RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2010-04364 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 1. His DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge, be corrected to reflect: a. He was awarded the Air Force Good Conduct Medal (AFGCM) (administratively resolved). b. He was designated as Airman of the Year at Korat AB, Thailand, 1967 through 1968. c. He was hospitalized during his tour in Thailand. 2. While it is not readily apparent, it appears as though he is also requesting, by amendment, that his record be corrected to reflect he served in the Republic of Vietnam. 3. It also appears as though he wants to know if his record indicates that he was personally asked to join the staff at Headquarters, Strategic Air Command (SAC) due to his exemplary duty performance as a flight records clerk at his last duty assignment. ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 1. The record needs to be corrected. He may need to apply for disability benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). He was hospitalized and nearly died of Typhus Fever during his tour in Southeast Asia. He also experienced damage to his hearing from long-term exposure to flight line noise. Additionally, he served as an aircrew member on several cargo missions to various bases in the Republic of Vietnam. 2. He was designated NCO of the year at Korat, Thailand, 1967 through 1968. 3. His exemplary efforts while assigned to his last duty station to revamp the worst flight records section in SAC resulted in him being invited to join the Headquarters, SAC staff, an assignment he declined due to his impending. In support of his request, the applicant provides a copy of his DD Form 214 and, by amendment, an expanded statement. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. _________________ ______________________________________________ STATEMENT OF FACTS: The applicant’s military personnel records indicate he enlisted in the Regular Air Force on 27 Jul 65 in the grade of airman basic (E-1) for a period of four years and was progressively promoted to the grade of staff sergeant (E-5), effective and with a date of rank of 1 Mar 69. According to his service medical records, the applicant was hospitalized for seven days in 1967 for Typhus Fever. The initial indorsing official comments, as reflected on the applicant’s AF Form 910, Airman Performance Report, rendered for the period 19 Jan 68 through 16 Sep 68, indicates the following: “The outstanding improvement in the Flight Records Section has been a subject of higher headquarters staff visits, and more recently by the SAC Inspector General. Sgt X--, as the NCOIC of the section, was directly responsible for this achievement.” On 2 Jun 69, the applicant was honorably discharged at the completion of his required active service and was credited with three years, ten months, and six days of total active service. On 1 Feb 11, AFPC/DPAPP notified the applicant they were able to verify his foreign service at Korat AB, Thailand from 2 Feb 67 through 28 Jan 68, but were unable to verify his service in the Republic of Vietnam. On 7 Mar 11, AFPC/DPSIDR notified the applicant they were able to verify his entitlement to the AFGCM, an additional Bronze Service Star (BSS) device to his previously awarded Vietnam Service Medal (VSM), the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), and the Valor deice and two oak leaf clusters (OLC) to his previously awarded Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (AFOUA) and that his records will be corrected administratively. As for his request pertaining to the Airman of the Year Award, he was advised that only nomination or selection as one of the 12 Outstanding Airman of the Year (OAY) may be reflected on the DD Form 214 and that no evidence was found to indicate that he was nominated or selected for such an award. ________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPAPP recommends denial of the applicant’s request pertaining to credit for service in the Republic of Vietnam, indicating they are unable to verify such service based on the evidence of record and the information provided. A complete copy of the AFPC/DPAPP evaluation is at Exhibit C. ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the applicant on 25 Mar 11 for review and comment within 30 days. As of this date, no response has been received by this office (Exhibit D). ________________________________________________________________ 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 an error or injustice. The applicant contends his record should be corrected to reflect he served in the Republic of Vietnam and that he was selected as the airman of the year at Korat AB, Thailand during his service in Southeast Asia. We took notice of the applicant's complete submission in judging the merits of the case; however, we agree with the opinion and recommendation of the Air Force office of primary responsibility and adopt its rationale as the basis for our conclusion that the applicant has not been the victim of an error or injustice. As regards to his request that his record reflect he was hospitalized for Typhus fever during his tour of duty in Thailand, we note that his service medical records already appropriately reflect this fact. As for his request pertaining to his accomplishments in the flight records section at his last assignment, there is no evidence of an error or injustice. Other than his own assertions, he has provided no evidence that his performance reports do not reflect an accurate assessment of his duty performance and potential. Finally, we note the Air Force OPR has verified his entitlement to the Air Force Good Conduct Medal, an additional Bronze Service Star (BSS) device to his previously awarded Vietnam Service Medal (VSM), the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), and the Valor deice and two oak leaf clusters (OLC) to his previously awarded Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (AFOUA) and his records will be corrected administratively. Therefore, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, we find no basis to recommend granting any relief beyond that already resolved administratively. ________________________________________________________________ THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT: The applicant be notified the evidence presented did not demonstrate the existence of material error or injustice; the application was denied without a personal appearance; and the application will only be reconsidered upon the submission of newly discovered relevant evidence not considered with this application. ________________________________________________________________ The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2010-04364 in Executive Session on 27 Apr 11, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: The following documentary evidence was considered: Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 11 Nov 10, w/atch. Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 22 Feb 11. Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 25 Mar 11.