RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER:  02-01142
		INDEX CODE:  110.00
		COUNSEL:  NONE

		HEARING DESIRED:  NO

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APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His discharge documents be corrected to reflect that he was assigned to the 354th Fighter Group and the 355th Fighter Squadron.

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APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He was assigned to the 354th Fighter Group and the 355th Fighter Squadron.  He was transferred to the 564th AAA AW Battalion only for the purpose of his rotation back to the states after completion of his active duty tour in Germany as part of the Occupation Air Force.

In support of his request, applicant provided a personal statement, a copy of his Army of the United States discharge certificate, his Enlisted Record and Report of Separation, his Separation Qualification Record, his military education record, his Honorable Discharge certificate, and documentation associated with his attempts to have his records corrected.  His complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.  

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STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Applicant enlisted in the Army Air Corps on 21 Oct 42.  On 20 Nov 45, he was separated for the convenience of the government and transferred to the Reserves.  On 10 Oct 48, he was discharged from the Air Force Reserves.

The applicant's request to have his departure date from the European Theater Operations (ETO) changed was corrected administratively. 

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AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPRS reviewed applicant’s request and recommends denial.  DPPRS states that his Enlisted Record and Report of Separation states that he was assigned to Battery D 564th AAA AW Battalion.  There are no other source documents to prove otherwise.  The applicant did not submit any evidence to support his arguments and since the unit of assignment has no bearing on his future funeral arrangements, it is recommended that his records remain unchanged.  

The DPPRS evaluation is at Exhibit C.  

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APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Applicant reiterates that his service was with the 345th Fighter Group of the Army Air Force, he was temporarily assigned to the 564th AAA AW BN for the purpose of rotation back to the states.  His Enlisted Record and Report of Separation states that he was an Aircraft Armorer 911, and that he was awarded ETO campaign ribbons and various decorations, including a Distinguished Unit Badge with an oak leaf cluster.  The latter of which was not awarded to any AAW unit to his knowledge.  His Separation Qualification Record states that his duties were as an Airplane Armorer, "Loaded bombs...etc."  These are certainly not the duties of a member of an anti-aircraft battalion.  

His complete submission 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 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 error or injustice.  We took notice of the applicant's complete submission in judging the merits of the case; however, other than his own assertions, evidence has not been presented which would lead us to believe that his discharge documents were improperly prepared or that the data contained therein is erroneous.  Therefore, we agree with the opinion and recommendation of the Air Force office of primary responsibility and adopt their rationale as the basis for our conclusion that the applicant has not been the victim of an error or injustice.  In the absence of evidence to the contrary, we find no compelling basis to recommend granting the relief sought in this application.

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THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The applicant be notified that the evidence presented did not demonstrate the existence of material error or injustice; that the application was denied without a personal appearance; and that the application will only be reconsidered upon the submission of newly discovered relevant evidence not considered with this application.

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The following members of the Board considered Docket Number 02-01142 in Executive Session on 27 Jun 02, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

The following documentary evidence was considered:

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 27 Mar 02, w/atchs.
    Exhibit B.  Available Discharge Documents.
    Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPRS, dated 29 Apr 02.
    Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 17 May 02.
    Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant, dated 27 May 02.