RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2005-00654
            INDEX CODE:  110.00

            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO

MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE:  28 AUG 06

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

Her narrative reason for discharge and Reenlistment  Eligibility  (RE)  code
be changed.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

She never had a personality disorder; she was treated  for  Post-  Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD) which she has overcome since an abusive childhood.

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

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

On 16 October 1997, 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 5 March 1998, indicates the applicant  was
referred to the Behavioral Analysis Service (BAS) by her  commander  because
of  concerns  about  past  abuse  negatively  impacting  her  service.   The
applicant was cooperative with the clinical interview.  Her mood  throughout
the  interview  was  normal   and   appropriate.    She   was   occasionally
appropriately tearful when discussing distressing events.   She  denied  any
current suicidal ideation, plans or attempts.  However, she had  engaged  in
self-injurious behaviors in the past.  At the age of  16,  she  cut  on  her
wrists, and she had also  cut  on  her  arms.   There  was  no  evidence  of
delusions  or  hallucinations.   She  also  denied  significant   legal   or
financial problems, drug abuse, and occupational or  school  problems.   The
applicant’s primary concern  was  problems  relating  to  past  abuse.   The
applicant  reported  re-experiencing  her  trauma  through  flashbacks   and
nightmares.  She reported having intense feelings of anger at  reminders  of
the abuse.  She also reported increased avoidance  (i.e.  efforts  to  avoid
thoughts, feelings, conversations, activities, places and people  that  were
reminders of the abuse, diminished interest or participating in  significant
activities, and feeling  detached  from  others).   Since  experiencing  the
abuse she reported difficulty sleeping, irritability and physical  outbursts
of anger (e.g. within the past few  days  she  physically  choked  her  best
friend), and being constantly on guard.  She reported on-going  difficulties
with uncontrolled physical aggression which she  acted  out  against  people
who were close to  her  (e.g.,  her  best  friend  and  her  brother).   The
applicant reported that she had varying degrees  of  difficulty  with  these
problems in the past.  The problems became particularly extreme a few  weeks
after being shown a Playgirl magazine that some of  her  flight  mates  had.
These symptoms were consistent  with  a  diagnosis  of  PTSD  chronic.   Her
impact of events scale testing scores were consistent  with  that  of  other
trainees complaining  of  difficulties  with  past  abuse  -  sufficient  to
recommend  separation  from  the  Air  Force.   The  applicant   was   being
recommended for administrative separation for the benefit of the  Air  Force
and herself.  Given her ongoing negative impact that the abuse  had  on  her
functioning, combined with her current exacerbation of  symptoms,  it  would
have proven difficult for the  applicant  to  function  effectively  in  the
Security Forces.  Although the applicant appeared to possess  a  variety  of
strengths and skills she was able to  successfully  complete  her  training.
However, her anger management difficulties and flashbacks put  her  at  risk
for problems on the job.  With mental health treatment, the applicant  might
have proven to be a successful Air Force member.  However, the  severity  of
her symptoms necessitated that she begun  treatment  as  soon  as  possible.
Being retrained into another career field would likely not  permit  her  the
time necessary to seek regular psychotherapy.  The  applicant  was  strongly
encouraged to seek civilian mental health care if  she  was  separated  from
the Air Force.

On 20 March 1998, the applicant was notified of her  commander's  intent  to
initiate discharge action against her for  Conditions  That  Interfere  with
Military Service, Mental Disorders; specifically, on or about 5 March  1998,
she was evaluated by the Behavioral Analysis Service who diagnosed her  with
DSM IV - Axis I (Number  309.81)  Posttraumatic  Stress  Disorder,  Chronic.
They determined that this disorder significantly  impaired  her  ability  to
function in the military.  They recommended  administrative  separation  for
the benefit of the Air Force.








After being advised by her commander of her right to consult  legal  counsel
and submit statements in her own behalf; or waive  the  above  rights  after
consulting with counsel, on 20 March 1998, the applicant  waived  her  right
to consult with counsel and to submit statements in her own behalf.

On 31 March 1998, the Staff Judge  Advocate  recommended  the  applicant  be
separated from the service with an entry-level separation.

On  1  April  1998,  the  discharge  authority  approved   the   applicant’s
discharge.

On 9 April 1998, the applicant was separated with an entry-level  separation
in the grade of  airman  basic,  under  the  provisions  of  AFI  36-3208  -
Personality Disorder.  She served 5 months and 24 days of total active  duty
service.  She received an RE code of “2C” - Involuntarily separated with  an
honorable discharge, or entry-level separation without  characterization  of
service.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The BCMR Medical Consultant is of the opinion that the narrative reason  for
discharge should be changed to Secretariat Authority, but no change  in  the
RE code is warranted.   He  indicates  the  applicant  was  administratively
discharged with an entry level separation  for  existing  prior  to  service
(EPTS) PTSD resulting  from  issues  related  to  childhood.   Although  the
applicant had experienced significant symptoms  and  some  counseling  as  a
teen prior to entering the Air Force, she did not  report  this  potentially
disqualifying  information  at  the   time   of   her   enlistment   medical
examination.  She did well in training until an  innocuous  event  triggered
severe symptoms incompatible with military  service.   Following  discharge,
she reports resolution of symptoms  after  four  months  of  counseling  and
requests a change of records that  would  enable  her  to  reenter  military
service.

