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AF | BCMR | CY2013 | BC 2013 03865
Original file (BC 2013 03865.txt) Auto-classification: Approved
                     RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:			DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2013-03865

					COUNSEL:  NONE

					HEARING DESIRED: NO

________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

Her dismissal from the Air Force be upgraded.

________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

She was charged with violations of the Uniform Code of Military 
Justice (UCMJ) in relation to her drug addiction.  As a result 
of a pre-trial agreement, she was dismissed from the Air Force.  

After her separation, she entered an alcohol and drug treatment 
program specifically designed for medical professionals.  She 
voluntarily entered the program and completed a three and a half 
month program as well as a two year follow-up contract.  

She is very active in the twelve step program and routinely 
attends approximately four meetings every week.  She also 
attends Alcoholic Anonymous conventions three to four times a 
year.  She sponsors women to help them get and stay clean and 
sober and gives annual lectures on alcoholism and drug addiction 
to the nurse anesthesia students attending a local university.  

She is approaching 30 years of continuous sobriety and does all 
she can to maintain her sobriety.  She believes it is unjust to 
continue to be punished for violations that occurred over 
30 years ago.  She lost a promising career due to her actions.  
In the twelve step program one of the steps is to clear away 
wreckage of the past.  Her dismissal is wreckage and she 
requests it be upgraded.

She also believes a second injustice occurred.  The American 
Medical Association states that alcoholism and drug addiction 
are diseases.  At the time of her court-martial, if someone had 
violated the UCMJ due to an illness other than chemical 
dependency, they most likely would not have been court-
martialed.  Their disease would have been treated, and if it 
prevented them from functioning in the Air Force, they would 
have been medically retired.  Should she continue to be punished 
for a disease which has been treated and is in remission?

In support of this appeal, the applicant provides a personal 
statement, her DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge 
from Active Duty and several character statements.

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

________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant is a former member of the Air Force who served 
from 24 November 1978 through 1 July 1985.  On 11 September 
1984, she pled and was found guilty of signing an official 
document, with intent to deceive, in violation of Article 107, 
UCMJ and wrongful use of Fentanyl, Demerol and Morphine, in 
violation of Article 134, UCMJ.  A military judge sitting alone 
sentenced her to be dismissed from the Air Force, confinement 
with hard labor for six months and forfeiture of $500 pay per 
month for six months.  Pursuant to a pre-trail agreement, only 
so much of the sentence that provided for dismissal from the Air 
Force was approved.

On 28 November 1984, the United States Air Force Court of 
Military Review affirmed the findings and sentence of the case.

Pursuant to the Board’s request, the Federal Bureau of 
Investigation indicated that on the basis of the information 
provided, they were unable to locate an arrest record.

________________________________________________________________

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.  Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to warrant 
the applicant a measure of relief based on clemency.  Considered 
alone, we conclude the court-martial process, to include the 
adjudged sentence, were proper and appropriate at that time.  
Given the stigma and consequences of a court-martial conviction, 
an upgrade to an under other than honorable conditions discharge 
based on clemency in no way diminishes the message that was sent 
regarding the seriousness of the applicant’s conviction.  
However, we believe that the applicant’s 30 years of continuous 
sobriety, her active role in an alcohol and drug treatment 
program and her sponsorship for women to help them stay clean 
and sober provides sufficient basis to grant clemency.  
Therefore, we view clemency as a reasonable action that will 
allow the applicant to lead a productive life.  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 APPLICANT be corrected to show that on 1 July 1985, 
she was discharged with service characterized as under other than 
honorable conditions. 

________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket 
Number BC-2013-03865 in Executive Session on 13 May 2014, under 
the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

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

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, 10 Aug 13, w/atchs.
    Exhibit B.  Applicant’s Master Personnel Records.





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