RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER: 01-03223

	 	COUNSEL:  NONE

	 	HEARING DESIRED:  NO

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APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His record, to include the Air Force Commendation Medal, Second Oak Leaf Cluster (AFCM, 2 OLC), be considered for promotion to the grade of major by a Special Selection Board (SSB) for the Calendar Year 2001A (CY01A) Central Major Selection Board.

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THE APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

An AFCM, 2 OLC, recommendation was initiated in December 2000, upon his short notice Permanent Change of Station (PCS) from Beale AFB.  However, due to several mishaps which resulted in the original recommendation being lost, it had to be reaccomplished, and was not approved until November 2001.  As a result, the decoration was not considered by the CY01A board.

The applicant states that when he PCS’d from Beale AFB, he was not loaded in the Military Personnel Flight (MPF) system.  Therefore, when his recommendation was written in January 2001, his gaining base was asked to provide a Recommendation for Decoration Printout (RDP).

In support of the appeal, applicant provides a statement from his commander and copies of the orders and citation to accompany award of the AFCM, 2 OLC.

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

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STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant is currently serving on active duty in the grade of captain.

On 14 February 2001, a Recommendation for Decoration Printout (RDP) was prepared on the applicant.

He was considered and not selected for promotion to the grade of major by the Calendar Year 2001A (CY01A) Central Major Selection Board that convened on 18 June 2001.

Headquarters, Air University special order GA-19XX, dated 28 November 2001, awarded the applicant the AFCM, 2 OLC, for meritorious service during the period 27 October 1998 to 21 December 2000.

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AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPO recommends the application be denied. AFPC/DPPPO states, in part, that since the orders were not published until 28 November 2001, and not required to be in his records and updated in the personnel data system until 30 days after the orders were published, the decoration was not missing from his records at the time the CY01A board convened, because it did not exist.

The AFPC/DPPPO evaluation is at Exhibit C.

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APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The applicant states that although the orders were not published until 28 November 2001, the citation was prepared in December 2000.  In view of his short notice PCS, in late February 2001, his gaining unit provided an RDP.  The orders left in March 2001, were approved in July 2001, and forwarded to Air University (AU) for final signature.  After the CY01A board, he inquired about the decoration and was informed that the citation could not be located.  As a result, it was reaccomplished and re-sent to AU.  AU quickly signed the citation and the orders were published, almost one year after it was originally written.  Based on these events, he met his first major’s board without a decoration in his records.

The applicant’s complete response is at Exhibit E.

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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 error or injustice to warrant providing the applicant consideration for promotion to the grade of major by an SSB for the CY01A Major Board, with the Air Force Commendation Medal, Second Oak Leaf Cluster (AFCM, 2 OLC) a matter of record.  The applicant’s commander has provided a statement indicating that an AFCM, 2 OLC, recommendation was initiated upon the applicant’s short notice PCS from Beale AFB; however, the original recommendation was lost and had to be reaccomplished.  As a result, the decoration was not approved until November 2001 and was not considered by the CY01A board.  While it cannot be conclusively determined whether or not the absence of the AFCM, 2 OLC, was the sole reason for his nonselection for promotion by the CY01A Major Board, we do believe that it served to deprive him of fair and equitable consideration and do not believe he should be penalized because the original recommendation was lost.  Therefore, we recommend his record, to include the AFCM, 2 OLC, be considered for promotion by SSB for the CY01A Major Board.

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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 Air Force Commendation Medal, Second Oak Leaf Cluster (AFCM, 2 OLC), be considered for promotion to the grade of major by a Special Selection Board (SSB) for the Calendar Year 2001A (CY01A) Central Major Selection Board.

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The following members of the Board considered Docket Number 01-03223 in Executive Session on 16 April 2002, 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 20 Dec 01, w/atchs.
    Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
    Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPO, dated 8 Feb 02.
    Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 15 Feb 02.
	Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant, dated 21 Feb 02.

AFBCMR 01-03223

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 APPLICANT, to include the Air Force Commendation Medal, Second Oak Leaf Cluster (AFCM, 2 OLC), be considered for promotion to the grade of major by a Special Selection Board (SSB) for the Calendar Year 2001A (CY01A) Central Major Selection Board.