RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2011-02366 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His Air Force Commendation Medal (AFCM) be updated on his Officer Selection Brief and he be considered by a Special Selection Board (SSB) for the CY10D Major Central Selection Board for promotion. _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: His supervisor submitted an extended tour AFCM; however, the award was never submitted to the Military Personnel Flight at Dyess AFB due to administrative errors at his squadron. His performance and accomplishments in two squadrons were not recognized and documented in the AFCM, which he believes placed him at a disadvantage at the Central Selection Board. His supervisor changed duty stations and his commander changed commands which contributed to the reasons that the award was not tracked. He realizes the importance of following up on decorations to ensure his record was accurate prior to meeting any board. In support of his request, the applicant provides a personal statement and letters of support. His complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. _________________________________________________________________ STATEMENT OF FACTS: The applicant is currently serving in the Regular Air Force in the grade of captain (0-3). The applicant met the P0410D Major Central Selection Board (CSB); however, he was not selected for promotion. The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are contained in the letters prepared by the appropriate offices of the Air Force, which is at Exhibit B, C, and D. _________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSOO recommends denial. After a review of the applicant’s record, it has been determined that the AFCM was processed within the guidelines of AFI 36-2803, paragraph 3.1. These guidelines state that decoration recommendations are entered “into official channels within 2 years and awarded within 3 years of the act, achievement, or service performed.” The source document used for updating the Military Personnel Data System (MilPDS) is the special order number that is assigned to the certificate. In this case, the AFCM certificate reflects a special order date of 13 Jun 11; therefore, it was not reflected in any official personnel data system when the board convened on 6 Dec 10. The AFCM is required to be forwarded for update within 30 days of the date of the order, as such the AFCM certificate was not required to be in the applicant’s Officer Selection Record (OSR) until 14 Jul 11. Furthermore, not only was the AFCM awarded after the convening of the board, but it was not required to be in his OSR until 13 Jul 11. The complete DPSOO evaluation is at Exhibit B. AFPC/SJA provides a hand-written memo stating that while the advisories are correct that no error occurred, the real issue is whether the administrative errors in failing to process the award constitutes an injustice, i.e., was it an injustice that the decoration was not in his record for the CY10D major’s promotion board. SJA also raises the point of whether the decoration would have been processed on time for the board even if properly and timely put into the system? It might also be appropriate to point out the applicant should have checked his record before the board and sought correction at that time or written a letter to the board. The complete SJA evaluation is at Exhibit C. AFPC/DPSIDR recommends denial. There has been no official documentation submitted that verifies the AFCM was originally submitted into official channels prior to Apr 11; therefore, DPSIDR is unable to determine if an injustice occurred by the AFCM not being in his official record based on the oversight. Furthermore, no official documentation was provided that verifies the specific reason for the “administrative oversight.” Additionally, the applicant is being recognized for an act that occurred in 2009; however, the applicant’s Recommendation Decoration Printout (RDP) date listed on the decoration is 25 Apr 11 and the Given Under My Hand Date awarding the AFCM is 13 Jun 11. DPSIDR further states the applicant’s commander at Dyess AFB states, “he should have received an AFCM upon leaving OSS but did not due to administrative oversight.” The complete DPSIDR evaluation is at Exhibit D. _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: The applicant disagrees with the DPSOO and DPSIDR evaluations. AFPAM 36-2607 4.3 clearly states, “Normally, the best evidence are statements from persons who have direct knowledge or involvement”. He has provided written statements from all commanders directly involved. His commander at Dyess AFB admits, “his AFCM was never submitted to the MPF at Dyess AFB due to an administrative oversight”, clearly identifying an error at the Operations Group level, which was the approval authority for the AFCM. As suggested by the offices of primary responsibility for the Air Force, he agrees and supports their suggestion of adjusting the “GIVEN UNDER MY HAND” date to the close out date of 28 Mar 09. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit F. _________________________________________________________________ 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. After reviewing the evidence of record, we are persuaded that favorable consideration of the applicant’s request is warranted. The applicant has provided a supporting statement from his Group Commander indicating that an extended tour AFCM recommendation was drafted on the applicant but not submitted through proper channels due to administrative oversight. Additionally, we find it reasonable that since the applicant’s recommendation was for an extended tour vice permanent change of station or assignment that the recommendation was not processed in a timely manner. Since it appears the error in processing the decoration was not due to error or lack of diligence on the part of the applicant, we believe it would be appropriate to change the award date of the decoration so it may be accepted for file in the applicant’s officer selection record for the CY10D Major Central Selection Board. While the applicant believes absence of the medal may have disadvantaged him when his record was considered by the CY10D CSB, we have no way of determining if this is true and our recommendation for relief is not intended as support for this view on part of the applicant. Nevertheless, in our view, the applicant deserves to have the benefit of recognition for four years of service reflected in his record. Therefore, we find the evidence before us sufficient to resolve any doubt in this matter in favor of the applicant and recommend his record be corrected as indicated below. _________________________________________________________________ THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to APPLICANT be corrected to show that: a. The Air Force Commendation Medal (AFCM) with inclusive dates of 3 May 2005 through 28 March 2009, was approved on 28 March 2009, rather than 13 June 2011; and was accepted for file in his Officer Selection Record on 1 April 2009. b. It is further directed that the corrected record be considered for promotion to the grade of major by a Special Selection Board for the Calendar Year 2010D (CY10D) Major Central Selection Board. _________________________________________________________________ The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2011-02366 in Executive Session on 15 Mar 12, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The following documentary evidence for Docket Number BC-2011-02366 was considered: Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 27 Jun 11, w/atchs. Exhibit B. Letter, AFPC/DPSOO, dated 2 Aug 11. Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/SJA, dated 12 Aug 11. Exhibit D. Letter, AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 24 Aug 11. Exhibit E. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 16 Sep 11. Exhibit F. Letter, Applicant, dated 22 Sep 11, w/atchs.