RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2015-00888 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: Award of the Korean Defense Service Medal (KDSM). APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: Between September 1994 and September 1997 the applicant deployed from Kadena AB to Korea on three occasions to participate in exercises. These deployments totaled 67, non-consecutive days. He provided training certificates and witness statement support his request. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. STATEMENT OF FACTS: On 3 May 94, the applicant entered the Regular Air Force. According to the AF Form 910, Enlisted Performance Report (EPR), for the period 3 May 94 through 2 Jan 96, the applicant is credited with a deployment to Korea for Exercise Foal Eagle and he attended training by 51st Ground Combat Readiness Evaluation Squadron between May-Jun 95. The AF Form 910, Enlisted Performance Report (EPR), for the period 3 Jan 96 through 19 Aug 96 credits the applicant with a deployment to Korea for Commando Warrior 96. On 2 Sep 98, the applicant was furnished an honorable discharge, and was credited with 4 years and 4 months of active service, which included 3 years and 12 days of foreign service.________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSID recommends granting the applicant’s request for the Korean Defense Service medal (KDSM), indicating there is evidence of an error or injustice. The KDSM period of eligibility is 25 Jul 54, to a future date to be determined by the Secretary of Defense. Personnel who serve in operations and exercises conducted in the area of eligibility are considered eligible for the award as long as the basic time criteria is met. Due to the extensive time period for KDSM eligibility, the non-consecutive service period for eligibility remains cumulative throughout the entire period. Service members must have been permanently assigned, attached, or detailed to a unit that operated within the area of eligibility and must have been physically deployed for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days. After a review of the applicant’s official military personnel record this advisor was unable to verify a previous award of the KDSM. There is no documentation in the applicant’s record containing evidence assigning him to Korea, or verifying the inclusive dates of service in Korea, nor is there evidence establishing 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days of service in the area of eligibility. However, the preponderance of the documents reviewed and submitted together indicate the applicant served in Korea multiple times between 1995 and 1997 for training and exercises sufficient to qualify for the award. The applicant’s EPRs, with closing dates of Aug 96 and Jan 96, state the applicant deployed to exercise Foal Eagle 95 to support the 18th Wing Mission while performing duties as a fire team member for real world security mission at Taegu Air Base, Korea and that the applicant deployed to Osan Air Base, Korea in support of Commando Warrior 96. The applicant provided three training certificates (undated) from the Pacific Air Force Regional Training Center, Osan Air Base, Korea, as well as a witness statement, dated 2 Feb 15 stating the witness served with the applicant while TDY in Korea on three separate occasions for joint exercises on the Korean Peninsula. The exercises were 16 days at Osan Air Base, Korea in May 95, 16 days at Osan Air Base, Korea in Mar 96, and the Foal Eagle exercise at Kwang Ju Air Base, Korea in August 1996 for 35 days. The Defense Accounting and Finance Service (DFAS) also verified the applicant received foreign duty pay from 18 Oct 95 to 8 Nov 95 and from 10 Apr 97 to 24 Apr 97 while assigned to Japan from 19 Sept 94 to 25 Sep 97; however, could not verify if the foreign duty pay was for Korea. 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 11 Aug 15 for review and comment within 30 days (Exhibit D). As of this date, no response has been received. 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. We took notice of the applicant's complete submission in judging the merits of the case and agree with the opinion and recommendation of the Air Force office of primary responsibility (OPR) and adopt its rationale as the basis for our conclusion the applicant has been the victim of an error or 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 he was awarded the Korean Defense Service Medal. The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2015-00888 in Executive Session on 19 Nov 15 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 25 Feb 15 w/atchs. Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C. Memorandum, AFPC/DPSID, dated 1 Jul 15 Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 11 Aug 15.