RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2012-04235 

 COUNSEL: NONE 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

He be awarded the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) for his service in 
Vietnam. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

While stationed at Tachikawa Air Base, Japan, his unit took 
several missions on temporary duty into Vietnam, which was during 
the draw down to the war effort in 1970 and 1971. Because 
President Nixon’s “Vietnamization” policy did not acknowledge 
entering Vietnam it placed limits on the number of troops in that 
country. 

 

His complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

The Vietnam Service Medal (VSM), created on 8 Jul 65, is awarded 
to all service members of the Armed Forces who, between 4 Jul 65 
and 28 Mar 73, served in the following areas of Southeast Asia: 
in Vietnam and the contiguous waters and airspace; in Thailand, 
Laos or Cambodia or the airspace thereover and in the direct 
support of military operations in Vietnam. The specific 
eligibility criteria requires a member to be attached to or 
directly serving for one or more days with an organization, or 
aboard a naval vessel, directly supporting military operations; 
actually participate as a crew member on one or more aerial 
flights directly supporting military operations; or serve on 
temporary duty (TDY) for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive 
days, although these time limitations may be waived for personnel 
participating in actual combat operations. However, no member may 
be issued both the AFEM and the VSM for service in Vietnam. 

The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are 
contained in the letter prepared by the appropriate office of the 
Air Force, which is at Exhibit C. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 



 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

AFPC/DPSID recommends denial. According to the official 
documentation, the applicant served in Vietnam for a total of 
17 days; he did not serve in Vietnam the required 30 consecutive 
or 60 non-consecutive days. Therefore, he is ineligible for 
awarded of the VSM. 

 

The complete DPSID evaluation is at Exhibit B. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

A copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the applicant 
on 14 Dec 12 for review and comment within 30 days. As of this 
date, this office has received no response. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

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 error or injustice. After 
thoroughly reviewing the applicant’s complete submission and 
noting the VSM criteria, we are not persuaded that his records 
are in error or unjust. In this respect, we note that although 
the applicant has provided copies of TDY orders, with amendment, 
assigning him on two separate TDYs to the RVN, and copies of two 
travel vouchers, they do not support that he performed 30 
consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days of TDY in the RVN. In 
view of this and since there is no evidence the applicant was 
attached to or directly serving for one or more days with an 
organization directly supporting military operations or actually 
participated as a crew member on one or more aerial flights 
directly supporting military operations, we find no basis to 
recommend granting the relief sought in this application. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket 
Number BC-2012-04235 in Executive Session on 25 Apr 13, under the 
provisions of AFI 36-2603: 

 

 , Panel Chair 

 , Member 

 , Member 

 

The following documentary evidence for Docket Number BC-2012-04235 
was considered: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 6 Sep 12, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSID, dated 19 Nov 12. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 14 Dec 12.