Thomas B. Roelofs v. Secretary of the Air Force

I join the court in upholding 12-25 of AFM 39-12, § C (“12-25”), and remanding this case to the Air Force for an explanation of appellant’s discharge rating. I do so, however, because I find 12-25 consistent with the Air Force’s duty to base the characterization of appellant’s discharge solely on the quality of his military service.

In Harmon v. Brucker,1 the Supreme Court observed that the purpose in grading discharges is “to specify the character of service rendered during the period covered by the discharge.”2 Unlike the decision to discharge a serviceman, which depends upon the likelihood…