administrative separation in accordance with AFI 36-3208.

On 7 March 2002, the applicant was notified of  his  commander's  intent  to
initiate discharge action against him for a Condition that  Interferes  with
Military Service, Mental Disorders.  The specific reasons  for  this  action
was the applicant was diagnosed by the Department of Mental Health,  Wilford
Hall Medical Center, as  having  a  mental  disorder  as  contained  in  the
Diagnostic  and  Statistical  Manual  of  Mental  Disorders  (DSM-IV).   The
Department of Mental Health had determined this  condition  interfered  with
duty performance and conduct and was  severe  enough  that  his  ability  to
function  in  the  military  was  significantly  impaired.    The   specific
diagnoses were DSM-IV - Axis I - 309.0 Adjustment  Disorder  with  Depressed
Mood; Axis II - V71.09 no diagnosis; Axis III - defer to medical record.

The commander advised the applicant of his rights to consult  legal  counsel
and to submit statements in his own behalf; or waive the above rights  after
consulting with counsel.

The applicant waived his  right  to  consult  with  counsel  and  to  submit
statements in his own behalf.

On 9  March  2002,  the  Assistant  Staff  Judge  Advocate  recommended  the
applicant be separated from the service with an entry-level separation.

On  11  March  2002,  the  discharge  authority  approved  the   applicant’s
discharge.

On  13  March  2002,  the  applicant  was  separated  with  an   entry-level
separation in the grade of airman under the  provisions  of  AFI  36-3208  -
Personality Disorder.  He served 1 month and 29 days of  total  active  duty
service.  He received an RE code of “2C” - Involuntarily separated  with  an
honorable discharge; or entry level separation without  characterization  of
service.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The AFBCMR Medical Consultant recommended denial  indicating  the  applicant
was administratively  separated  for  unsuitability  due  to  an  Adjustment
Disorder after going AWOL and expressing emotional distress  with  depressed
mood, crying spells, thoughts of self harm,  and  running  away  again.   An
Adjustment Disorder 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 Adjustment Disorder  is
that the condition resolves with relief of the stressors.   Individuals  who
develop 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 fact that he is functioning well at  this  time  at  home  confirms  his
diagnosis of 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  of  inability  to  cope
with basic training is predictive of an unacceptable risk for recurrence  of
Adjustment Disorder if re-exposed to the rigors  of  military  training  and
service and the  reenlistment  code  should  not  be  changed.   Action  and
disposition in this case are  proper  and  equitable  reflecting  compliance
with Air Force directive that implement the law.

The evaluation is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

On 10 April 2006, a copy of the Air Force evaluation was  forwarded  to  the
applicant for review and response 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 timely filed.

3.    Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to  demonstrate  the
existence of an error or injustice  that  would  warrant  a  change  to  the
applicant’s RE code.  After a thorough review of the evidence of record  and
the applicant’s submission, it is our opinion that given  the  circumstances
surrounding his separation from the Air Force,  the  RE  code  assigned  was
proper and in compliance with the  appropriate  directives.   The  applicant
has not provided any evidence which would  lead  us  to  believe  otherwise.
The BCMR Medical Consultant indicates the fact that he is  functioning  well
at this  time  at  home  confirms  his  diagnosis  of  Adjustment  Disorder;
however, it does not predict  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.   As
noted  by  the  Medical  Consultant,  the  applicant’s  past  experience  of
inability to cope with basic training is predictive of an unacceptable  risk
for recurrence  of  Adjustment  Disorder  if  reexposed  to  the  rigors  of
military training  and  service.   Therefore,  we  agree  with  the  Medical
Consultant and adopt his rational as the basis for our conclusion  that  the
applicant has not been the victim of an error or injustice.  In the  absence
of evidence to the contrary,  we  find  no  compelling  basis  to  recommend
granting the relief sought.

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 DETERMINES THAT:

The applicant be notified the evidence presented  did  not  demonstrate  the
existence of an error or an injustice; the application was denied without  a
personal appearance; and 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 AFBCMR Docket Number  BC-2005-
00436 in Executive Session on 11 May 2006, under the provisions of  AFI  36-
2603:

                 Ms. Charlene M. Bradley, Panel Chair
                 Ms. Donna Jonkoff, Member
                 Mr. Alan A. Blomgren, Member

The following documentary evidence was considered:

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 28 Jan 05, w/atchs.
   Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, BCMR Medical Consultant,
                   dated 6 Apr 06.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 10 Apr 06, w/atch.



                 CHARLENE M. BRADLEY
                 Panel Chair