RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2013-02893 XXXXXXX COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His Air Force Commendation Medal (AFCM) Third Oak Leaf Cluster (3OLC) for the period 1 Jul 2011 through 1 Dec 2011 be considered in the promotion process for cycle 12E7. _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: His organization, the 937th Training Group (937 TRG) and the 502d Force Support Group (502 FSG) each requested a “Recommendation for Decoration Printout (Décor-6).” His commander completed the Décor-6 recommending him for a decoration before 31 Dec 2011; the Promotion Eligibility Cutoff Date (PECD). However, due to personnel changeover, his decoration package was lost. The commander had a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) and the first sergeant retired. Nevertheless, when they were informed the AFCM had not been completed, they provided statements explaining the lateness of the medal package and the decoration package was re-submitted in May 2012. Prior to submitting his request to the Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records (AFCMR), he submitted a supplemental promotion consideration package to the Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) promotions section requesting that both decorations be considered. AFPC denied consideration stating that in accordance with AFI 36-2502, Airman Promotion/Demotion Programs, a separate Décor-6 must submitted for each decoration. He spoke with the Base Level Awards and Decoration Element, researched the Air Education and Training Command policy and AFI 36-2803, The Air Force Military Awards and Decorations Program, and found the Décor-6 reflects when it has been placed in official channels. Moreover, according to AFI 36-2502, the decoration closeout date must be on or before the PECD. He provided documentation from the commander and first sergeant showing that the DeCOR6 was approved and in official channels prior to the PECD. He should not be punished due to an administrative oversight. In support of his request, the applicant provides a personal statement, copies of statements from his commander, first sergeant, and force management specialist, Air Force Instruction excerpts, electronic communiqués, AFCM citation and Décor-6. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. _________________________________________________________________ STATEMENT OF FACTS: According to the Décor-6 provided by the applicant, on 31 Mar 2011, his commander recommended him for a decoration. On 10 Apr 2013, a corrected copy (inclusive dates) of the AFCM 2OLC for the period 8 Feb 2010 to 30 Jun 2011, with a “Given Under My Hand” date of 7 Jun 2012 was placed in the applicant’s records. On 10 Apr 2013, a corrected copy (inclusive dates) of the AFCM 3OLC for the period 1 Jul 2011 to 1 Dec 2011, with a “Given Under My Hand” date of 30 Nov 2012 was placed in the applicant’s records. On 28 May 2013, the applicant accepted his promotion to the rank of Master Sergeant (MSgt, E-7). _________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSOE recommends denial. DPSOE states that the applicant provides no supporting documentation or conclusive evidence that the decoration was in official channels prior to selects being released for cycle 12E7. The applicant was considered and non- selected for promotion to the rank of MSgt during cycle 12E7. He received a decoration score of 8.00 and a total score of 317.36. The score required for selection in his Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) was 321.04. On 4 Dec 2012, the applicant requested supplemental consideration to have two AFCMs included in the 12E7 promotion process that were not used during the initial promotion process. DPSOE approved his request for one of the decorations, but disapproved the other since the inclusive dates on both citations overlapped and the same Décor-6 was used to submit both awards. The AFCM (2OLC) had inclusive dates of 8 Feb 2010 through 30 Dec 2011, and the AFCM (3OLC) had inclusive dates of 1 Apr 2010 through 1 Dec 2011. The applicant remained a “non-select” for promotion as the one AFCM (worth 3 points) increased his total score to 320.36; however, this was still below the promotion cut-off. There are two separate and distinct policies regarding the approval of a decoration and the credit of a decoration for promotion purposes. Current Air Force promotion policy (AFI 36- 2502, Table 2.2, Rule 5, Note 2) dictates that before a decoration is credited for a specific promotion cycle, the close out date of the decoration must be on or before the PECD, and the date the Décor-6 was signed must be before the date of selections for the cycle in question. In accordance with AFI 36-2803, paragraph 3.1, a decoration is considered to have been placed into official channels when the Décor-6 is signed by the initiating official and indorsed by a higher official in the chain of command. The Décor-6 for the AFCM (3OLC) was not signed until 30 Nov 2012. Selections for cycle 12E7 were made on 7 May 2012. The applicant has since petitioned to have the inclusive dates changed on both decorations. His request was approved and the dates were changed effective 10 Apr 2013. The AFCM (2OLC) now has inclusive dates of 8 Feb 2010 through 30 Jun 2011, and the AFCM (3OLC) has inclusive dates of 1 Jul 2011 through 1 Dec 2011. This however does not entitle the applicant to supplemental consideration as the correction was not made until 10 Apr 2013 and the corrected decoration was not a matter of record at the time selections were made (7 May 2012). The complete DPSOE evaluation is at Exhibit C. _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: On 15 Oct 2013, a copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded to the applicant 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 timely filed. 3. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice. After thoroughly reviewing the evidence of record, we believe that through no fault of the applicant’s, the contested award was not properly processed in time for it to be considered by promotion cycle 12E7. In this respect, we note the statements from the applicant’s former first sergeant and commander who both indicate the applicant’s original decoration submission was placed in official channels in Dec 2011. However, due to various manning changes, the commander's PCS and the first sergeant’s retirement, the initial decoration package was lost. We note the Air Force office of primary responsibility recommends denial stating the applicant has not provided supporting documentation or conclusive evidence that the decoration was placed in official channels prior to the selects being run and released for cycle 12E7. However, it is our opinion that this was not an after-the-fact award based upon his nonselection for promotion. Due to numerous administrative shortfalls the award simply “fell through the cracks,” and we believe that the applicant should not be harmed based on these errors. Therefore we find the evidence presented in this case sufficient to warrant relief. Accordingly, we recommend his records 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 the Recommendation for Decoration Printout (Décor-6) for award of the Air Force Commendation Medal, Third Oak Leaf Cluster, covering the period 1 July 2011 through 1 December 2011 was signed by the commander on 1 May 2012 rather than 30 November 2012. It is further recommended that he be provided supplemental consideration for promotion to the grade of master sergeant for all appropriate cycles beginning with cycle 12E7, with the Air Force Commendation Medal, Third Oak Leaf Cluster included in his record. If AFPC discovers any adverse factors during or subsequent to supplemental consideration that are separate and apart, and unrelated to the issues involved in this application that would have rendered the applicant ineligible for promotion, such information will be documented and presented to the Board for a final determination of the individual’s qualifications for the promotion. _________________________________________________________________ The following members of the Board considered this application in Executive Session on 3 Apr 2014, under the provisions of AFI 36- 2603: , Panel Chair , Member , Member All members voted to correct the record as recommended. The following documentary evidence was considered in AFBCMR BC-2013-02893: Exhibit A. DD Forms 149, dated 20 May 2013, w/atchs. Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSOE, dated 15 Aug 2013. Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 15 Oct 2013. 1 2