RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2013-01735 

 

 COUNSEL: NONE 

 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

His DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active 
Duty, be corrected as follows: 

 

1. His Character of Service be corrected to reflect Honorable, 
instead of “Uncharacterized.” 

 

2. His Separation Program Designator (SPD) Code be corrected to 
reflect JFF (Secretarial Authority), instead of GRB (Homosexual 
Admission). 

 

3. His Reentry (RE) Code be corrected to reflect 1J (Eligible 
to reenlist, but elects to separate), instead of 2C 
(Involuntarily separated with an honorable discharge; or entry 
level separation without service characterization of service). 

 

4. His Narrative Reason for Separation be corrected to reflect 
“Secretarial Authority,” instead of “Homosexual Admission.” 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

His records should be changed due to the repeal of Don’t’ Ask, 
Don’t Tell (DADT) policy. 

 

In support of his request, the applicant provides a copy of his 
DD Form 214, Certificate of Release of Discharge from Active 
Duty, and a copy the Under Secretary of Defense memorandum, 
Correction of Records Following Repeal of Section 654 of Title 
10, United States Code, dated 10 Sep 11. 

 

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

 

_________________ ______________________________________________ 

 

 

 

 


STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

On 5 May 05, the applicant commenced his enlistment in the Air 
Force Reserve. 

 

On 7 Dec 05, the applicant’s commander notified him that he was 
recommending his discharge for homosexual conduct. The specific 
reason for the action was the applicant’s written statement 
attesting to difficulty adjusting to the military lifestyle 
because he was homosexual. 

 

The applicant acknowledged receipt of the action and, after 
consulting with legal counsel, waived his right to an 
administrative discharge board, or to submit a statement in his 
own behalf. 

 

On 22 Dec 05, the legal office reviewed the case and found it 
legally sufficient to support separation and recommended the 
applicant be furnished an entry-level separation. The staff 
judge advocate noted the applicant was a Reserve member, his 
active duty orders expired upon his completion basic military 
training (BMT) and that he was ordered back on active duty for 
technical training. Airmen are in entry-level status during the 
first 180 days of continuous active military service or the 
first 180 days of continuous active military service after a 
break of more than 92 days. The applicant had a break in 
service of 95 days and was well within 180 days of his reentry 
onto active duty. 

 

The discharge authority directed the applicant be furnished an 
entry-level separation with uncharacterized service. On 
5 Jan 06, he was furnished an entry-level separation with 
uncharacterized service and credited with 6 months and 29 days 
of total active service. 

 

On 20 Sep 11, the law commonly known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" 
(DADT), 10 USC 654, was repealed. The Department of Defense 
subsequently issued guidance indicating that Service Discharge 
Review Boards (DRB) should normally grant requests to change the 
narrative reason for a discharge, requests to re-characterize 
the discharge to honorable, and/or requests to change the 
reentry code when both of the following conditions were met: 
(1) the original discharge was based solely on 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. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

ARPC/DPTS recommends approving the applicant’s request. Under 
the guidance of DADT, prior to changing an individual’s 
separation code, RE code, narrative reason for separation, or 
service characterization, there must be a finding that either an 


inequity or impropriety exists. The guidance further indicates 
that the change is only appropriate when the original discharge 
was based solely on DADT or a similar policy in place prior to 
the enactment of DADT and there were no aggravating factors in 
the record, such as misconduct. Based on a review of the 
applicant's record, his discharge was based solely on the DADT 
policy and there is no indication of aggravating factors. 

 

A complete copy of the ARPC/DPTS evaluation is at Exhibit C. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the 
applicant on 23 Aug 13 for review and comment within 30 days 
(Exhibit D). As of this date, no response has been received by 
this office. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT: 

 

1. The application was timely filed. 

 

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

 

3. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to 
demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice to warrant 
partial relief. The applicant is requesting his character of 
service, narrative reason for separation, RE and Separation 
codes be upgraded based on the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. 
In light of the repeal of DADT the Department of Defense issued 
guidance designating that Service Discharge Review Boards (DRB) 
should normally grant requests to change the narrative reason 
for a discharge, upgrade of service characterization and change 
the RE code when the original discharge was based solely on DADT 
or a similar policy in place prior to the enactment of DADT, as 
long as there were no misconduct in the record. While we note 
the Air Force office of primary responsibility is recommending 
complete relief, we are not convinced the applicant’s character 
of service should be upgraded to honorable. In this respect, we 
note that DoD policy indicates that the Department determined 
that it would be unfair to characterize a member’s service when 
discharge action is initiated within the first 180 days of 
active service. We further note that uncharacterized separation 
is not an unfavorable reflection upon the applicant's military 
service nor should it be confused with other types of 
separation. Rather, an entry-level separation with 
uncharacterized service is used in those cases where the service 
member has not yet completed six months of service at the time 
of separation proceedings were initiated. Therefore, an 
uncharacterized separation merely denotes the brevity of an 


individual's membership in the service and may not, in and of 
itself, be viewed as a defamation of character. Therefore, 
based on the repeal of the provisions of DADT, we find it 
appropriate to recommend correcting the applicant’s narrative 
reason for separation and RE and SPD codes issued in conjunction 
with his separation. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: 

 

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air 
Force relating to the APPLICANT be corrected to show that he was 
issued a narrative reason for separation of “Secretarial 
Authority,” a separation program designator (SPD) code of “JFF,” 
and a reentry code of “1J” in conjunction with his 5 January 
2006 entry-level separation with uncharacterized service." 


________________________________________________________________ 

 

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket 
Number BC-2013-01735 in Executive Session on 13 Feb 14, 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 3 Apr 13, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, ARPC/DPTS, dated 31 Jul 13, w/atch. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 23 Aug 13. 

 

 

 

 

 

 Panel Chair 

 


 

 

AFBCMR BC-2013-01735 

 

 

 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF 

 

 Having received and considered the recommendation of the Air Force Board for 
Correction of Military Records and under the authority of Section 1552, Title 10, United States 
Code it is directed that: 

 

 The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to , be 
corrected to show that he was issued a narrative reason for separation of “Secretarial Authority,” 
a separation program designator (SPD) code of “JFF,” and a reentry code of “1J” in conjunction 
with his 5 January 2006 entry-level separation with uncharacterized service. 

 

 

 

 

 Director 

 Air Force Review Boards Agency