IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2016-04808

	COUNSEL: NONE

	HEARING: NO

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

1.  His DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of Transfer or Discharge, be corrected to add the following overseas locations:

	a. Turkey
	b. The Republic of the Philippines
	c. The United Kingdom
	d. The Republic of Vietnam

2.  The grade on his DD Form 214 be corrected to indicate sergeant rather than airman first class. (Will be administratively corrected)

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

He has the right to be called a Vietnam Veteran and wants his DD Form 214 to accurately reflect his grade and overseas assignments.  The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

STATEMENT OF FACTS:  

The applicant entered the Regular Air Force on 8 November 1963.

According to Special Order A-315 dated 17 June 1966, the applicant was promoted to the grade of airman first class, with a date of rank of 1 June 1966.

On 7 November 1967, the applicant was released from active duty in the grade of airman first class (E-4) and transferred to the Air Force Reserve.  He was not credited with Foreign Service during this period.

In a letter dated 6 October 2017, AFPC/DP3AM informed the applicant they were able to verify and confirm Foreign Service boots on ground in the Republic of Vietnam on 13 October 1966 and from 15-16 January 1967, for a total of three days.  He was also informed this Foreign Service time will be added to his DD Form 214.  Since specific locations are not annotated on the DD Form 214, the applicant was advised to use their letter as proof of boots on ground for the Republic of Vietnam.

For more information, see the excerpt of the applicant’s record at Exhibit B and the advisories at Exhibits C and D.

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:  

AFPC/DP3AM recommends denial of the applicant’s request for Foreign Service in Turkey, the Republic of the Philippines and the United Kingdom.  While they were able to confirm boots on ground for three days in the Republic of Vietnam, there is no evidence the applicant served in any other overseas locations.  The complete advisory, with attachments, is at Exhibit C.

ADDITIONAL AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DP2SPP will administratively correct the applicant’s DD Form 214 to reflect his grade as sergeant rather than airman first class.  When the applicant was promoted to the rank of E-4, the designated grade was airman first class.  However, on 1 October 1967, prior to the applicant’s release from active duty, the designated grade for E-4 changed to sergeant.  The complete advisory, with attachment, at Exhibit D.

APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:  

The Board sent a copy of the Air Force evaluation to the applicant on 13 October 2017 for comment (Exhibit E), but has received no response.

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

1.  The application was not timely filed.

2.  The applicant exhausted all available avenues of non-judicial relief before applying to the Board.

3.  After thoroughly reviewing all Exhibits, it is the Board’s opinion that the applicant is not the victim of an error or injustice.  The Board concurs with the rationale and recommendation of AFPC/DP3AM and finds that a preponderance of the evidence does not substantiate the applicant’s contentions.  The Board also notes the applicant did not file the application within three years after the alleged error or injustice was discovered, or should have been discovered, as required by Title 10, United States Code, Section 1552, and Air Force Instruction 36-2603, Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records (AFBCMR).  Moreover, the applicant has offered no plausible reason for the delay in filing the application.  Therefore, beyond the administrative relief that will be made to the applicant’s record, the Board finds the application untimely and concludes it would not be in the interest of justice to excuse the delay.  Therefore, the Board recommends against correcting the applicant’s records.

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The applicant be informed the application was not timely filed; it would not be in the interest of justice to excuse the delay; and the application will only be reconsidered upon receipt of relevant evidence not already considered by the Board.

CERTIFICATION: 

The following quorum of the Board, as defined in Air Force Instruction (AFI) 36-2603, Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records (AFBCMR), paragraph 1.5, considered Docket Number BC-2016-04808 in Executive Session on 17 May 2018:

 Panel Chair 
 Panel Member
 Panel Member

All members voted not to correct the record.  The panel considered the following:

Exhibit A:	Application, DD Form 149, w/atchs, dated 28 November 2016.
Exhibit B:	Documentary evidence, including excerpts from official records.
Exhibit C:	Advisory opinion, AFPC/DP3AM, w/atchs, dated 6 October 2017.
Exhibit D:	Advisory opinion, AFPC/DP2SPP, w/atch, dated 11 October 2017.
Exhibit E:	Notification of Advisory, AFBCMR to applicant, dated 13 October 2017.

Taken together with all Exhibits, this document constitutes the true and complete Record of Proceedings required by AFI 36-2603, paragraph 4.11.9.