PTSD  is  a  very  complex  syndrome  resulting  from  psychological  trauma
resulting in  significant  somatic,  cognitive,  affective,  and  behavioral
effects.  PTSD is  characterized  by  intrusive  thoughts,  nightmares,  and
flashbacks  of  traumatic  events,  avoidance  of   reminders   of   trauma,
hypervigilence,  and  sleep  disturbance.   These  symptoms  can   lead   to
considerable   social,   occupational   and    interpersonal    dysfunction.
Psychiatric comorbidity is high, especially  depression,  anxiety  disorder,
and substance abuse.  PTSD is  often  a  chronic  condition;  only  a  third
recover after one year, and  one  third  are  still  symptomatic  after  ten
years.   Treatment  is  complex,  individualized,  and  often,   long   term
requiring psychotherapy and medications.  In  patients  who  show  recovery,
the risk of recurrence is increased but cannot  be  specifically  determined
in an individual.

Airmen discharged with entry-level separation by Air Force policy  (AFI  36-
3208) receive an RE code that bars reenlistment (2C).  Her history  of  PTSD
causing discharge from the military is  disqualifying  for  enlistment  even
though she may be currently asymptomatic.  The fact that she is  functioning
well without symptoms at this  time  at  home  does  not  predict  that  her
condition will not  be  again  triggered  by  some  unpredictable  event  or
circumstances  in  the  changing  and  stressful  environment  of   military
service, military operations, deployment, or combat when  she  is  separated
from her familiar surroundings and usual support system of  family,  friends
and counselors.  Even  though  the  applicant  is  motivated  to  serve  her
country in military  service,  her  past  experience  is  indicative  of  an
increased  risk  for  unpredictable  recurrence  that  is  unacceptable  for
military service.

On the applicant’s DD Form  214,  the  narrative  reason  for  discharge  is
listed as Personality Disorder even though the applicant was  not  diagnosed
with a personality disorder.  The DOD uses the term  “personality  disorder”
administratively to include all unsuiting character and  behavior  disorders
including Adjustment Disorder, Personality Disorders,  and  Impulse  Control
Disorders and when members are discharged  for  existing  prior  to  service
mental disorders.   This  term  is  confusing  because  the  Diagnostic  and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders uses the term “personality  disorder”
in a specific, defined manner to classify specific disorders of  personality
that do not include Adjustment Disorder, Impulse Control Disorder  or  other
conditions.  Since the  applicant  was  not  diagnosed  with  a  personality
disorder (or substantial traits) it is  inaccurate  to  list  the  narrative
reason as personality disorder, even though administratively it is correct.

The evaluation is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

On 24 March 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 not timely filed; however, it is in  the  interest
of justice to excuse the failure to timely file.


3.    Sufficient relevant evidence has been  presented  to  demonstrate  the
existence of an error or injustice warranting  a  change  in  the  narrative
reason for separation.  After reviewing the applicant’s submission  and  the
evidence of record, we are persuaded that  some  relief  is  warranted.   We
note the discharge action taken against  the  applicant  was  in  accordance
with the applicable instruction.  However, after reviewing  the  applicant’s
request and the evidence of record, we find the  narrative  reason  for  her
separation, i.e., personality disorder, to be inaccurate.  The BCMR  Medical
Consultant states  the  applicant  was  not  diagnosed  with  a  personality
disorder (or substantial traits); therefore, it is inaccurate  to  list  the
narrative reason as personality disorder, even  though  administratively  it
is correct.  We are in complete agreement with the BCMR  Medical  Consultant
and recommend the applicant’s narrative reason for separation be changed  to
Secretarial Authority.  Therefore, in view of the above findings and  in  an
effort  to  offset  any  possibility  of  an  injustice,  we  recommend  the
applicant’s records be corrected to the extent indicated below.

4.    Notwithstanding the above finding, 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 her 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 she is functioning well at this time at home does not predict she  will
respond well to the stresses of military operations, deployment,  or  combat
when she is separated from  her  familiar  surroundings  and  usual  support
system of  family,  friends,  and  counselors.   As  noted  by  the  Medical
Consultant, even though she is motivated to serve her  country  in  military
service, her  past  experience  is  indicative  of  an  increased  risk  for
unpredictable  recurrence  that  is  unacceptable  for   military   service.
Therefore, we agree with the Medical Consultant and adopt  his  rational  as
the basis for our conclusion that she has not been the victim  of  an  error
or injustice.  In the absence of persuasive evidence  to  the  contrary,  we
find no compelling basis to recommend granting the remaining relief.

_________________________________________________________________








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 her entry  level
separation on 9 April 1998, she was issued a Separation  Program  Designator
of “KFF” and  a  narrative  reason  of  Secretarial  Authority  rather  than
Personality Disorder.

_________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number  BC-2005-
00654 in Executive Session on 25 April 2006, under the provisions of AFI 36-
2603:

                 Mr. Michael K. Gallogly, Panel Chair
                 Ms. Mary C. Puckett, Member
                 Mr. Grover L. Dunn, Member

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

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 3 March 2005, w/atchs.
   Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, BCMR Medical Consultant,
                     dated 22 March 2006.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 24 March 2006, w/atch.




                 MICHAEL K. GALLOGLY
                 Panel Chair



AFBCMR BC-2005-00654





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 her entry
level separation on 9 April 1998, she was issued a Separation Program
Designator of “KFF” and a narrative reason of Secretarial Authority rather
than Personality Disorder.




            JOE G. LINEBERGER
            Director
            Air Force Review Boards Agency