RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER:  01-01237
		INDEX CODE:  131.00

		COUNSEL:  NONE

		HEARING DESIRED:  NO

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APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

1.	His Officer Selection Record (OSR) and Officer Selection Brief (OSB) for the Calendar Year 2000A (CY00A) (6 Nov 00) Colonel Dental Corps (DC) Central Selection Board be corrected to include his certificate of board certification (which has since been corrected), previous Army duty history, Professional Military Education (PME) (which has since been corrected) and decorations.

2.	His corrected record be considered for promotion to the grade of colonel by a Special Selection Board (SSB).

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APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

When his records were submitted to the CY00A Colonel DC Central Selection Board, they were inaccurate and incomplete.  His second award of the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) was not listed; his dental school education, residency training, and board certification were not listed correctly or were entirely missing; and PME from his active duty U.S. Army service was not listed.  In addition, significant assignments and accomplishments from his prior Army service were not allowed to be presented to the board.  If his request is granted, he asks that he be able to submit a letter to the board summarizing these items.

Applicant’s complete submission is attached at Exhibit A.

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STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant’s Total Active Federal Military Service Date (TAFMSD) is 25 Apr 88.  He is currently serving on extended active duty in the Air Force in the grade of lieutenant colonel, effective, and with a date of rank (DOR) of 19 Jul 94.

The applicant has one Air Force Officer Performance Report (OPR) rendered for the period 24 May 99 through 23 May 00 with a Meets Standards overall rating.

The applicant was considered and not selected for promotion to the grade of colonel by the CY00A Colonel Dental Corps Central Selection Board.

The Air Force indicated that their center’s, Medical Service Officer Management Division/Special Pays Branch, AFPC/DPAMF1, updated the applicant’s medical corps officer’s board certification in the personnel data system (PDS).  The applicant’s OSB, dated 2 Nov 00, under the heading of Board Certified, reflects this update “Yes Expires No.”  In Jun 99, the Federal Services Board of General Dentistry certificate was forwarded to their center’s Officers Record office.  The board certification certificate is the only documentation that their division forwards to the Officers Record office.

On 23 Mar 01, AFPC/DPAMD advised the applicant via email to submit his certificate to Air University POC to update his record.  His record now reflects “SOS EQUIV RESIDENCE 1998.”

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AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPMAF2 reviewed this application and recommend disapproval of the applicant’s request.  His board certification was updated in the PDS and the certificate from the Federal Services Board of Surgery was filed in his OSR in Jun and Jul 99, respectively.

A complete copy of the Air Force evaluation, with attachment, is attached at Exhibit C.

AFPC/DPAP reviewed the supporting documentation submitted by the applicant and noted the following facts:

		a)  The applicant completed The Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program.  The advanced course is recognized by Air University as a Senior Officer School (SOS) equivalent PME program.  On 23 Mar 01, AFPC/DPAMD advised the applicant via e‑mail to submit his certificate to Air University POC to update his record.  Applicant’s record now reflects “SOS EQUIV RESIDENCE 1998.”

		b)  The remaining certificates contained in the applicant’s DD Form 149 package are recognized as professional education certificates but are not considered PME programs.

Based on the source documents, DPAP concurs with correction of military education data.  Applicant’s record has been corrected with the proper PME data.

A complete copy of the Air Force evaluation, with attachment, is attached at Exhibit D.

AFPC/DPPPOO also reviewed this application and indicated that eligible officers are provided an Officer Preselection Brief (OPB) approximately 100 days prior to board convening date.  Along with the OPB, members are provided an instruction sheet that outlines how to correct discrepancies prior to the start of a promotion board.  In the applicant’s case, he received an OPB and the instruction sheet approximately at the end of Jul.  The instructions advised the applicant to call the officer records section to verify the OSR contained a copy of the certificate of board certification.  A review of the applicant’s OSR indicates a copy of his certificate for General Dentistry was filed in his OSR on 1 Jul 99 and his OSB reflected he was board certified.  Since that is the only documentation that is required to be filed, DPPPOO does not support promotion reconsideration on this issue.

The instruction also advised the applicant to contact ECI for update of all PME data.  He has not provided any information as to what action he took to ensure his PME was updated prior to the board.  In addition, specialty-training courses are not considered PME and cannot be part of the OSR.

In accordance with AFCSM 36‑699, paragraph 5.42.3.3.8.2, Air Force officers that have served as commissioned officers in another branch of the armed forces will not have their previous duty entries included in the current Air Force duty history.  Since copies of all applicant’s Army performance reports were on file for the board, the board had access to his duty titles, duty locations and a record of his performance.

