RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2011-01222 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 1) His record be corrected to reflect he was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor and one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster (AFOUA w/V & 1BOLC), and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm (RVNGC w/P), and 2) He be awarded the National Defense Service Medal (NDSM) (Request is included in his response to the Air Force advisory.) ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: He went on temporary duty (TDY) to Thailand and was assigned to the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) at Ubon Air Field when the 8th TFW earned the PUC, AFOUA w/V & 1 BOLC, and the RVNGC w/P. In support of his request, the applicant provides an expanded statement and copies of his TDY orders and travel voucher, as well as a fact sheet related to Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. _________________ ______________________________________________ STATEMENT OF FACTS: According to the applicant’s military personnel records, he enlisted in the Regular Air Force on 22 Nov 71 and served on active duty until his honorable discharge on 21 Sep 76. The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are contained in the letter prepared by the appropriate office of the Air Force, which is attached at Exhibit C. ________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSIDR recommends denial, indicating there is no evidence of an error or injustice. While his records show he was TDY to Thailand from 8 Jul 72 through 20 Sep 72, the documentation he provides does not indicate he was assigned or attached to the 8th TFW as he contends. The TDY orders are marked in Block 23 indicating that this was a TDY with a unit or detachment rather than by an individual. All references to his unit on the orders and travel voucher indicate the 4th Combat Support Group or the 4th Field Maintenance Squadron, and there are no annotations concerning the 8th FTW. Furthermore, while the 8th TFW was awarded the PUC three times during the Vietnam Conflict, the last award was for the period from 1 Jan 71 through 1 Apr 71, well before his enlistment in the Air Force on 11 Nov 71. Therefore, he is not eligible for award of the PUC. The applicant was assigned to the 4th Field Maintenance Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC during the period the 8th TFW became entitled to unit awards at Ubon Air Base, Thailand and there are no documents in his master personnel records indicating he was assigned to the 8th TFW. A complete copy of the AFPC/DPAPP evaluation is at Exhibit C. ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: The applicant’s response makes reference to the copy of his orders sending him to Ubon AFB which he initially submitted with is DD 149, and an excerpt from a history of the 4th Fighter Wing taken from Wikipedia that states the 4th FTW served “as augmentees of the 8th FTW for combat operations” from April 1972 until 1974. In addition, in his 17 Nov 2011 response he states he was not awarded the National Defense Service Medal (NDSM). A copy of the applicant’s response is at Exhibit D. An excerpt showing the award requirements for the NDSM 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. Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of an error or injustice regarding the applicant’s request for the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor and oneBronze Oak Leaf Cluster(AFOUA w/V & 1BLOC), or the Republic of VietnamGallantry Cross with Palm(RVNGC w/P).We took notice of theapplicant's complete submission in judging the merits of the case; however, we agree with the opinion and recommendation of the Air Force office of primary responsibility (OPR) and adopt its rationale as the basis for our conclusion the applicant has not been the victim of an error or injustice. With regard to his claim he be awarded the National Defense Service Medal, we find the applicant has provided sufficient evidence to show hisactive service was during the period when the NDSM was awarded. In addition, subsequent to the matter under review, we note the Air Force OPR has determined the applicant is entitled to the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (AFOUA)for his assignment to the 3rdField Maintenance Squadron during the inclusive period ofthe award of theAFOUA to that unit from 10 July 1973 to 26 Dec1973, and they have taken action to correct his records administratively. Therefore, we recommend that his records becorrected to the extent indicated below. THE BOARD RECOMMENDSTHAT: The pertinentmilitary records of the Department of the Air Force relating to APPLICANT be corrected to show that: He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal for his honorable active duty service. The following members of the Board considered AFBCMR Docket NumberBC-2011-01222in Executive Session on 10 January 2012, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: Panel Chair Member Member All members voted to correct the records as recommended. The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2011-01222 was considered: Exhibit A.DD Form 149, undated, w/atchs. Exhibit B.Applicant's Master Personnel Records Exhibit C.Letter, HQ AFPC/DPSIDR, 2 Nov 11 Exhibit D.DD 21-4138,Applicant’s response, 17 Nov 11 Panel Chair