RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2018-00623

XXXX X. XXXX	COUNSEL: NONE

	HEARING REQUESTED: NO

APPLICANT’S REQUEST

Correct his service record to reflect award of eight Joint Meritorious Unit Awards (JMUAs) and six Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards (AFOUAs).

APPLICANT’S CONTENTIONS

His decorations verify service at his units for the five periods covered.

The applicant’s complete submission is at Exhibit A.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

The applicant is a retired Air Force senior master sergeant (E-8).

On 28 Feb 14, the applicant’s DD Form 214, Certificate of Release of Discharge from Active Duty, reflected award of the JMUA with three oak leaf clusters (OLCs) and the AFOUA with four OLCs.  

On 7 Oct 19, the AFPC Recognition Team notified the applicant that it was able to verify award of the JMUA with one bronze OLC, but not six additional OLCs; and award of the AFOUA with four bronze OLCs, but not an additional OLC.  The AFPC Recognition team informed the applicant that his specific requests could not be verified by his submitted evidence and requested he send additional documents placing him in the eligible units and assigned time frames (Exhibit C).

For more information, see the excerpt of the applicant’s record at Exhibit B and the advisory opinion at Exhibit D.

APPLICABLE AUTHORITY

DoDM 1348.33, Volume 4, Manual of Military Decorations and Awards, DoD Joint Decorations and Awards, provides the JMUA eligibility criteria and the Office of the Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness provides the list of approved JMUAs (current as of 1 Jan 20). 

AFMAN 36-2806, Awards and Memorialization Program, provides the AFOUA eligibility criteria (Exhibit G).  

AIR FORCE EVALUATION

AFPC/DP3SP recommended denying the application due to insufficient documentation verifying the applicant’s eligibility for his originally requested awards; and also noted that the applicant had not responded to previous correspondence requesting additional documentation (Exhibit C).

The complete advisory opinion is at Exhibit D.

APPLICANT’S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION

The Board sent a copy of the advisory opinion to the applicant on 27 Jul 20 for comment (Exhibit E), and the applicant replied on 29 Oct 20.  In his response, the applicant contends he has clear evidence for six JMUAs and that he had verbal confirmation for two additional JMUAs.  Additionally, he contends that he has clear evidence for the award of six AFOUAs.  The applicant’s complete response is at Exhibit F.

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION

1.  The application was not timely filed, but it is in the interest of justice to excuse the delay.

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

3.   After reviewing all Exhibits, the Board concludes the applicant is the victim of an error or injustice.  While the Board notes the recommendation of AFPC/DP3SP against correcting the record, the Board finds a preponderance of the evidence substantiates the applicant’s contentions in part.  Specifically, the applicant has provided sufficient evidence to justify correcting his record for a total of seven JMUAs and six AFOUAs.  However, for the remainder of the applicant’s request, the evidence presented did not demonstrate an error or injustice, and the Board therefore finds no basis to recommend granting the remaining JMUA since the applicable authority does not reflect that the Defense Information School received a JMUA during the claimed period.  Should the applicant provide evidence to the contrary, the Board may be willing to reconsider this request.  Therefore, the Board recommends correcting the applicant’s records as indicated below.

RECOMMENDATION

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to the applicant be corrected to show DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, issued in conjunction with his 28 February 2014 separation, be amended in Block 13 (Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations, and Campaign Ribbons Awarded or Authorized) to reflect the Joint Meritorious Unit Award with one Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with one Silver Oak Leaf Cluster.

However, regarding the remainder of the applicant’s request, the Board recommends informing the applicant the evidence did not demonstrate material error or injustice, 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-2018-00623 in Executive Session on 3 Dec 20:

Mr. Panel Chair
Mr. Panel Member
Ms. Panel Member

All members voted to correct the record.  The panel considered the following:

Exhibit A:	Application, DD Form 149, w/atchs, dated 31 Jan 18.
Exhibit B:	Documentary evidence, including relevant excerpts from official records.
Exhibit C:	Memorandum, AFPC Recognition Team, 7 Oct 19.
Exhibit D:	Advisory opinion, AFPC/DP3SP, dated 26 Jul 20.
Exhibit E:	Notification of advisory, SAF/MRBC to applicant, dated 27 Jul 20.
Exhibit F:  Applicant Response, w/atchs, 29 Oct 20.
Exhibit G:	Applicable Authority extracts.

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