RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2009-00638 

 

 COUNSEL: NONE 

 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

The narrative reason for his discharge on his DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, be 
changed. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

He suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) during an automobile 
accident that was mistaken for a personality disorder, resulting 
in his involuntary separation. 

 

In support of his request, the applicant provides copies of 
various neurological consultations. 

 

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

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

Applicant’s military personnel records indicate he enlisted in 
the Regular Air Force on 6 Jan 00 and was progressively promoted 
to the grade of staff sergeant (E-5), effective and with a date 
of rank of 2 Apr 04. 

 

On 10 Oct 06, the applicant was notified by his commander of his 
intent to recommend his involuntary discharge from the Air Force 
for a mental disorder and minor disciplinary infractions. 

 

The reasons for the action were: 

 

 a. Applicant’s diagnosis of adjustment disorder with 
depressed mood, which rendered him unsuitable for continued 
military service, as documented by a commander-directed 
evaluation due to repeated defiant and non-compliant actions and 
a persistent trend of failure to report to duty. 

 

 


 b. He did, on diverse occasions between on or about 
13 Jun 06 and on or about 28 Jun 06, fail to report to his 
appointed place of duty, for which he received a Letter of 
Reprimand (LOR), dated 30 Jun 06. 

 

 c. He did, on or about 7 Jul 06, fail to obey a lawful 
order, for which he received an LOR, dated 11 Jul 06. 

 

 d. He did, on or about 14 Jul 06, absent himself from his 
appointed place of duty, remaining so absent until 19 Jul 06. 
Additionally, on or about 20 Jul 06, he failed to obey a lawful 
order. For this misconduct, he received nonjudicial punishment 
via Article 15, Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), on 
20 Sep 06. 

 

On 10 Oct 06, the applicant acknowledged receipt of the letter 
of notification and offered a conditional waiver of his rights 
to an administrative discharge board, contingent upon his 
receipt of no less than an honorable discharge. 

 

On 12 Oct 06, the case was found to be legally sufficient and 
the discharge authority accepted the applicant’s conditional 
waiver and approved the commander’s request for involuntary 
discharge on 13 Oct 06. 

 

On 18 Oct 06, the applicant was furnished an honorable discharge 
for Personality Disorder under the provisions of AFI 36-3208, Administrative Separation of Airmen. He was credited with 
6 years, 9 months, and 12 days of total active service. 

 

The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are 
contained in the letters prepared by the appropriate office of 
the Air Force and the AFBCMR Medical Consultant, which are 
attached at Exhibits C and E. 

 

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AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

AFPC/DPSOS recommends the applicant’s separation code be 
corrected to “KFF” and the narrative reason for the separation 
be corrected to reflect “Secretarial Authority” since the basis 
for the applicant’s discharge was an adjustment disorder versus 
a personality disorder. Although the applicant’s reported 
vehicle accident pre-dates his acts of misconduct, there was no 
affirmative evidence, provided by the applicant or in the 
record, which reflects he was diagnosed with a TBI or the 
accident was a factor in his misconduct. Additionally, the 
discharge package indicates the applicant’s recent divorce, 
resulting in his separation from his child, was the likely cause 
of his adjustment disorder and subsequent discharge proceedings. 

 

A complete copy of the AFPC/DPSOS evaluation is at Exhibit C. 

 

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APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to applicant on 
2 Jul 09 for review and response within 30 days. As of this 
date, no response has been received by this office (Exhibit D). 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

ADDITIONAL AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

The AFBCMR Medical Consultant indicates there is insufficient 
evidence the applicant’s misconduct and depressed mood were the 
direct result of his car accident. However, the Medical 
Consultant agrees with the AFPC/DPSOS conclusion the applicant’s 
discharge was for an adjustment disorder versus a personality 
disorder and recommends changing the narrative reason for 
separation to “Secretarial Authority”. 

 

A complete copy of the BCMR Medical Consultant’s evaluation is 
at Exhibit E. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF ADDITIONAL AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

A copy of the BCMR Medical Consultant evaluation was forwarded 
to applicant on 9 Oct 09 for review and response within 30 days. 
As of this date, no response has been received by this office 
(Exhibit F). 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 

 

1. The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided by 
existing law or regulations. 

 

2. The application was timely filed. 

 

3. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to 
demonstrate the existence of error or injustice warranting a 
correction of the applicant’s narrative reason for separation. 
While we agree with the BCMR Medical Consultant’s opinion that 
insufficient evidence exists to conclude the applicant’s 
reported disciplinary infractions and depressed mood were the 
direct result of his reported accidental injury, we note 
“Personality Disorder” was used for all unsuiting mental health 
disorders at the time of the applicant’s discharge, even in 
cases such as his when the diagnosis was adjustment disorder, 
not personality disorder. “Personality Disorder” did not 
properly distinguish the other mental disorders for which a 
service member could be separated. While not available during 
the time the applicant was discharged, adjustment disorder was 
eventually approved as a valid reason for separation in February 
2007. Although action and disposition of the applicant’s case 


appears to be in compliance with the Air Force directives in 
effect at the time of his discharge, we believe it would be an 
injustice for the applicant to continue to suffer the stigma of 
such a characterization. Accordingly, we recommend that his 
records be corrected to the extent indicated below. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: 

 

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air 
Force relating to APPLICANT be corrected to show that at the 
time of his discharge on 18 October 2006, the narrative reason 
for his discharge was “Secretarial Authority,” with a Separation 
Program Designator (SPD) code of “KFF.” 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket 
Number BC-2009-00638 in Executive Session on 3 Dec 09, under the 
provisions of AFI 36-2603: 

 

 , Panel Chair 

 , Member 

 , Member 

 

The following documentary evidence was considered: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 16 Feb 09, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSOS, dated 24 Jun 09. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 2 Jul 09. 

 Exhibit E. Letter, BCMR Medical Consultant, dated 6 Oct 09. 

 Exhibit F. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 9 Oct 09. 

 

 

 

 

 

 Panel Chair