RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBERS:  BC-2003-00517
		INDEX CODE 131.01
	 	COUNSEL:  None

	 	HEARING DESIRED:  No

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APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be given Special Selection Board (SSB) consideration for the Calendar Year 2002B (CY02B) Major Selection Board with the Officer Selection Brief (OSB) corrected to reflect receipt of three, rather than two, Air Force Commendation Medals (AFCM) and a Duty Air Force Specialty Code (DAFSC) of “21A3,” rather than “81T0,” for the 24 Jun 02 Assignment History entry.

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APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

The errors on his OSB contributed greatly to his nonselection by the CY02B board.  After discovering the errors on his Officer Preselection Brief (OPB), he contacted the military personnel flight (MPF) at Mildenhall RAF to correct the errors. He was told to contact AFPC also, which he did, and discovered his records were incomplete. He faxed a copy of his award to Officer Records at HQ AFPC on 22 Jul 02. He followed this up with a phone call and verified his fax had arrived. He tripled checked his records in Aug 02 and discovered his records were still missing the award. He faxed another copy of his medal citation. With his OSB having the incorrect number of commendation medals and being the first document viewed by the reviewing officer, he believes a quick decision would have been made that he had not received a medal during one of his assignments, thereby making his record appear substandard. He wants his records corrected and reevaluated.

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

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STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant is currently serving on extended active duty in the grade of captain (Date of Rank 26 Aug 97).

On 14 May 02, the applicant was awarded the AFCM, 2nd Oak Leaf Cluster (2OLC) for the period 4 Jul 99 to 17 May 02. 

The applicant’s OPB, dated 17 May 02, reflected that he had received two, rather than three, AFCMs.  The most recent Assignment History entry was listed as “6 Jul 1999, 81T0, Asst Prof of Aerospace Studies, Memphis.”

The citation for the AFCM 2OLC was filed in his records on 22 Aug 02. This was his third AFCM.

The CY02B board, which convened on 3 Oct 02, did not select the applicant for promotion. Although the AFCM 2OLC citation was in his records, the CY02 OSB reflected award of two, rather than three, AFCMs. The most recent Assignment History entry on the OSB was “24 Jun 02, 81T0, Sortie Generation Flt Commander, Mildenhall.”  The applicant’s top Officer Performance Report (OPR), closing 15 Apr 02, reflected a duty title of “Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies” at the University of Memphis and a DAFSC of “81T0.” The Promotion Recommendation Form (PRF), which had an overall recommendation of “Promote,” reflected the same duty title and DAFSC as the 15 Apr 02 OPR. 

The applicant subsequently received an OPR for the period 16 Apr 02 through 3 Feb 03, which reflects a duty title of “Sortie Generation Flight Commander” and a DAFSC of “21A3.” This report was not in his selection folder when the CY02B board convened because its closing date was after the board convened on 3 Oct 02. However, based on this OPR, the 24 Jun 02 Assignment History entry on the CY02B OSB should have had a DAFSC of “21A3” rather than the previous assignment’s AFSC of “81T0.”

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AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

HQ AFPC/DPPPO advises that the AFCM 2OLC was not reflected on the applicant’s OSB but a copy of the citation was filed in his Officer Selection Record (OSR) on 22 Aug 02, a month and a half prior to the board convening on 3 Oct 02. SSB consideration is not warranted since the board members had a copy of the citation to review and were aware of the level of the award. The Instruction Sheet for Review of Preselection Brief, enclosed with the applicant’s appeal, indicates that updates to the current duty information, with the exception of the current duty title, must first be approved by his HQ AFPC assignment manager before it can be updated on the brief.  The updates to the assignment history can be directly updated by the applicant’s MPF; however, source documentation is required before any updates to the assignment history can take place. The Instruction also explained the process of communicating directly with the board president by letter. There is no clear evidence that the OSB negatively impacted the applicant’s promotion opportunity. SSB consideration is not warranted and the appeal should be denied.

A complete copy of the evaluation is at Exhibit C.

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APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

A complete copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the applicant on 21 Mar 03 for review and comment within 30 days.  As of this date, this office has received no response.

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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 affording the applicant SSB consideration for the CY02B selection board with an amended OSB. The Air Force office of primary responsibility contends the omission of the AFCM 2OLC from the applicant’s CY02B OSB is immaterial because the award’s citation was in his selection folder. This is a reversal of their usual argument that a citation’s omission from a selection folder is immaterial as long as a decoration is reflected on a member’s OSB. Given the importance an OSB’s quick overview provides to a promotion board, we believe the incorrect number of decorations and the AFSC discrepancy for the 24 Jun 02 assignment entry may have deprived the applicant of an equitable promotion opportunity. We note the OSB went so far as to have the correct title for the 24 Jun 02 entry, but erroneously included the AFSC from the applicant’s previous assignment. While the closing date of the 16 Apr 02 - 3 Feb 03 OPR disallowed its inclusion in the CY02B selection folder, its beginning date verifies that the applicant’s AFSC for the 24 Jun 02 assignment entry should have been “21A3,” rather than “81T0.”  Most importantly, the applicant did exercise due diligence with his repeated efforts to have his record corrected in time for the selection board. Accordingly, we recommend the applicant’s appeal be granted and his records corrected as indicated below.  

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THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to APPLICANT, be corrected to show that the Officer Selection Brief (OSB) for the Calendar Year 2002B (CY02B) Major Selection Board reflected under Decorations receipt of his third, rather than second, Air Force Commendation Medal in 2002, rather than 1996, and under Assignment History he had an Air Force Specialty Code of “21A3,” rather than “81T0,” for the 24 June 2002 entry.

It is further recommended that he be considered for promotion to the grade of major by Special Selection Board for any and all boards, beginning with the CY02B board, for which the above amended errors were a matter of record.
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The following members of the Board considered this application in Executive Session on 8 July 2003 under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

			Chair
			Member
			Member

All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The following documentary evidence relating to AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2003-00517 was considered:

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 27 Jan 03, w/atch.
   Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPPO, dated 6 Mar 03.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 21 Mar 03.

                                   
                                   Chair

AFBCMR BC-2003-00517

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  XXXXX, be corrected to show that the Officer Selection Brief (OSB) for the Calendar Year 2002B (CY02B) Major Selection Board reflected under Decorations receipt of his third, rather than second, Air Force Commendation Medal in 2002, rather than 1996, and under Assignment History he had an Air Force Specialty Code of “21A3,” rather than “81T0,” for the 24 June 2002 entry.

	It is further directed that he be considered for promotion to the grade of major by Special Selection Board for any and all boards, beginning with the CY02B board, for which the above-amended errors were a matter of record.

                                                                          
                                                                          Director
                                                                          Air Force Review Boards Agency