RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2003-01704
		INDEX CODE:  107.00

		COUNSEL:  NONE

		HEARING DESIRED:  NO

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APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

He be awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) for the period of 1 October 1993 to 30 September 1995.

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APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

His active duty supervisor turned in a package for his MSM before he retired and he was not awarded this medal because the three year limit was exceeded.  The fact that he was submitted for the award and the package was lost somewhere should not prevent him from receiving the award.

The bottom line here is he earned the MSM, his retiring supervisor submitted the appropriate paperwork, and because someone dropped the ball he did not get the award.  He has since been awarded a MSM for later service in Japan and he has three Air Force Commendation Medals, this data is provided to give an indication that his service has been outstanding.

In support of the appeal, applicant submits a copy of an email from his supervisor with the narrative for the award.

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

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STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The following information was extracted from the Personnel Data System.

On 1 October 1987, the applicant was appointed a second lieutenant, Reserve of the Air Force.  He is currently serving in an active Reserve assignment in the grade of major, having been promoted to that grade on 1 October 2000.  Based on his Reserve service and prior Regular and Reserve enlisted service, his Paydate is 30 September 1977.  As of the Retirement Year Ending (RYE) 25 June 2002, he was credited with 24 years of satisfactory Federal service.  He has an established mandatory retirement date of 30 October 2015.

During the period under review, the applicant was serving in the Reserve grade of captain and was assigned to duties as an Intelligence Applications Officer at --- AB, Republic of Korea.

During his career, the applicant has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (in 2001) and three Air Force Commendation Medals.  The applicant has received a total of 13 performance reports as a commissioned officer for the periods ending 1 October 1990 through 30 September 2002, in which the overall evaluations are “Meets Standards.”

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AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

ARPC/DPS states that they recommend denial.  DPS stated that the applicant was informed by his former supervisor that he would be put in for an MSM for the period 1 October 1993 to 30 September 1995.  There is no evidence that the decoration was ever submitted into official channels.  The applicant states he discovered the MSM was never processed on 29 October 1998.  He contacted his former supervisor by e-mail to see about reaccomplishing the MSM.  The applicant’s major air command of assignment received a fax from the applicant concerning his OPR inputs plus his former supervisor’s inputs concerning the decoration on 29 October 1998.  His request to reaccomplish the MSM was denied based on the provisions of AFI 36-2803, Chapter 3 (the 3-year limit of eligibility).  DPS notes that the applicant is now requesting the Board to correct his records to show he was awarded the MSM--over four and one-half years after the initial discovery and seven and one-half years after the closeout of the original MSM.

DPS does not believe it is in the interest of justice for the applicant to resubmit a decoration seven and a half years after closeout for him to be competitive for promotion.

If the AFBCMR disagrees with their recommendation, the applicant’s original supervisor (Mr. T--- P---) should resubmit the decoration through HQ PACAF (original approval authority) and if approved, change the first MSM (1 October 1996 - 23 March 2001) to second award (first oak leaf cluster).

A complete copy of the evaluation is attached at Exhibit C.

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APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Applicant states that he has been on active duty, continuously serving since November 2001, and this has been his first opportunity to correct the injustice as he earned the MSM.  

A sad side note is often times as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA), administrative paperwork is lost in a black hole.  An IMA does not have the same continuity, especially when you live in Texas and are a PACAF IMA.  You believe when a supervisor tells you something has been done, that it truly has been done, although there is not a closed loop for you to verify the action actually took place.

He states that he earned the MSM and he feels it is not just to conclude time limits were passed although it was no fault of his.

Applicant's complete response is attached 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.	Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of error or injustice.  In this respect, we note that the applicant met the criteria of award of the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) for the period 1 October 1993 to 30 September 1995, while he was serving at --- AB, Republic of Korea.  The applicant was informed by his former supervisor that he would be put in for an MSM.  His supervisor, at the time in question, turned in a package for the MSM before he retired, however, the award package was misplaced.  In view of the above and in an effort to remove any possibility of an injustice to the applicant, we recommend that he be awarded the MSM for the period 1 October 1993 to 30 September 1995.

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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 he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for the period 1 October 1993 to 30 September 1995.

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The following members of the Board considered this application, BC-2003-01704, in Executive Session on 28 August 2003, 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 15 May 03, w/atchs.
   Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
   Exhibit C.  Letter, ARPC/DPS, dated 6 Jun 03.
   Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 11 Jun 03.
   Exhibit E.  Applicant's Response, dated 25 Jun 03.

                                   Chair

AFBCMR BC-2003-01704
INDEX CODE:  107.00

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, be corrected to show that he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for the period 1 October 1993 to 30 September 1995.

		Director
		Air Force Review Boards Agency