ADDENDUM TO 

RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2012-03342 

 

 COUNSEL: 

 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

1. Her records be corrected to reflect her diagnosis of post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)/major depressive disorder is 
combat-related. 

 

2. Her personality disorder diagnosis be removed from her 
records. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

1. Her PTSD/major depressive disorder is combat-related. She 
performed aircrew duties in hostile skies over Iraq and 
Afghanistan under combat conditions during a period of war and 
was subjected to enemy surface-to-air weapons while performing 
said duties. 

 

2. Her personality disorder diagnosis was corrected by the Air 
Force Board for Correction of Military Records (AFBCMR) in 2010 
because factual errors, omissions and prejudicial documentation 
resulted in an erroneous diagnosis. 

 

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

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

On 24 Aug 09, the Board considered the applicant’s request to 
correct her records to reflect that she was not discharged for 
physical disability with entitlement to severance pay, but was 
permanently retired for physical disability with a combined 
compensable disability rating of 70 percent. After considering 
all the facts and circumstances in this case, the Board 
determined the evidence was sufficient to conclude the applicant 
was the victim of an error or injustice and recommended her 
records be corrected to reflect that on 11 April 2009, she was 
found unfit to perform the duties of her office, rank, grade, or 


rating by reason of physical disability, incurred while she was 
entitled to receive basic pay; that the diagnosis in her case as 
major depressive disorder associated with PTSD, VASRD Code 9434, 
rated at 30 percent; that the degree of impairment was 
permanent; that the disability was not due to intentional 
misconduct or willful neglect; and that the disability was not 
incurred during a period of unauthorized absence; and that the 
disability was not received in the line of duty (LOD) as a 
direct result of armed conflict or caused by instrumentality of 
war. Further, she was not discharged by reason of physical 
disability with entitlement to disability severance pay on 
12 April 2009, but on that date her name was removed from the 
Temporary Duality Retired List and she was permanently retired 
by reason of physical disability, with a 30 percent compensable 
disability rating. For a complete accounting of the facts and 
circumstances of the original case, see the Record of 
Proceedings at Exhibit E. 

 

The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are 
described in the letter prepared by the AFBCMR Medical 
Consultant which is attached at Exhibit G. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

The AFBCMR Medical Consultant recommends denial, indicating the 
fact the applicant may have incurred a disability during a 
period of war or in an area of armed conflict or while 
participating in combat operations is not sufficient to support 
that her diagnoses were combat-related. There must be a direct 
causal relationship between the instrumentality of war and the 
disability. In the applicant’s case, a definite causal 
relationship between armed conflict and her diagnosis of 
PTSD/major depressive disorder must be shown. The applicant’s 
record is absent a direct cause that pertains to a combat-
related event or any exposure to such as it relates to the 
applicant’s unfitting medical condition. While two Air Medals 
describe the applicant’s meritorious service which occurred in a 
combat environment, her operational duties do not necessarily 
constitute a direct causal relationship between her disability 
and either combat or an instrumentality of war. There is 
documented mental health history which supports other life 
stressors and significant stressful events that could have been 
the precipitating cause of her unfitting condition. Although 
the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) diagnosed the applicant 
with service connected PTSD and depressive disorder, their 
criteria to establish service connection merely requires 
documentation of the disorder (PTSD and depressive disorder) and 
location (combat zone) and duty with in an area to establish 
service connection. The Department of Defense combat-
relatedness criteria requires more detailed involvement to 
establish combat-relatedness. As for her request to remove her 
borderline personality disorder (BPD) diagnosis from her 


records, there is no evidence of an error or injustice in this 
regard. The applicant’s mental health records, comments from 
the Secretary of the Air Force Personnel Council, the Formal 
Physical Evaluation Board, and the pre-Medical Evaluation Board, 
all have documented confirmation of signs and symptoms of BPD. 
Such entries and assessments that are consistent with BPD should 
not be deleted from official records. The documentation 
represents historical mental health information which was 
documented by competent and certified mental health 
professionals and, thus, should remain as a part of an 
established medical record. 

 

A complete copy of the AFBCMR Medical Consultant’s evaluation is 
at Exhibit G. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

Counsel reiterates the applicant’s argument that her 
disabilities are combat-related and disputes the medical 
advisory’s opinion that there is no direct cause which was 
identified as it pertains to an identified combat-related event 
or exposure. A review of the applicant’s flying history report, 
Air Medals, and DVA rating determination supports a finding of 
combat-related connection with her disabilities. Also, the 
medical consultant’s analysis of the applicant’s borderline 
personality disorder diagnosis is disputable. The AFBCMR’s 
previous decision indicates the applicant successfully raised a 
reasonable doubt as to her personality disorder diagnosis; as 
such, it should be removed from her records. 

 

A complete copy of the applicant’s response, with attachments, 
is at Exhibit I. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 

 

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

 

2. The application was timely filed. 

 

3. Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to 
demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice. 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 the AFBCMR Medical Consultant and adopt his 
rationale as the basis for our conclusion the applicant has not 
been the victim of an error or injustice. Counsel disputes the 
conclusions of the AFBCMR Medical Consultant and argues the 
applicant has raised doubt as to whether there was a causal 


connection between her operational duties and her unfitting 
conditions; however, argument and conjecture are not a 
sufficient basis for us to conclude that her unfitting 
conditions are related to combat or an instrumentality of war. 
Therefore, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, we find 
no basis to recommend granting the relief sought in this 
application. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT: 

 

The applicant be notified the evidence presented did not 
demonstrate the existence of material error or 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 AFBCMR Docket 
Number BC-2012-03342 in Executive Session on 23 May 2013, under 
the provisions of AFI 36-2603: 

 

 Panel Chair 

 Member 

 Member 

 

The following documentary evidence was considered: 

 

 Exhibit E. Record of Proceedings, dated 27 October 2010, 

 w/atchs. 

 Exhibit F. DD Form 149, dated 30 July 2012, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit G. Letter, AFBCMR Medical Consultant, 

 dated 18 January 2013. 

 Exhibit H. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 22 January 2013. 

 Exhibit I. Letter, Counsel, dated 21 February 2013, 

 w/atchs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 Panel Chair