ADDENDUM TO 

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2003-03035 
COUNSEL:  NONE 
HEARING DESIRED:  YES 

 
 
IN THE MATTER OF: 
 
   
 
   
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 
 
Her narrative reason for separation of “Personality Disorder” be 
corrected.   
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
STATEMENT OF FACTS: 
 
On 6 Jan 03, the applicant was honorably discharged by reason of 
personality  disorder,  and  was  issued  an  RE  code  of  2C 
(involuntarily separated with an honorable discharge; or entry-
level  separation  without  characterization  of  service).    She 
served 7 years and 7 months on active duty. 
 
On 1 Mar 04, the applicant’s DD Form 214, Certificate of Release 
or  Discharge  from  Active  Duty,  issued  in  conjunction  with  her 
6 Jan 03  separation,  in  Item  18,  Remarks,  was  administratively 
corrected  to  reflect  “separation  pay  -  $9,268.35”  rather  than 
“separation pay $3,381.36.” 
 
A  similar  appeal  was  considered  and  denied  by  the  Board  on 
1 Jun 04.    For  an  accounting  of  the  facts  and  circumstances 
surrounding  the  applicant’s  separation,  and,  the  rationale  of 
the earlier decision by the Board, see the Record of Proceedings 
at Exhibit F. 
 
The applicant submits a request for reconsideration, contending 
that she does not have a personality disorder and that she never 
sought  mental  health  services  prior  to  her  military  service.  
The reason for separation has caused her difficulty with finding 
employment  and  she  is  treated  as  an  outcast.    The  applicant 
provides a letter from the local Department of Veterans Affairs 
(DVA) medical provider to support her claim. 
 
In  support  of  her  appeal,  the  applicant  provides  a  personal 
statement and a letter from the DVA medical provider.   
 
The  applicant’s  complete  submission,  with  attachments,  is  at 
Exhibit G. 
 

________________________________________________________________ 
 
AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
 
The BCMR Medical Consultant recommends denial of the applicant's 
most recent request to change the narrative reason for discharge 
to "Medical Reasons.”   
 
The  BCMR  Medical  Consultant  notes  the  letter  from  the  clinical 
social worker neither confirms nor denies the co-existence of a 
personality  disorder.    It  is  implicit,  however,  that  the 
applicant  has  not  been  diagnosed  with  a  personality  disorder 
since leaving military service, by virtue of its exclusion from 
the  letter.    The  Medical  Consultant  is  not  a  forensic 
psychiatrist,  but  is  familiar  with  the  overlapping  signs  and 
symptoms of a number of mood disorders that may be characterized 
under  various  diagnostic  nomenclatures  at  a  given  time  or  by 
different  health  care  professionals.    Therefore,  the  letter 
supplied  does  not  invalidate  the  accuracy  of  the  clinical 
diagnoses  made  during  the  applicant's  period  of  military 
service.  The applicant's twice suicidal gestures by overdosing 
on an over-the-counter sleeping medication, "as a way of coping 
with  the  stress  of  her  duties"  were  likely  significant 
contributors to acquiring the co-morbid diagnosis of Personality 
Disorder.   
 
Despite  the  fact  that  the  applicant  was  also  given  an  Axis  I 
diagnosis  of  Adjustment  Disorder,  the  Consultant  is  of  the 
opinion  that  the  choice  of  using  Personality  Disorder  as  the 
printed narrative reason for discharge, was likely utilized as a 
matter  of  administrative  policy  at  the  time,  rather  than  a 
determination  that  it  represented  the  predominate  diagnostic 
reason  for  the  applicant's  inability  to  perform  her  military 
duties.  The DoD has since adjusted its policy such that when an 
individual's  ability  to  perform  military  service  has  been 
significantly  impaired  due  to  an  Adjustment  Disorder,  the 
individual's  DD  Form  214  may  now  reflect  this  as  the  actual 
reason  for  separation.    Therefore,  given  the  choice  of  using 
Personality  Disorder  versus  Adjustment  Disorder  as  the  reason 
for  separation,  the  Consultant  opines  that  an  Adjustment 
Disorder  would  carry  a  lesser  long-term  adverse  influence  upon 
the 
interactions.  
Therefore,  given  the  applicant's  apparent  unimpaired  mental 
functioning during her first period of service (1995-2000), the 
Board  should  consider  alternatively  changing  the  reason  for 
separation  to  Secretarial  Authority,  rendering  the  benefit  of 
doubt that the applicant's Adjustment Disorder was the principal 
clinical  entity  that  interfered  with  her  military  service; 
however, with no change in re-enlistment code.  The applicant is 
reminded  that  neither  Personality  Disorder  nor  Adjustment 
Disorder  is  considered  a  disability  qualifying  as  a  medical 
reason for separation under provisions of AFI 36-3212,  Physical 
Evaluation for Retention, Retirement, and Separation.   
 

