RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF: 			DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2015-04717

						COUNSEL:  NONE

						HEARING DESIRED:  NO 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

His Air Force Commendation Medal w/First Oak Leaf Cluster (AFCM w/1OLC)), given under my hand date, be corrected to reflect a date prior to March 2015.  

Based on this correction, he be granted Special Selection Board (SSB) promotion consideration to the grade of lieutenant colonel (05) for 2015 IPZ.  

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He was awarded an AFCM for deployed duties performed during the period of 5 February 2014 through 15 July 2014, which coincide with the time he was eligible for promotion to lieutenant colonel.  However, the award was not signed by the approving official until 25 June 2015.  As a result, the AFCM was not considered by the promotion board.  

He will be allowed supplemental promotion consideration to lieutenant colonel, if the approval date of the decoration is changed to March 2015.  

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

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant is currently serving in the Regular Air Force in the grade of major (04).  

On 25 June 2015, the applicant was awarded an Air Force Commendation Medal First Oak Leaf Cluster (AFCM w/1OLC), for outstanding achievement, during the inclusive period of 5 February 2014 to 15 July 2014. 

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/DP2SP recommends denial.  In accordance with Air Force Instruction 36-2803, recommendations for awards, except for the Purple Heart, should be submitted as soon as possible following the act, achievement, or service.  In this case, the applicant’s award process was not initiated until 16 April 2015.  While the applicant’s decoration was approved nearly a year after his achievement occurred, the decoration was processed within the guidelines of AFI 36-2803.  In addition, there is no input from the original award approval authority in regard to the timeliness of the applicant’s decoration package.  Lastly, the applicant has not provided documentation indicating he first went through the award approval authority; as such, he has not exhausted all administrative avenues.  

A complete copy of the AFPC/DP2SP 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 June 2016 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 timely filed.

3.  Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of error or injustice.  In this respect, we note this Board is the highest administrative level of appeal within the Air Force.  As such, an applicant must first exhaust all available avenues of administrative relief provided by existing law or regulations prior to seeking relief before this Board, as required by the governing Air Force Instruction.  The Air Force office of primary responsibility has reviewed this application and indicated there is an available avenue of administrative relief the applicant has not first pursued.  In view of this, we find this application is not ripe for adjudication at this level as there exists a subordinate level of appeal that has not first been depleted.  Therefore, in view of the above, we find no basis to recommend granting the relief sought in this application.

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The applicant be notified that all available avenues of administrative relief have not been exhausted; and the application will only be reconsidered upon submission of documentary evidence indicating that said avenues of administrative relief have been exhausted.  

The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2015-04717 in Executive Session on 23 February 2017 under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

	Panel Chair
	Member
	Member

The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2015-04717 was considered:

	Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 30 October 2015, w/atch.
	Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
	Exhibit C.  Memorandum, AFPC/DP2SP, dated 23 March 2016.
	Exhibit D.  Letter, AFBCMR, dated 9 June 2016.  

Pursuant to paragraph 1 of AFI 36-2603 (Title 32 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 865.1), it is certified that a quorum was present at the Board's review and deliberations, and that the foregoing is a true and complete record of the Board's proceedings in the above entitled matter.