Helen Gahagan Douglas is writing to inform Lt. Esterline that his application for discharge from the Army has been turned down by the Secretary of War's Separation Board. She had written a letter in support of his application, emphasizing his role as a professor at the University of California and the critical need for his teaching services. Lt. Esterline explains the challenges he faced in the application process, including the impersonal nature of Army procedures and the focus on finding replacements rather than considering individual cases. He also highlights the series of transfers he has experienced, which have not helped his situation.