RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2015-01629 COUNSEL:	NONE
HEARING DESIRED:	NO

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:
His	DD	Form	214,	Armed	Forces	of	The	United	States	Report	of Transfer or Discharge, be corrected to reflect:

1.	The Vietnam Service Ribbon [Vietnam Service Medal (VSM)]
2.	Foreign service in Thailand and Guam (Guam Administratively corrected)

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:
His unit was sent on temporary duty (TDY) to, Guam and Thailand in 1967 in support of Operation ARC LIGHT. The next year his unit was sent to Guam on permanent change of station. He received the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) in late 1967 or early 1968 when he was assigned to Amarillo Air Force Base, Texas.

The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

STATEMENT OF FACTS:
On 14 Mar 66, the applicant entered the Regular Air Force.
From 14 Mar 66 to 11 Jan 67, according to the applicant’s AF Form 7, Airman Military Record, he has recorded 160 TDY days of foreign service (no location identified).

From 25 Mar 68 to 20 Sep 69, according to the applicant’s AF Form 7, he has recorded foreign service in Guam.

On 13 Jun 70, the applicant was furnished an honorable discharge, and was credited with 3 years and 10 months of active service, which includes 1 year, 11 months and 6 days foreign service.

The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are contained in the memoranda prepared by the Air Force offices of primary responsibility (OPR), which are attached at Exhibits C, and D.

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:
AFPC/DPAPP recommends denial indicating there is no evidence of an error or an injustice. After a review of the applicant’s Master Personnel Records, it was possible to verify and confirm foreign service boots in ground at Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, but not possible to verify any foreign service in Thailand. Therefore, it is recommended to deny the applicant’s request to correct the applicant’s record to reflect foreign Service in Thailand.

A complete copy of the AFPC/DPAPP evaluation is at Exhibit C.
AFPC/DPSID recommends denial of the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM), indicating there is no evidence of an error or an injustice. This advisor believes the applicant he is referring to the VSM, not the Vietnam Service Ribbon. The VSM was awarded to all members of the United States Armed Forces who served in Vietnam or contiguous waters or airspace after 3 Jul 65 and before 28 Mar 73. In addition, personnel serving in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia in direct support of operations in Vietnam during the same time period were also were eligible for the VSM. To be eligible, a Service member must: Be permanently assigned, attached, or detailed for one, or more, days with an organization participating in or directly supporting ground (military) operations; be permanently assigned, attached, or detailed for one, or more, days aboard a naval vessel directly supporting military operations; have actually participated as a crew member in one or more aerial flights directly supporting military operations, have served on temporary duty for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days. Those lime limitations may be waived for personnel participating in actual combat operations. After a thorough review of the applicant’s official military personnel record, this advisory was unable to verify award of the VSM.

Operation ARC LIGHT is a mission which used B-52 bombers in Southeast Asia to attack the Viet Cong during the Vietnam conflict with inclusive dates 18 Jun 65 to 18 Aug 73. Andersen Air Base, Guam, was the original location of the bombers participating in Operation ARC LIGHT beginning on 18 Jun 65. In 1967, U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand, was an added base for the mission to reduce crowding at Andersen Air Base and for the reduction of flight time to Viet Cong targets.

As noted, AFPC/DPAPP was unable to verify the applicant’s service in Thailand, but was able to determine the applicant had foreign service at Anderson Air Force Base, Guam.

The applicant’s Airman Military Record (AF Form 7) is annotated with 11 Jan 67 temporary duty for 160 days; however, no location was listed.

The applicant’s Performance Report (AF Form 910) reflects he was assigned to the 58th Munitions Maintenance Squadron, Amarillo Air Force Base, Texas, with inclusive dates 14 Mar 66 to 13 Mar 67. During this timeframe, he was a loading team member that worked with B-52 type aircraft. It further states, “During the preparation phase for the wing deployment to support “ARC Light” his attention to duty was exemplary. Since being deployed his assigned team has operated, both on the flight line and in the preload area loading conventional munitions.”

It is recommended to disapprove award of the VSM. The applicant’s temporary duty assignment does not specify the location; however, his performance report does indicate participation in Operation ARC LIGHT, which includes missions to the area of eligibility. However, if the board finds in favor of the applicant and contends the 160 days was in the VSM area of eligibility, he should be awarded the VSM with two Bronze Service Stars and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. To grant relief would be contrary to the criteria established by DoDM 1348.33, the Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff, and/or the War Department.

A complete copy of the AFPC/DPSID evaluation is at Exhibit D.

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:
He further describes his service in Texas, Guam, and Thailand. He states he was assigned to wing of B-52s, his wing deployed to Guam, then to the forward operating base (Thailand) which was just considered part of Guam at that time. There were no paper [travel] orders, although he routinely flew to Thailand to perform maintenance on the B-52s. In support of his request he provided enlarged/additional photographs of himself wearing the VSM and he highlighted an area of his training record that documents he ”reported for TDY SEA (on 11 Jan 67) and returned from TDY (12 Jul 67).”

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.
1.	

3.	Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice. We took notice of the applicant’s complete submission, including his rebuttal response, in judging the merits of the case; however, we 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 not been the victim of an error of injustice. Specifically, the Board did not find sufficient evidence the applicant deployed forward from Guam to Thailand. Therefore, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, we find no basis to recommend granting the requested relief.

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:
The applicant be notified the evidence presented did not demonstrate the existence of material error or injustice; the application was denied without a personal appearance; and 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-2015-01629 in Executive Session on 17 Dec 15 under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

, Panel Chair
, Member
, Member
The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2015-01629 was considered:

Exhibit A.	DD Form 149, dated 11 Apr 15, w/atchs. Exhibit B.	Applicant's Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C.	Memorandum, AFPC/DPAPP, dated 10 Jul 15. Exhibit D.	Memorandum, AFPC/DPSID, dated 6 Oct 15. Exhibit E.	Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 23 Oct 15.
Exhibit F.	Letter, Applicant, dated 9 Nov 15, w/atchs.