RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2014-04475 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge, be amended to include the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM). APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: He completed two 55 day Temporary Duty (TDY) assignments to Cam Ranh Bay AB, Vietnam and one 55 day TDY assignment to Tan Son Nhut AB, Saigon. The airman (E-2) responsible for preparing his paperwork failed to add the VSM. The Board should consider it in the interest of justice to consider his untimely application as he would like to join the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. STATEMENT OF FACTS: According to his DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge, he entered active duty on 22 June 1966 and was released from active duty on 7 June 1970. He was credited with 1 year, 5 months and 8 days of foreign service. His AF Form 909, Airman Performance Report, for the reporting period ending 21 December 1968, indicates he participated in a TDY to Cam Rahn Bay, Vietnam. According to the PACAF Form 109, First Term Airman Reenlistment Record, dated 29 July 1969, the applicant was TDY to Don Muang AB, Thailand on 28 December 1969. According to his DD Form 214, Report of Separation from Active Duty, the applicant served on active duty from 3 November 1971 to 22 November 1973. He was credited with 1 year and 1 month of foreign service. AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSID recommends approval. Although DPSID was unable to locate consolidated documentation verifying the applicant met the criteria for time served in the area of eligibility for award of the VSM, the compilation of documentation shows that it is more likely than not that he fulfilled the minimum requirement of days for award of the VSM. The applicant’s AF Form 909, Airman Performance Report, with a closeout date of 21 December 1968, Section VII, Comments/Indorsements, states “He recently participated in TDY to Cam Rahn Bay, RVN.” Additionally, his PACAF Form 109, First Term Airman Reenlistment Record, dated 29 July 1969 includes a hand written statement on the back that reads “Applicant is TDY to Don Muang at this date 28 December 1969.” Finally, while the applicant was undergoing a discharge board, the following excerpt came from a statement, “We went to Ching Chuang Kang and Taiwan. Six months I spent in Thailand, Dong Muang AB, two months I spent at Tan Son Nhut AB, Saigon.” A complete copy of the AFPC/DPSID 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 9 March 2015 for review and comment within 30 days (Exhibit D). As of this date, no response has been received by this office. 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. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice. Having carefully reviewed this application, we agree with the recommendation of the Air Force office of primary responsibility and adopt the rationale expressed as the basis for our decision that the applicant has been the victim of either an error or an injustice. Therefore, we recommend the applicant's records be corrected as indicated below. THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to the APPLICANT be corrected to show that: a. He served in Vietnam and Thailand in the direct support of military operations in Vietnam for the requisite time period required to be eligible for the VSM. b. His DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge, issued in conjunction with his separation on 7 June 1970 be amended in Item 24, Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized, to include the Vietnam Service Medal. The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2014-04475 in Executive Session on 8 July 2015 under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: , Panel Chair , Member , Member All members voted to correct the records as recommended. The following documentary evidence was considered: Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 31 October 2014, w/atch. Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C. Memorandum, AFPC/DPSID, dated 2 February 2015. Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 9 March 2015.