RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2012-03324 

 

 COUNSEL: NONE 

 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

His rank on his DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge 
from Active Duty, be corrected to reflect Airman First Class 
(A1C), instead of Airman Basic (AB). 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

Since he was discharged under the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) 
policy for something which is now acceptable in the military, he 
should be awarded the same A1C rank everyone entering the 
Security Forces career field today receives. 

 

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

 

_________________ ______________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

The applicant initially entered the Air Force on 3 Mar 98 in the 
grade of airman basic (E-1). 

 

On 21 Aug 98, the applicant was furnished an entry-level 
separation with uncharacterized service with a narrative reason 
for separation of “Homosexual Admission” under the provisions of 
DADT and was credited with 5 months and 19 days of active 
service. 

 

The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are 
described in the letters prepared by the Air Force offices of 
primary responsibility (OPRs) which are included at Exhibits C, 
D, and E. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

 

 

 


AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

AFPC/DPSOE recommends denial indicating there is no evidence of 
an error or injustice. Individuals may be accessed onto active 
duty in the grade of A1C if they meet certain prior service or 
education requirements. A review of the applicant’s enlistment 
document reveals he was accessed onto active duty as an AB. In 
addition, effective 20 Aug 01, individuals initially enlisting 
for a period of six years are promoted from AB or Airman to A1C 
upon completion of technical training. This policy does not 
pertain to the applicant as he enlisted for a period of four 
years and the policy did not become effective until three years 
after his discharge. Finally, in accordance with AFI 36-2502, Airman Promotion Program, an AB is eligible for promotion to 
Airman at six months time-in-grade (TIG). The immediate 
commander must recommend the promotion before the airman assumes 
the higher grade. The applicant was discharged before he had 
attained six months of TIG. His rank at the time of his 
discharge was not affected by his discharge under DADT. 

 

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

 

AFPC/DPSOR recommends the applicant’s service characterization 
reflected on his DD Form 214 be changed to “Honorable,” the 
narrative reason for separation be changed to “Secretarial 
Authority,” the separation program designator (SPD) code be 
changed to “JFF,” and the reentry (RE) code be changed to “1J.” 
On 10 Sep 11, the Under Secretary of Defense issued guidance 
pertaining to correction of military record requests resulting 
from the repeal of Title 10, Section 654, commonly known as 
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT),” which indicates that, effective 
September 20, 2011, Service Discharge Review Boards should 
normally grant requests to change the narrative reason for a 
discharge (the change should be “Secretarial Authority” and 
Separation program Designator Code (SPD) code JFF)), requests to 
re-characterize the discharge to honorable, and/or requests to 
change the reentry (RE) code to an immediately-eligible-to-
reenter category (the new RE code should be 1J) when both of the 
following conditions are met: (1) the original discharge was 
based upon DADT or a similar policy in place prior to enactment 
of DADT and (2) there were no aggravating factors in the record, 
such as misconduct. A review of the applicant’s discharge 
record does not indicate the existence of aggravating factors, 
i.e., an additional basis for discharge for misconduct or 
performance related issues. The applicant was discharged for 
making a statement that he was a homosexual or words to that 
effect. 

 

A complete copy of the AFPC/DPSOR evaluation is at Exhibit D. 

 

AFPC/DPSOA recommends the applicant’s RE code be changed to 
“1J.” On 10 Sep 11, the Under Secretary of Defense issued 
guidance to repeal the DADT policy. The guidance stated 
requests to change the RE Code to “1J” should be granted for 


members separated under DADT or similar policy that did not 
involve aggravating factors. A thorough search of the 
applicant’s record did not reveal any aggravating factors. 

 

A complete copy of the AFPC/DPSOA evaluation is at Exhibit E. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the 
applicant on 8 Mar 13 for review and comment within 30 days. As 
of this date, no response has been received by this office 
(Exhibit D). 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 

 

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

 

2. The application timely filed. 

 

3. Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to 
demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice regarding the 
applicant’s request to correct his records to reflect he had 
attained the grade of AIC. 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 AFPC/DPSOE and 
adopt its rationale as the basis for our conclusion the 
applicant has not been the victim of an error of injustice 
concerning adjusting his rank. 

 

4. Notwithstanding the above, sufficient relevant evidence has 
been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or 
injustice related to the applicant’s character of service, 
narrative reason for separation, and reentry (RE) and separation 
program designator (SPD) codes. In this respect, we agree with 
the opinions and recommendations of AFPC/DPSOR and AFPC/DPSOA 
and adopt their rationale as the basis for our conclusion that 
in view of the repeal DADT, it would be in the interest of 
justice to correct the applicant’s record as 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 on 
21 August 1998, he was honorably discharged, issued a narrative 
reason for separation of “Secretarial Authority,” separation 


program designator (SPD) code of “JFF,” reentry (RE) code of 
“1J,” and was furnished an Honorable discharge certificate. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket 
Number BC-2012-03324 in Executive Session on 14 May 13, under 
the provisions of AFI 36-2603: 

 

 Panel Chair 

 Member 

 Member 

 

All members voted to correct the records as recommended. The 
following documentary evidence was considered: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 26 Jul 12, w/atch. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSOE, dated 24 Sep 12. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, AFPC/DPSOR, dated 10 Dec 12. 

 Exhibit E. Letter, AFPC/DPSOA, dated 19 Feb 13. 

 Exhibit F. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 8 Mar 13. 

 

 

 

 

 

 Panel Chair