RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2008-03980 

INDEX CODE: 107.00 

COUNSEL: NO 

 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

His Air Force Commendation Medal with Second Oak Leaf Cluster 
(AFCM w/2OLC) be upgraded to the Airman’s Medal (AmnM). 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

The documentation submitted for his AFCM w/2OLC met the criteria 
for the AmnM and was submitted for heroic and voluntary risk of 
life. Unfortunately, due to administrative errors beyond his 
unit’s control, action was not taken in a timely manner. As a 
result the decoration was downgraded. 

 

In support of his appeal, the applicant provides a copy of a 
recommendation letter requesting he be awarded the AmnM, a letter 
concerning late award packages, a decoration report on individual 
personnel, and his AFCM w/2OLC citation. 

 

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

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

On 16 December 1975, the applicant enlisted in the Regular Air 
Force at the age of 19. He was progressively promoted to the 
grade of chief master sergeant effective and with a date of rank 
of 1 March 1998. 

 

On 9 April 1984, the applicant was awarded the AFCM w/2OLC for 
outstanding achievement involving voluntary risk of life at 
Incirlik Village near Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, on 24 November 
1982, by entering a burning dwelling and succeeding to get 
everyone to safety and extinguishing the fire without regard for 
his own safety. 

 

On 29 February 2000, the applicant was honorably discharged and 
retired effective 1 March 2000. He served 24 years, 2 months, 
and 15 days on active duty. 



 

The remaining relevant facts are contained in the evaluation by 
the Air Force office of primary responsibility at Exhibit C. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

AFPC/DPSIDR recommends denying the applicant’s request to upgrade 
his AFCM w/2OLC to the AmnM. DPSIDR states the AmnM is awarded 
to members of the United States Armed Forces or of a friendly 
foreign nation who, while serving in any capacity with the United 
States Air Force after the date of the award’s authorization, 
shall have distinguished himself or herself by a heroic act, 
usually at the risk of his or her life but not involving actual 
combat. The saving of a life or success of the voluntary act is 
not essential. It is not awarded for normal performance of 
duties. 

 

DPSIDR indicates the applicant was submitted for award of the 
AmnM for outstanding achievement involving voluntary risk of life 
on 24 November 1982. However, the AmnM recommendation was 
downgraded to the AFCM w/2OLC by Headquarters European 
Communications Division per Special Order G-62, dated 9 April 
1984. No official documentation was recorded as being submitted 
or endorsed by higher authorities within the applicant’s chain of 
command for a one-time reconsideration for decoration upgrade of 
the applicant’s AFCM w/2OLC to the AmnM. 

 

The complete DPSIDR evaluation is at Exhibit C. 

 

_________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

The applicant responds that the facts show his efforts meet the 
criteria for award of the AmnM. Through no fault of his own, the 
continuous administrative errors, time lag, and subsequent change 
of command personnel caused his recommendation for award of the 
AmnM to be downgraded. He is only asking that his service be 
recognized and that because of the errors made and reasonable 
doubt, his decoration be upgraded to its original request. 

 

The applicant’s rebuttal 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 not timely filed; however, it is in the 
interest of justice to excuse the failure to timely file. 

 

3. Sufficient relevant evidence has been presented to 
demonstrate the existence of an injustice. After reviewing the 
documentation submitted with this application, we believe the 
applicant demonstrated heroic actions on 24 November 1984 which 
meet the criteria for the AmnM. On that date, the applicant 
voluntarily responded without regard to his own safety to a 
burning dwelling in Incirlik Village, Turkey. In spite of the 
potential danger, the applicant succeeded in getting the 
occupants to safety and extinguishing the fire. We agree the 
applicant’s actions were above the call of duty and that his 
lifesaving actions risked his own life while saving others. In 
fact, we note the applicant was initially submitted for award of 
the AmnM on 13 December 1982 with strong command support. 
However, after an unusual lapse of time for processing the award 
package and apparent miscommunications between the command and 
the personnel office, the recommendation was subsequently 
downgraded to an AFCM w/2OLC. Based on the above information and 
in the interest of equity and justice, we elect to resolve any 
doubt in favor of the applicant. In addition, we note that award 
of the AmnM could qualify a recipient for a ten percent increase 
in retirement pay for extraordinary heroism; therefore, we 
forwarded our recommendation to the Secretary of the Air Force 
Personnel Council (SAFPC) for consideration. SAFPC; however, has 
verified the applicant does not meet the criteria for award of 
the additional ten percent retired pay. Accordingly, we 
recommend his record be corrected as indicated below. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT: 

 

The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force 
relating to APPLICANT be corrected to show that: 

 

a. On 9 April 1984, he was awarded the Airman’s Medal rather 
than the Air Force Commendation Medal (AFCM) Second Oak Leaf 
Cluster (2OLC) for heroism involving voluntary risk of life at 
Incirlik Village, Turkey, on 24 November 1982. 

 

b. His AFCM (3OLC) and AFCM (4OLC) be amended to reflect 
award of the AFCM (2OLC) and (3OLC) respectively. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 



The following members of the Board considered this application in 
Executive Session on 5 February 2009, under the provisions of AFI 
36-2603: 


All members voted to correct the records, as recommended. The 
following documentary evidence for AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2008-
03980 was considered: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 29 Oct 08, with atchs. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 2 Dec 08. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 12 Dec 08. 

 Exhibit E. Applicant’s Rebuttal, dated 2 Jan 09. 

 



 Director 

 Air Force Review Boards Agency