RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2003-01021
				INDEX CODE:  131.00

	APPLICANT	COUNSEL:  None

	SSN		HEARING DESIRED:  NO

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APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His citation for the Defense Meritorious Service Medal (DMSM) be filed in his Officer Selection Record (OSR) and the board discrepancy report be removed.  He also requests Special Selection Board (SSB) consideration by the calendar year 2002B (CY02B) central lieutenant colonel selection board with the corrected record.

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APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

Despite his diligence in hand carrying his citation for the DMSM to the military personnel flight (MPF), supplying them with a copy of the citation, and watching them enter it into the system, his citation was never entered into his promotion record, instead a discrepancy notice was placed in the record.

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

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STATEMENT OF FACTS:

Applicant is currently serving on active duty in the grade of major.

Applicant was considered, but not selected for promotion to the grade of lieutenant colonel by the CY02B central lieutenant colonel selection board.

The Officer Selection Brief (OSB) prepared for the CY02B central lieutenant colonel selection board reflected the following decorations:  Defense Meritorious Service Medal (DMSM), Meritorious Service Medal (MSM), Air Force Commendation Medal (AFCM) and Air Force Achievement Medal (AFAM).

Applicant’s OPR profile as a major is listed below.

			PERIOD ENDING		OVERALL EVALUATION

			  2 Jan 00		Meets Standards
			  2 Jan 01		Meets Standards
			  2 Jan 02		Meets Standards

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AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

HQ AFPC/DPPPOO states that citations are not included in the records for the board members to review, rather, they are there to make the board members aware of the level of the decoration the service member has received.  However, the board members can, if they choose to, review the comments on the citations.  The Military Personnel Data System (MilPDS) and his officer selection brief (OSB) did reflect that he was awarded a DMSM.

Central boards evaluate service members’ entire OSR.  The central boards consider the members' job performance, professional qualities, depth and breadth of experience, leadership, and academic and professional military education.  They also include in their assessment for promotion consideration promotion recommendation forms, officer performance reports, officer effectiveness reports, training reports, letters of evaluation, decorations and officer selection briefs.

Although the applicant's citation was not in his OSR during the board's review, the board had access to his entire officer selection record.  The OSB reflected the applicant had received the DMSM.  Furthermore, the discrepancy report filed on the top of the OSR informed the board that the citation was missing and the level of the decoration.  DPPPO is not convinced the missing citation was instrumental to the applicant's nonselection.  Based on the evidence provided they recommend the requested relief be denied.

A copy of the Air Force evaluation is attached at Exhibit C.

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APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR STAFF EVALUATION:

The applicant reviewed the Air Force evaluation and believes the reviewer misinterpreted his request.  He is not requesting a special selection board based on the absence of the award citation from his records.  He is requesting the award citation be entered into the “as met” record for an upcoming special selection board based on a separate appeal that he is preparing to send to the AFBCMR.  In short, if he is granted a special selection board under that separate action, he wants the citation to be in the record.

He believes this is warranted because he practiced due diligence by hand carrying the award citation and order to the MPF; and the absence of the citation and the presence of the discrepancy notice is a discriminator if two records are otherwise identical in strength (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 warranting consideration for promotion to the grade of lieutenant colonel by a Special Selection Board.  After reviewing the evidence of record, we are persuaded the citation missing from the applicant's promotion records did not afford the applicant the same full and fair promotion consideration as other officers who were being considered for promotion by the board.  The applicant, in trying to ensure his promotion records were current for the promotion board, hand carried a copy of his citation for the DMSM to the Military Personnel Flight to be updated in the system.  Due to an administrative shortfall the citation was not placed in the applicant’s records and a discrepancy report was filed in its place.  In the opinion of the Board, we feel the applicant exhibited due diligence to ensure his promotion record was error free before being presented to the promotion board.  In view of the foregoing, we believe the applicant suffered an injustice, as a result of the missing citation from his promotion records and this put him at a disadvantage before the promotion board.  While it cannot be conclusively determined whether or not the absence of the citation was the sole cause of the applicant's non-selection for promotion, we are persuaded that the omission of the citation deprived him of fair and equitable consideration for promotion.  Therefore, the Board recommends the applicant be afforded Special Selection Board (SSB) consideration by the CY02B lieutenant colonel central selection 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 citation for the Defense Meritorious Service Medal awarded for the period 5 March 1999 to 22 March 2002, be considered for promotion to the grade of lieutenant colonel by a Special Selection Board for the Calendar 
Year 2002 Central Lieutenant Colonel Board and for any subsequent boards which these citations were not a matter of record.

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The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2003-01021 in Executive Session on 10 June 2003, under the provisions of AFI 36‑2603:

              Panel Chair
              Member
              Member

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

   Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 24 Mar 03, w/atchs.
   Exhibit B.  Officer Selection Record.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, HQ AFPC/DPPPO, dated 24 Apr 03.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 2 May 03.
   Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant’s Response, dated 23 May 03.

					
					Panel Chair

AFBCMR BC-2003-01021

MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF

	Having reviewed and considered the recommendation of the Air Force Board for Correction for 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, SSN, to include the citation for the Defense Meritorious Service Medal awarded for the period 5 March 1999 to 22 March 2002, be considered for promotion to the grade of lieutenant colonel by a Special Selection Board for the Calendar Year 2002 Central Lieutenant Colonel Board and any subsequent boards for which this citation was not a matter of record.

					
					Director
					Air Force Review Boards Agency