RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
         AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:	DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2004-02411
		INDEX NUMBER:  131.00
	XXXXXXX	COUNSEL:  None

	XXXXXXX	HEARING DESIRED:  No

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

It appears the applicant is requesting promotion consideration to the grade of colonel by special selection board (SSB) beginning with the CY02B Colonel Central Selection Board with the opportunity to write a letter to each board explaining his lack of opportunity to complete senior service school/senior defense education (SSS/SDE).

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

The following issues were not readily assessable by the promotion board and were not taken into account during primary promotion boards:

	  a.  The level of TDY and deployment requirements he was tasked with along with the operational tempo at his permanent assignment exceeded the duties performed by other lieutenant colonels (Lt Col).

	  b.  Although he was a candidate for attendance to SSS in residence, he was denied the opportunity to attend due to some combination of TDY and formal neglect or negligence.

In support of his appeal, applicant provides a letter of support from his wing commander and submits a five-page statement detailing his TDY history and how it impacted his ability to complete SSS.

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

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant entered active duty on 11 Mar 82 and is presently serving in the grade of lieutenant colonel.  He was considered and not selected for promotion to the grade of colonel by the CY02B (3 Dec 02) and CY03B (27 Oct 03) Colonel Central Selection Boards.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

AFPC/DPPPO recommends denial of the applicant’s request.  Eligible officers meeting a board have the option to submit a letter to the board president addressing any matter of record concerning themselves they believe is important to their consideration for promotion.  In this case, the applicant felt it was important to convey to the board members the reasons for his noncompletion of SSS/SDE, so it was his responsibility to ensure the letter was filed in his record prior to the boards convening.  AFI 36-2501, paragraph 6.3.2.2 states, “Do not have an SSB if, by exercising reasonable diligence, the officer should have discovered the error or omission and could have taken corrective action before the originally scheduled board convened.”  The applicant’s records did not contain an error or omission warranting an SSB.

The complete evaluation is at Exhibit C.

AFPC/DPAO defers to the recommendation made by AFPC/DPPPO regarding the applicant’s request.  The applicant was eligible to take non-resident Air War College (AWC) starting in 1997.  He enrolled in AWC at least twice but was disenrolled for failure to complete it within the required timeframe.  AWC records do not reflect he requested any extensions, which are often given as a result of deployments.  The applicant was eligible to compete for in-residence attendance to SSS from 1999 to 2003, but was not selected.  Many officers are faced with juggling duty and developmental education with deployments.  Most officers are not afforded the opportunity to attend developmental education in residence so they take the nonresidence version.  Records reflect there were two other officers assigned to the same wing as the applicant who were able to accomplish AWC by correspondence while serving as full-time squadron commanders during the same period of high ops tempo.

The complete evaluation is at Exhibit D.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

Copies of the Air Force evaluations were forwarded to the applicant on 22 Oct 04 for review and comment within 30 days.  To date, a response has not been received.

_________________________________________________________________

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 probable error or injustice.  Although it appears the applicant may have had time to complete SDE, the majority of the Board notes he has his commander’s support for approval of his request.  Additionally, the applicant has provided a compelling account of the circumstances and reasons he has failed to complete SDE.  As such, the majority of the Board believes he should be given an opportunity to write letters to the president of each board he was considered for promotion to the grade of colonel beginning with the CY02B Colonel Central Selection Board.  Therefore, the majority of the Board recommends his records be corrected as indicated below.

___________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT:

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to APPLICANT, be considered for promotion by special selection board (SSB) to the grade of colonel beginning with the CY02B Colonel Central Selection Board, provided he exercises his option to write a letter to the president of each promotion board that has previously considered him for promotion to the grade of colonel.

___________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered this application in Executive Session on 7 December 2004, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

	

By majority vote, the Board voted to correct the records, as recommended.  Mr. XXXXX  voted to deny, but did not want to submit a minority report.  The following documentary evidence was considered:

    Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 26 Jun 04, w/atchs.
    Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
    Exhibit C.  Memorandum, AFPC/DPPPO, dated 7 Oct 04.
    Exhibit D.  Memorandum, AFPC/DPAO, undated.
    Exhibit E.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 22 Oct 04.

AFBCMR BC-2004-02411

MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHIEF OF STAFF

	Having received and considered the recommendation of the Air Force Board for Correction of Military Records and under the authority of Section 1552, Title 10, United States Code (70A Stat 116), it is directed that:

	The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to XXXXXXX, XXXXXXX, be considered for promotion by special selection board (SSB) to the grade of colonel beginning with the CY02B Colonel Central Selection Board, provided he exercises his option to write a letter to the president of each promotion board that has previously considered him for promotion to the grade of colonel.