RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2012-05746

			COUNSEL:  NONE

			HEARING DESIRED: NO

________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

Her DD Form 214, Certificate of Discharge or Release from Active 
Duty, be corrected to remove Item 26, Separation Code, “JFX,” 
Item 27, Reentry Code, “2C” and Item 28, Narrative Reason for 
Separation, “Personality Disorder.”  

________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

1.  She suffered with depression while in service and still does 
to date.  The “Personality Disorder” code is affecting her life.  
She is an aspiring teacher, but is afraid to get the degree 
because her local school district has denied her a position due 
to her military records.  She is a single mother raising her 
child alone with no assistance.  She is in fear of doors 
continually being slammed in her face because of the 
“Personality Disorder” code.  She requests this code to be 
removed from her DD-214.  

2.  Since her release from the Air Force, she has applied for 
and been denied employment as a school safety officer.  The 
School Board officer told her that, due to confidentiality, he 
could not tell her why she could not get the position but it had 
something to do with her military background.  While serving in 
the Air Force, she received awards for being an outstanding 
Airman when her squadron deployed.  Her supervisor wrote a 
letter indicating her performance, professionalism, quality of 
work, and care and concern for her fellow co-worker was beyond 
the standard set by her peers.  

In support of her request the applicant submits a personal 
statement and copies of copy 1 and 4 of her DD Form 214.  

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

________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

1.  The applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force on 
11 February 2001.  

2.  On 15 October 2002, the applicant was notified by her 
commander that he was recommending her for discharge from the 
Air Force under the provisions of AFPD 36-32 Military 
Retirements and Separations and AFI 36-3208, Administrative 
Separation of Airmen, Chapter 5, Section 5B, Involuntary 
Convenience of the Government, paragraph 5.11, Conditions that 
Interfere with Military Service, paragraph 5.11.9., under Mental 
Disorders.  The specific reason for this action was that on 
14 May 2003, the applicant was diagnosed by an Air Force 
psychologist as suffering from an “Adjustment Disorder with 
Depressed Mood and Dysthymic Disorder.”  According to the 
psychologist, the applicant’s history and functioning indicated 
a pattern of difficulty in adjusting to the demands of her 
environment.  The psychologist opined that her poor adjustment 
skills and depression symptoms were so severe that her ability 
to function effectively in the military environment was 
significantly impaired and he therefore, recommended that it was 
in the best interest of both the Air Force and that of the 
applicant, that she be discharged as expeditiously as possible.  

3.  On 15 October 2003, the applicant acknowledged receipt of 
the notification of discharge and her right to consult counsel 
and submit a statement in her own behalf.  She opted to consult 
counsel but waived her right to submit a statement in her 
behalf. 

4.  Subsequent to the file being found legally sufficient, the 
discharge authority approved the recommendation and directed the 
applicant be separated with an honorable character of service 
and without probation and rehabilitation.  The applicant was 
discharged on 30 October 2003, and was credited with 2 years, 
8 months and 23 days of active duty service.  

________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

1.  AFPC/DPSOR recommends partial approval.  DPSOR states that 
prior to 2003, the Services characterized all separated  
discharges due to the mental disorder under a blanket Separation 
Program Designator (SPD) Code “JFX” with a narrative reason of 
“Personality Disorder.”  The SPD Code and narrative reason did 
not properly distinguish other mental disorders (adjustment 
disorder, impulse control disorder or other disorders) as 
referenced in AFI 36-3208, paragraph 5.11.9., for which a 
service member could be separated.  In December 2003, the 
Services met with OSD and requested the establishment of 
additional, specific SPD identifiers to more clearly designate 
the type of mental disorders as defined above.  On 
21 September 2004, OSD released the updated standardized SPD 
codes including the additional codes for more specific mental 
disorders.  

2.  Since the current SPD code of “JFX” does not accurately 
reflect the applicant's diagnosis of an “Adjustment Disorder” as 
discussed above, they recommend the applicant's discharge 
separation code be corrected to “KFF” and the narrative reason 
for separation be corrected to reflect “Secretarial  Authority.”  
They do not recommend a change to the applicant's re-entry code.  

The complete AFPC/DPSOR evaluation is at Exhibit C.

________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the 
applicant in care of the Los Angeles Veterans Services Division 
on 12 March 2013, for review and comment within 30 days, and a 
request to provide the applicant’s mailing address (Exhibit D).  
To date, a response has not been received.  

________________________________________________________________

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.  Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to 
demonstrate the existence of an error or an injustice that would 
warrant relief of the applicant’s request to remove her re-entry 
(RE) code.  We took notice of the applicant’s complete 
submission in judging the merits of the case; however, the 
applicant has not provided sufficient evidence to establish that 
the RE code which was assigned at the time of her separation is 
inaccurate.  Therefore, in the absence of evidence to the 
contrary, we find no compelling basis to recommend granting this 
portion of the relief sought in this application.

4.  Notwithstanding our decision above, sufficient relevant 
evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of 
error or injustice with respect to the applicant’s Separation 
Code, and Narrative Reason for Separation.  After a review of 
the evidence of record and the applicant’s submission we believe 
that relief is warranted.  The Board notes that the Air Force 
office of primary responsibility states the current SPD code of 
“JFX” does not accurately reflect the applicant’s reason for 
separation and recommends correcting the SPD code to “KFF,” and 
narrative reason to reflect “Secretarial Authority.”  We agree 
with the recommended correction proposed by the Air Force OPR.  
Therefore, we recommend that the records be corrected as 
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 she was 
discharged  on 30 October 2003, with a Narrative Reason for 
Separation of “Secretarial Authority” rather than “Personality 
Disorder” and a Separation Code of “KFF” rather than “JFX.”

________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered this application 
in Executive Session on 24 September 2013, under the provisions 
of AFI 36-2603:

			, Panel Chair
			, Member
			, Member

The following documentary evidence was considered in AFBCMR 
Docket Number BC-2012-05746:

Due to the unavailability of the Panel Chair, is signing as the 
Acting Panel Chair

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 14 December 2012, w/atchs.
    Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
    Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPSOR, dated 25 February 2013
    Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 12 March 2013.