Applicant has not provided any documentation to show what actions he took prior to the board to ensure his decoration data was correct on his selection brief and that copies of the citations were on file in his OSR.  There is no clear evidence that the additional MSM citation filed in his OSR or the absence of the MSM on his OSB negatively impacted his promotion opportunity.  In addition, the Expert Field Medical Badge is not a decoration and cannot be part of the selection record.

DPPPOO states that central boards evaluate the entire OSR (including the promotion recommendation form (PRF), OPRs, Officer Effectiveness Reports (OERs), training reports, letters of evaluation, decorations, and OSB), assessing whole person factors such as job performance, professional qualities, depth and breadth of experience, leadership, and academic and PME.  The selection board had applicant’s entire OSR that clearly outlines his accomplishments since the date he came on active duty.  DPPPOO is not convinced the additional MSM citation filed in his OSR or the omission of the most recent MSM from his OSB caused the applicant’s nonselection.  They, therefore, are strongly opposed to the applicant receiving SSB consideration on this.

The instructions provided to all eligible officers specifically state, “Officers will not be considered by a Special Selection Board if, in exercising reasonable diligence, the officer should have discovered the error or omission in his/her records and could have taken timely corrective action.”  The applicant has not demonstrated he exercised “reasonable diligence.”  DPPPOO, therefore, is opposed to the applicant receiving SSB consideration.

DPPPOO further states that every officer eligible for promotion consideration is advised of their entitlement to communicate with the board.  The applicant could have used this means to inform the board of any missing documentation from his record.  However, they have verified the applicant elected not to exercise this entitlement.

DPPPOO recommends disapproval.  AFI 36‑2501, paragraph 6.3.2.2 specifically states, “Do not have an SSB if, by exercising reasonable diligence, the officer should have discovered the error or omission and could have taken corrective action before the originally scheduled board convened.”  In this case, the applicant has not provided proof that he “exercised reasonable diligence” to correct these errors or keep his selection record up to date prior to his promotion board.

A complete copy of their evaluation is attached at Exhibit E.

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APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Applicant reviewed the Air Force evaluations and provided a two-page response indicating that he would like to review items that can be discussed as factual and highlight areas of inconsistency and outright incorrect information (see Exhibit G).

Applicant’s complete response, with attachments, is attached at Exhibit G.

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THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

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

2.	The application was timely filed.

3.	Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of probable error or injustice.  After reviewing the documentation provided by the applicant, and noting the corrections made administratively regarding PME and board certification, we are persuaded that the OSB reviewed by the board in question did not reflect the factual information and therefore the applicant was considered for promotion with an inaccurate record.  Therefore, in order to offset any possibility of an injustice, and since the corrections to the OSB were accomplished after the CY00A board, we recommend the applicant’s corrected record reflecting PME and board certification be provided promotion consideration to the grade of colonel by SSB for the CY00A Colonel DC Central Selection Board.  In addition, his record should include the MSN, 1OLC, awarded for the period 21 May 86 to 12 Jun 89.

4.	Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of probable error or injustice with regard to applicant’s request that previous Army duty history and decorations be reflected on his OSB.  In this respect, as stated by the Air Force, the remaining certificates contained in the applicant’s DD Form 149 package are recognized as professional education certificates but are not considered PME data.  Further, we note that copies of the citations were on file in his OSR and all of his Army performance reports were on file for the board.  In addition, we note that the Expect Field Medical Badge is not a decoration and cannot be part of the selection record.  In view of the foregoing, we have no basis on which to favorably consider these requests.

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THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to APPLICANT, to include the attached OSB, be considered for promotion to the grade of colonel by SSB for the CY00A Colonel DC Central Selection Board.

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The following members of the Board considered this application in Executive Session on 16 October 2001, under the provisions of AFI 36‑2603:

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

     Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 26 Apr 01, w/atchs.
     Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
     Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPMAF2, dated 24 May 01, w/atch.
     Exhibit D.  Letter, AFPC/DPAP, dated 11 Jun 01, w/atch.
     Exhibit E.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPOO, dated 24 Jul 01.
     Exhibit F.  Letter, AFBCMR, dated 10 Aug 01.
     Exhibit G.  Letter fr applicant, dated 21 Sep 01, w/atchs.

                                   Panel Chair

AFBCMR 01-01237

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 (70A Stat 116), it is directed that:

	The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to , to include the attached Officer Selection Brief (OSB), be considered for promotion to the grade of colonel by Special Selection Board (SSB) for the Calendar Year 2000A Colonel Dental Corps Central Selection Board.

                                     				
                                     				Director
                                     				Air Force Review Boards Agency

Attachment:
Officer Selection Brief, dated 19 Oct 01