RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2010-04089 

 

 COUNSEL: NONE 

 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

Her honorable discharge be changed to a medical discharge. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

She believes she should receive a medical discharge based on her 
diagnosis of thyroid disease and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder 
(PTSD). 

 

In support of her request, the applicant provides documents 
extracted from her military personnel and VA records and fact 
sheet on hypothyroidism. 

 

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

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

On 9 Aug 05, the applicant contracted her enlistment in the 
Regular Air Force. She was progressively promoted to the grade 
of airman first class having assumed the grade effective and with 
a date of rank of 1 Feb 06. 

 

On 28 Feb 07, the applicant was evaluated by the Life Skills 
Support Center (LSSC). The psychological evaluation revealed no 
evidence of mental defect, emotional illness, or psychiatric 
disorder of such severity to warrant processing through military 
medical channels. The evaluation also noted the applicant was 
competent for pay and records. She was mentally responsible for 
her behavior and possessed the mental capacity to understand and 
cooperate in any administrative or judicial proceedings. The 
mental health examination indicated the presence of a Personality 
Disorder Not Otherwise Specified with borderline and dependent 
traits. The Personality Disorder makes it difficult for her to 
assimilate to military life, renders her unstable and unreliable 
for service with resultant occupational disturbance. The 


evaluation further noted her Personality Disorder existed prior 
to service (EPTS). The applicant was also diagnosed with an 
Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood which is a result of her 
Personality Disorder. The mental health evaluator recommended 
the applicant be administratively separated. Her adjustment 
disorder, complicated by her personality disorder, was considered 
severe enough to interfere with the performance of her military 
duties, making her a risk for further military service. 

 

On 19 Apr 07, the applicant’s commander notified her that he was 
recommending her discharge from the Air Force for a condition 
that interfered with military service, specifically mental 
disorders (adjustment and personality disorders). The specific 
reason for the discharge action was the 28 Feb 07 diagnosis of 
Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depressed Mood and 
Personality Disorder. 

 

Her commander advised her of her rights in this matter. The 
applicant acknowledged receipt of the notification and after 
consulting with legal counsel waived her rights to submit a 
statement in her own behalf. 

 

On 26 Apr 07, the discharge authority directed discharge with an 
honorable discharge. The applicant was discharged on 9 May 07, 
with a narrative reason for separation of “Personality Disorder.” 
She was credited with one year, nine months, and one day of 
military service. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

HQ AFPC/DPSOS recommends denial noting the applicant’s personality 
disorder and adjustment disorder made it difficult for her to 
adjust and adhere to a military environment. Her condition made 
her unstable and unreliable for service. DPSOS found no evidence 
of an error or injustice in the processing of the applicant’s 
discharge. Furthermore, based on their review of the applicant’s 
master personal records, the discharge, to include the narrative 
reason for separation and type of separation was consistent with 
the procedural and substantive requirements of the discharge 
instruction and was within the discretion of the discharge 
authority. 

 

The complete HQ AFPC/DPSOS evaluation is at Exhibit C. 

 

The BCMR Medical Consultant recommends denial of the request to 
change the applicant’s honorable discharge to a medical discharge. 
However, he does recommend changing the narrative reason for 
separation to “Secretarial Authority.” It appears the applicant 
believes her recent diagnosis of Thyroid Disease was the cause of 
her maladaptive behavior and thoughts; and not the diagnosis of 


Personality and Adjustment Disorders which led to discharge. 
There was no evidence found or submitted that reflects the 
diagnosis for Adjustment Disorder was erroneous. The Medical 
Consultant notes that the applicant was diagnosed with Personality 
and Adjustment Disorders and that the Adjustment Disorder was not 
considered the primary narrative reason for separation. While it 
cannot be determined which of these conditions interfered most 
with the applicant's ability to function in the military 
environment, it is clear that a Personality Disorder label is 
likely to cause a greater prejudicial impediment to her 
occupational and social opportunities. Therefore, given the fact 
that there was an alternative choice of entering Adjustment 
Disorder as the primary reason for separation; and there was a 
remote possibility that a clinically undetectable hypothyroidism 
may have existed, the Medical Consultant believes the applicant’s 
narrative reason for separation should be changed to “Secretarial 
Authority.” 

 

The applicant has not provided sufficient evidence to show the 
diagnosis of PTSD interfered with her ability to perform her 
military duties to the extent that it would have been considered 
the cause to terminate her career. Nor, has the applicant 
provided any post-service psychiatric evidence that clears her of 
any existing mental dysfunction. Therefore, the Medical 
Consultant opines the applicant has not met the burden of proof of 
an error or injustice that warrants the requested changes to the 
record. 

 

The AFBCMR 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 22 Jul 11, for review and comment 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. Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to 
demonstrate the existence of an error or an injustice to warrant 


changing the applicant’s honorable discharge to a medical 
discharge. After a complete review of the evidence of record, we 
do not find evidence that supports that the applicant suffered 
from an unfitting condition that should be considered the basis 
for her separation. The BCMR Medical Consultant notes there is 
no evidence in the applicant’s medical records that substantiate 
that the diagnoses she received of Adjustment Disorder and 
Personality Disorder were erroneous. We also note that the 
psychological evaluation performed on the applicant noted that 
she was mentally competent to be held accountable for her 
behavior, which consequently constituted the basis for her 
discharge. Therefore, we agree with the recommendations of the 
Air Force office of primary responsibility (OPR) and the BCMR 
Medical Consultant that the applicant’s request be denied. 

 

4. Notwithstanding the above, we note the AFBCMR Medical 
Consultant opines that the narrative reason for separation of 
“Personality Disorder” is likely to cause the applicant a greater 
prejudicial impediment to her occupational and social 
opportunities. We agree, and note that this Board has changed 
the narrative reason in other cases where appropriate on this 
basis. Since the applicant was diagnosed with both Personality 
Disorder and Adjustment Disorder and the possibility exists that 
she did suffer from thyroid disease at the time of separation, 
although not to an unfitting extent, we believe it would be in 
the interest of justice to change the narrative reason for 
separation to “Secretarial Authority.” Accordingly, we recommend 
her 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 the APPLICANT, be corrected to show that she was 
discharged on 9 May 2007 with a narrative reason for separation of 
"Secretarial Authority," rather than "Personality Disorder”. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket 
Number BC-2010-04089 in Executive Session on 17 Nov 11, under the 
provisions of AFI 36-2603: 

 

 , Vice Chair 

 , Member 

 , Member 

 


All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The 
following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR Docket Number 
BC-2010-04089 was considered: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 28 Oct 10, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant's Military Personnel Records. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, HQ AFPC/DPSOS, dated 14 Apr 11. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, AFBCMR Medical Consultant, dated 

 23 Jun 11. 

 Exhibit E. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 22 Jul 11. 

 

 

 

 

 

 Acting Panel Chair