RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF: 			DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2015-04266

     					COUNSEL:  NONE

						HEARING DESIRED:  NO 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His DD Form 214, Report of Separation from Active Duty, be corrected to reflect he was authorized and awarded the Air Medal.  

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

His Air Medal is not reflected on his DD Form 214 because it was signed two days prior to his discharge.  The medal was awarded subsequent to his discharge and mailed to his home.  

His records need to be corrected to receive available state benefits.  

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

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant initially entered the Regular Air Force on 9 November 1972.  

The applicant provided a copy of the Air Medal certificate awarded to him for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight during the period of 20 May 1978 to 22 May 1978.  

The applicant’s AF Form 910, TSgt, SSgt and Sgt Performance Report, rendered for the period 3 July 1977 thru 2 July 1978, indicates he participated in the Zaire Airlift.  

On 9 November 1978, the applicant was furnished an honorable discharge, and was credited with six years of active service.  

The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are contained in the memorandum prepared by the Air Force office of primary responsibility (OPR), which is attached at Exhibit C.  

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DP3SP recommends denial.  The Air Medal may be awarded to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States Armed Forces, subsequent to 8 September 1939, distinguishes himself and herself by meritorious achievement while participating in an aerial flight.  The Air Medal may be awarded for combat or non-combat action in recognition of single acts of valor, heroism, or merit while participating in aerial flight.  Additionally, it may be conferred for sustained meritorious achievement (distinction) in the performance of duties involving aerial flight.  

While the applicant has provided a certificate for award of the Air Medal for an inclusive period from an illegible date to 22 May 1978, a copy of the Special Order or any other official source documentation such as the decoration citation that would lend to corroborate the authenticity of the provided illegible certificate could not be located.  The Special Order is the official source document to verify award of a decoration.  In order to reasonably consider the applicant’s request, he will need to submit a recommendation from someone with firsthand knowledge of the act/achievement, preferably from someone within the applicant’s chain of command, at the time of the act/achievement.  

A complete copy of the AFPC/DP3SP evaluation is at Exhibit C.  

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The recommendation is erroneous as stated.  He is not requesting to be awarded the Air Medal because he was already awarded the Air Medal in November of 1989.  He wishes for his DD Form 214 to be corrected to reflect the award of the Air Medal since the award occurred a few days after his discharge.  He is in possession of the original certificate, which is 38 years old.  The so call “illegible certificate” is a photo copy of the original and he will not risk sending the original certificate through the mail.  He lost his citation years ago.  However, he is prepared to personally appear to present the original certificate for verification and authenticity of the copy submitted.  Also, he has been unable to find anyone else who was on his crew that could corroborate firsthand knowledge of the act.  The squadron and Norton Air Force Base, California was closed many years ago and presumably many records were lost.  A friend and squadron mate, who was a Prison or War (POW) in Vietnam for seven years told him that he was awarded the Purple Heart (PH), but it is not listed on his DD Form 214.  It was also awarded after he left active duty; however, he has not bothered to ask for a corrected DD Form 214.  He resubmits another photograph copy of his original Air Medal Certificate for further review.  
A complete copy of the applicant’s response, with attachments, is at Exhibit E.  

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 a thorough review of the evidence of record and the applicant’s complete submission, to include his rebuttal response, we believe the applicant is the victim of an error or injustice.  While we note AFPC/DP3SP recommends denial, the applicant has provided a copy of the Air Medal Certificate as evidence he was awarded the Air Medal for meritorious achievement during the period of 20 May 1978 to 22 May 1978.  Although a special order could not be located, we find the certificate along with the applicant’s performance report which documents his participation in the Zaire Airlift during the period covered by the Air Medal, sufficient evidence the applicant was awarded the Air Medal.   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 his DD Form 214, Report of Separation from Active Duty, issued in conjunction with his 9 November 1978, release from active duty, be amended in Block 26, Decorations, Medals, Badges, Commendations, Citations and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized, to reflect the Air Medal.  

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2015-04266 in Executive Session on 9 August 2016 and 11 August 2016 under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

	Panel Chair
	Member
	Member

All members voted to correct the records as recommended.  The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2015-04266 was considered:

	Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 29 September 2015, w/atchs.
	Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
	Exhibit C.  Memorandum, AFPC/DP3SP, dated 2 May 2016.
	Exhibit D.  Letter, AFBCMR, dated 7 June 2016.