RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2008-00537
            INDEX CODE:  110.00
            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  NO

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His  reenlistment  eligibility  (RE)  code  of  2Q  (Medically  Retired   or
Discharged) be changed to a code that would  allow  him  to  enlist  in  the
Army.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He suffered a mental breakdown and depression because of  marital  problems.
After drinking and taking sleeping pills, he woke up in a  hospital.   Tests
and exams were performed and his medication was changed.  He was  restricted
from working on the flight line.  He felt alienated, ridiculed and  received
childlike treatment from his  friends  and  coworkers.   He  was  constantly
reprimanded by his supervisors.  When asked  by  the  medical  board  if  he
wanted to be released from  military  service,  he  felt  it  was  his  only
choice.

He now has a decent job, a nice  apartment  and  a  beautiful  fiancé.   His
prior military training would make him a great asset to the  Army.   He  has
never felt better and is fit for duty.

In support of the application, he submits his personal statement, copies  of
his DD Form 293, Application for the Review  of  Discharge  from  the  Armed
Forces of the United States, his DD Form  214,  Certificate  of  Release  or
Discharge from Active Duty, his AF Form 618, Medical Board  Report,  his  AF
Form 1185, Statement of Record Data, and his  Physician's  Addendum  to  the
Assessment, dated 6 Apr 08.

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

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

On 20 Aug 04, the applicant  was  honorably  discharged  and  released  from
military service for disability with severance pay.  He had served 9  years,
1 month and 2 days on active duty, to include  3 years,  10  months  and  21
days of foreign service.

The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application, extracted  from
the applicant’s military records, are contained in the letters  prepared  by
the appropriate office of the Air Force at Exhibit C and E.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

HQ AFPC/DPSD recommends denial.  DPSD states the  applicant  concurred  with
the findings of the IPEB.

The complete DPSD evaluation is at Exhibit C.

The BCMR Medical Consultant recommends  denial.   Applicant  met  a  Medical
Evaluation Board (MEB) on  6  Apr  04.   Results  of  the  MEB  reflect  the
applicant’s initial self-referral to the Life Skills  Support  Center  on  9
May 03 following his return from a 4-month deployment to Saudi  Arabia.   He
had reportedly been prescribed an anti-depressant and a  sleep  aid  by  his
primary  care  manager.   He  reported  experiencing  a  2-year  history  of
“worsening” depressed mood, decreased interest,  social  withdrawal,  guilt,
poor concentration, low self-esteem, and  thoughts  of  death,  among  other
symptoms.  He also described a “similar episode”  approximately  five  years
prior  associated  with  “worries”   regarding   his   marriage   and   work
performance. He has been twice  divorced  and  currently  resides  with  his
fiancée.  A significant aspect  of  his  clinical  history  relates  to  his
attempted suicide on 31 May 03 by taking “one to two bottles” of Tylenol  PM
along  with  alcohol  following  an  argument  with  his  spouse.   He  also
described a previous suicide attempt, via an overdose,  five  to  six  years
before for which he reportedly did not receive any  medical  or  psychiatric
treatment.   A  report  of  his  more  recent  suicide  attempt  of   record
highlighted his compliance and  positive  response  to  treatment  during  a
period of inpatient and outpatient follow-up care.   However,  he  continued
to carry a restrictive duty profile prohibiting both his  deployability  and
further work on the  flight  line.   Although  the  evaluating  psychiatrist
opined that  he  “would  be  fully  deployable”  if  cross-trained  into  an
alternate career field, his commanding officer took the  position  that  his
medical condition “[was] not compatible with military service.”

The applicant submitted an “addendum” assessment conducted on 4 Aug 06 by  a
civilian psychiatrist, reportedly for the purpose  of  obtaining  a  medical
clearance to enter the US  Army.   The  evaluating  psychiatrist  found  “no
active  diagnosis”  and  expressed  the  view  that  the  applicant  had  no
psychopathology that would interfere with  a  “regular  profession  or  job,
including service in the US Army.”

The Medical Consultant opines the applicant remains at  risk  for  an  acute
exacerbation or recurrence of his illness upon re-exposure to the  stressors
associated with military service, to include those associated with  fighting
wars and training for war.

The BCMR Medical Consultant’s complete evaluation is at Exhibit D.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Copies of the Air Force evaluations were forwarded to the  applicant  on  28
Mar 08 and 25 Jul 08, respectively, for review and comment within  30  days.
As of this date, this office has received no response (Exhibit E).

_________________________________________________________________

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.   We  took  notice  of  the  applicant's
complete submission in judging the merits of the  case;  however,  we  agree
with the opinion and recommendation  of  the  BCMR  Medical  Consultant  and
adopt his rationale as the basis for the conclusion that the  applicant  has
not been the victim of an error or injustice.  Therefore, in the absence  of
evidence to the contrary, we find no compelling basis to recommend  granting
the relief sought in 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 9 Sep 08, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

      Mr. James W. Russell, III, Panel Chair
      Ms. Jan Mulligan, Member
      Ms. Lea Gallogly, Member

The following documentary evidence was considered in AFBCMR BC-2008-00537:

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 16 Oct 08 [sic], w/atchs.
    Exhibit B.  Applicant’s Master Personnel Records.
    Exhibit C.  Letter, HQ AFPC/DPSD, dated 21 Feb 08.
    Exhibit D.  Letter, BCMR Medical Consultant, dated 24 Jul 08.
    Exhibit E.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 28 Mar 08.




                                   JAMES W. RUSSELL, III
                                   Panel Chair