RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:				DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2007-01259
INDEX CODE:  107.00
	XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX		COUNSEL: NO
								HEARING DESIRED:  NO

MANDATORY CASE COMPLETION DATE:  26 October 2008

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APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

He be awarded the Iraq Campaign Medal (ICM) and the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border (AFESR w/GB).
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APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

These awards were not listed on his DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. 

In support of his appeal, the applicant provided a Travel Voucher, Special Order Travel Forms, AF Forms 104, Service Medal Award Certification, and an excerpt from the Tempo Management and Tracking System (TMTS).  

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

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STATEMENT OF FACTS:

On 25 August 1982, the applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force at the age of 20.  He was progressively promoted to the grade of master sergeant effective and with a date of rank of 1 March 2000.  On 31 December 2006, the applicant was honorably released from active duty for sufficient service for retirement, and retired effective 1 January 2007.  He served 24 years, 4 months and 7 days on active duty of which 1 year, 1 month and 14 days were foreign service.  

The applicant’s DD Form 214 indicates he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster (MSM w/1OLC); AF Commendation Medal w/2OLC; Joint Service Achievement Medal; AF Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Award; AF Outstanding Unit Award w/5OLC; AF Good Conduct Medal w/7OLC; National Defense Service Medal with one Service Star; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Korean Defense Service Medal; Humanitarian Service Medal; AF Overseas Service Ribbon Short; AFESR w/GB & 1OLC; AF Longevity Service Ribbon w/5OLC; USAF Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Military Education Graduate Ribbon w/2OLC; AF Training Ribbon; and the NATO Medal.

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AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPR recommends denial of the applicant’s request to add the ICM and an additional AFESR to his DD Form 214.  DPPPR states the ICM is awarded to recognize service members who served or have served in the country of Iraq and the contiguous water area out to 12 nautical miles, and all air space above the land area of Iraq and above the contiguous water area out to 12 nautical miles of Iraq.  Eligibility for the ICM requires service members to have served in direct support of OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM (OIF).  The period of eligibility is on or after 19 March 2003 to a future date to be determined by the Secretary of Defense or the cessation of OIF.  Service members must have been assigned, attached, or mobilized to units operating in the area of eligibility for 30 consecutive days or for 60 non-consecutive days.  Under most circumstances, no personnel or unit should receive the ICM, the global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, or the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for the same deployment, action, or period of service; however, should an individual be forward-deployed from a primary deployment location, the individual must provide source documentation (i.e., performance reports, decoration, letter of evaluation, travel voucher, etc.) to substantiate multiple deployment locations and minimum deployment days were indeed met and confirmed by home deployment location and the individual.  Entitlement to the ICM does not disqualify entitlement to other DoD service or Air Force achievement awards.  The AFESR is awarded to military members of the Air Force who are credited with completion of a contingency deployment.  “Deployment” is defined as either deployment on contingency, exercise, deployment (CED) order, or members sourced in direct support (in-theater or out) of expeditionary operations with an overnight away-from-home station, destination, or location of the temporary duty.  There is no time limit to accumulate the 90 non-consecutive days.  The intent of this ribbon is one AFESR for each deployment (provided the required days are met).  It is not intended to be awarded in multiples corresponding to each 45 consecutive days deployed.

DPPPR states after a through review of the applicant’s military record and the submitted documentation, they are unable to locate any source documentation to substantiate the applicant was in the area of eligibility (Iraq) for the awards requested.  The documents submitted with the applicant’s appeal indicate he was deployed to Al Udied Air Base, Qatar; however, does not show he entered Iraq.  

The DPPPR evaluation is at Exhibit C.

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APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

On 24 May 2007, a copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the applicant for review and response 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.  Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of error or injustice.  The applicant claims he is eligible for the award of the ICM and AFESR w/GB &2OLC.  After reviewing the evidence of record and the applicant’s submission, we find that other than the applicant’s assertions, we have no evidence to indicate his entitlement to either of the requested decorations.  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.  Therefore, 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 this application in Executive Session on 19 July 2007, under the provisions of AFI 36‑2603:

			XXXXXXXXXX, Chair
			XXXXXXXXXX, Member
			XXXXXXXXXX, Member

The following documentary evidence for AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2007-01259 was considered:

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 11 Apr 07.
    Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
    Exhibit C.  Letter, AFPC/DPPPR, dated 9 May 07.
    Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 24 May 07.

						XXXXXXXXXX
									Panel Chair