occupational 

applicant's 

and 

social 

the 

Medical 

did 

not 

the 

Consultant 

Finally, 
address  the 
appropriateness  of  the  decades  old  policy  of  affixing  a  given 
clinical  diagnosis  on  a  veteran's  DD  Form  214  and  recommends 
this  issue  be  addressed  through  appropriate  administrative  and 
legal  channels  as  necessary.    This  concern  was  also  partially 
addressed in the medical advisory of 2003. 
 
The complete BCMR Medical Consultant evaluation is at Exhibit H. 
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 
 
A  copy  of  the  Air  Force  evaluation  was  forwarded  to  the 
applicant  on  14  Jun  11  for  review  and  comment  within  30  days.  
As  of  this  date,  no  response  has  been  received  by  this  office 
(Exhibit I). 
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 
 
Sufficient  relevant  evidence  has  been  presented  to  demonstrate 
the  existence  of  error  or  injustice  warranting  a  change  in  the 
applicant’s  narrative  reason  for  separation.    The  majority  of 
the  Board  notes  the  applicant’s  narrative  reason  and  SPD  code 
assigned  at  the  time  of  her  discharge  was  appropriate; 
nonetheless,  the  Department  of  Defense  has  since  established 
additional,  more  specific  SPD  identifiers  to  more  clearly 
delineate  mental  disorders.    The  Board  majority  notes  the 
applicant  was  diagnosed  with  both  an  Adjustment  Disorder  and 
Personality  Disorder.    The  BCMR  Medical  Consultant  opines  that 
“Personality  Disorder”  was  likely  chosen  as  the  printed 
narrative  reason  for  discharge  as  a  matter  of  administrative 
policy  at  the  time  rather  than  a  determination  that  it 
represented 
for  the 
applicant’s inability to perform her military duties.  Finally, 
the  Board  majority  notes  the  BCMR  Medical  Consultant’s  opinion 
that  a  narrative  reason  of  Adjustment  Disorder  rather  than 
Personality  Disorder  “would  carry  a  lesser  long-term  adverse 
influence”  upon  the  applicant’s  occupational  and  social 
interactions.  Since Adjustment Disorder was not available as a 
valid  narrative  reason  during  the  period  in  question,  the 
majority  of  the  Board  believes  it  would  be  in  the  interest  of 
equity  and  justice  to  change  the  applicant’s  narrative  reason 
for  separation  to  “Secretarial  Authority”  along  with  the 
corresponding SPD code of “KFF.”  Therefore, the Board majority 
recommends  the  applicant’s  record  be  corrected  as  indicated 
below.   
 
The  applicant's  case  is  adequately  documented  and  it  has  not 
been  shown  that  a  personal  appearance  with  or  without  counsel 
will  materially  add  to  our  understanding  of  the  issue(s) 

predominate 

diagnostic 

reason 

involved.  Therefore, the request for a hearing is not favorably 
considered. 
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: 
 
The  pertinent  military  records  of  the  Department  of  the  Air 
Force  relating  to  APPLICANT,  be  corrected  to  show  that  on 
6 January  2003,  she  was  honorably  discharged  under  the 
provisions  of  AFI 36-3208,  (Secretarial  Authority),  with  a 
Separation Program Designation (SPD) code of “KFF.” 
 
________________________________________________________________ 
 
The  following  members  of  the  Board  considered  AFBCMR  Docket 
Number  BC-2003-03035  in  Executive  Session  on  7  February  2012, 
under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: 
 
By a majority vote, the members voted to correct the record, as 
recommended.    voted  to  deny  and  did  not  desire  to  submit  a 
minority  report.    The  following  documentary  evidence  was 
considered: 
 
     Exhibit F.  Record of Proceedings, dated 21 Jun 04, 
                 w/exhibits. 
     Exhibit G.  DD Form 149, dated 30 Nov 10, w/atchs. 
     Exhibit H.  Letter, AFBCMR Medical Consultant,  
                 Dated 23 May 11. 
     Exhibit I.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 14 Jun 11. 
 
 
 
 
                                   Panel Chair