RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS


IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2008-02142
            INDEX CODE:  110.00
            COUNSEL:  NONE
            HEARING DESIRED:  NO

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His records be corrected to reflect he was  discharged  for  medical  reason
rather than unsuitability - apathy and defective attitude.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

Prior to his discharge, he had signs  and  symptoms  of  diabetes  (elevated
glucose levels); however, his case was not processed  through  the  Military
Disability Evaluation System (MDES).

Applicant’s complete submission is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force on 19 March 1971.

On 12 August 1975, the applicant  was  notified  by  his  commander  of  his
intent to recommend his discharge from the Air Force  under  the  provisions
of AFM 39-12, paragraph 2-4c.  The specific reasons  for  this  action  were
the applicant's failure to go on numerous occasions; on 8 February 1975  and
28 March 1975, the applicant did not  comply  with  the  bearing  and  dress
regulations; and on 24 July 1975, he was disrespectful in deportment  toward
a superior non-commissioned officer.

He was advised of his rights in this matter and acknowledged receipt of  the
notification  on  that  same  date.   After  consulting  with  counsel,  the
applicant waived his right to a hearing before an  administrative  discharge
board and elected not to submit statements in his own behalf.

In a legal review of the case file, the acting staff  judge  advocate  found
the case legally sufficient and recommended discharge.  On 18  August  1975,
the discharge authority concurred with the recommendations and  directed  an
honorable discharge.  Applicant  was  discharged  on  22  August  1975.   He
served 4 years, 5 months, and 24 days on active duty.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The  AFBCMR  Medical  Consultant  recommends  denial.   The  AFBCMR  Medical
Consultant states the applicant completed a  periodic  physical  examination
on 22 May 1975, presumably in preparation for separation, at which  time  he
summarized his previous medical history.  None of the entries  entered  into
the report included  signs  or  symptoms  diagnostic  of  or  suggestive  of
diabetes  mellitus.   Additionally,  the  applicant's  visual  acuity,  when
compared to his entrance examination dated 20  January  1971,  remained  the
same - 20/20 left eye and 20/40 right eye.

The applicant received  periodic  treatment  of  a  number  of  acute  minor
illnesses  and  trauma  during  his  military  service.   Although   macular
scarring, or a retinal pucker (irregular area of kinking of the  retina  due
to retraction of scar tissue) may be seen in diabetes, it  may  also  result
from other causes, such as ocular trauma or genetic factors.   Additionally,
although diabetics are at a  greater  risk  for  lower  extremity  secondary
wound infections, the applicant's previously infected  ingrown  toenail  and
an infected laceration of the foot, in an otherwise healthy appearing  young
adult, may not have resulted in the ordering of a fasting blood  glucose  or
initiation of other  diagnostic  screening  tests  for  diabetes.   Further,
although the applicant was placed on periodic limited duty  profiles  during
his military service, none of these reflected a period of restriction  or  a
level of restriction that would  have  warranted  processing  the  applicant
through the MDES.  In short,  none  of  the  applicant's  illnesses/injuries
encountered during his military service, were  the  cause  for  cutting  his
career short.

Had the applicant been diagnosed with diabetes prior to  separation,  as  he
suggests, and his condition  was  presented  before  a  Physical  Evaluation
Board, there is no high degree of certainty that he would  have  been  found
unfit at the time; particularly if the condition was  well  controlled  with
diet and exercise alone, or with only an oral hypoglycemic.  Following  this
hypothetical  line  of  thinking,  noting  that  the  applicant  would  have
concurrently faced an involuntary discharge, the final  disposition  of  his
case would have been determined via a "dual action" review by the  Secretary
of the Air Force Personnel Council.  Had  such  a  review  been  undertaken,
noting  the  lack  of  a  causal  or  mitigating  relationship  between  the
administrative violations and diabetes, the Medical  Consultant  is  of  the
opinion that, more likely than not,  the  applicant's  approved  involuntary
separation would have been executed.  Finally, although  the  Department  of
Veterans Affairs has granted the applicant a pension (rated  at  100%  as  a
housebound benefit) for  his  diabetes,  this  same  agency  has  failed  to
identify a service connection  for  the  condition,  citing  an  absence  of
evidence of record of the disorder during the applicant's military service.



The complete AFBCMR Medical Consultant evaluation is at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

On 12 September 2008, a copy of the Air Force evaluation  was  forwarded  to
the applicant for review and comment within 30  days  (Exhibit  D).   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  an  error  or  injustice  that  would  warrant  changing  the
applicant's reason for separation.  The  applicant's  contentions  are  duly
noted; however, sufficient evidence has not been provided to show  that,  at
the time of his separation, he suffered from a medical  condition  rendering
him eligible for consideration in the disability evaluation system.  In  the
absence of such evidence, we find no compelling basis to recommend  granting
the requested relief.

_________________________________________________________________

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 this application in  Executive
Session on 6 January 2009, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                 Mr. Thomas S. Markiewicz, Chair
                 Mr. Grover L. Dunn, Member
                 Ms. Audrey Y. Davis, Member


The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR Docket Number  BC-
2008-02142 was considered:

  Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 21 May 2008.
  Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
  Exhibit C. Letter, AFBCMR Medical Consultant,
             dated 11 September 2008.
  Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 12 September 2008.





                       THOMAS S. MARKIEWICZ
                       Chair