RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2011-02834 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, be corrected to show the following: 1. Block 11, Primary Specialty Number, Title `and Years and months in specialty, 42730 – Aircrew Egress Systems Technician , 20 years, be changed to T42339, Master Instructor Electrical Superintendent. 2. Block 13, Decorations, Medals, Badges, Citations and Campaign ribbons awarded or authorized be changed to reflect his Master Instructor Badge, Supervisory Maintenance Badge, and an Oak Leaf Cluster to his NCO Professional Military Education Graduation Ribbon, his Associates Degree, a course from his CCAF transcript. 3 Block 15, Member Contributed to Post-Vietnam Era Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP), be changed to yes. 4. He be awarded the fourth Oak Leaf Cluster (OLC) to his Air Force Longevity Service Medal (AFLSA). (ADMINISTRATELY CORRECTED) 5. He be awarded the USAF Combat Readiness Medal (CRM). 6. He be awarded the Vietnam Campaign Medal (RVCM). 7. He be awarded the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM). 8. He be awarded the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM). 9. He be awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. (ADMINISTRATIVELY CORRECTED) 10. He be awarded any other medals to which he is entitled. ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: He hopes, after many months of trying, to get his military records corrected. He does not understand why his accomplishments were not correctly documented. He is proud of his service and wants his children and grandchildren to be proud. He has submitted documentation to prove his request. In support of his appeal, the applicant provides several personal statements, his DD Form 214 and other supporting documentation. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. ________________________________________________________________ STATEMENT OF FACTS: The applicant is a former member of the Air Force who served from 2 November 1967 to 30 November 1987 when he was honorably retired. By letter dated 10 January 2012, AFPC/DPSIT notified the applicant that additional information was needed to show he contributed to VEAP in order to change his DD Form 214. Specifically, he should submit evidence showing he contributed $1200.00 to VEAP. (See Exhibit D.) The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application are contained in the letters prepared by the appropriate Air Force offices of primary responsibility which are at Exhibits C through G. _______________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSIM recommends denial. AFI 36-2903, Dress and Appearance of Air Force Personnel Program, states the Master Instructor Badge is a military badge of the USAF and only worn while performing assigned duties. The member provided documentation that he completed the course; however, the badge is only worn while performing duties. The complete DPSIM evaluation is at Exhibit C. AFPC/DPSIDR recommends denial of the applicant’s request for the Silver Hourglass device for his AFLSA, 2nd OLC for his NCOPMEGR, VSM w/BSS, RVCM, AFRM, AFEM and the CRM. The applicant’s records were reviewed and his entitlement to the AFLSA w/4OLC was verified. His records will be updated accordingly. The Silver Hourglass device is authorized for the Armed Forces Reserve Medal to indicate 20 years of reserve service. It is not authorized for the AFLSA. The applicant is ineligible for the award of the Silver Hourglass device for his AFLSA. The NCOPMEGR is awarded to graduates of certified Professional Military Education Schools and each successive level entitles members to an oak leaf cluster. The ribbon is not awarded to members who complete the correspondence course only. The applicant provided a copy of a certificate of completion from the USAF Senior NCO Academy Independent Study. However, that course is not authorized for recognition by an oak leaf cluster for the NCOPMEGR and the applicant is not eligible for a second oak leaf cluster. The VSM is awarded to all service members of the Armed Forces who, between 4 July 1958 and 28 March 1973, served in the following areas of Southeast Asia: Vietnam and the contiguous waters and airspace, Thailand, Laos or Cambodia or the airspace thereof and in direct support of military operations in Vietnam. A BSS is awarded for participation in each recognized campaign. The applicant served in Thailand from 2 November 1974 to 4 August 1975, after the inclusive period for the VSM. The applicant is ineligible for the VSM and BSS. The RVCM is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who served for 6 months in South Vietnam during the period 1 March 1961 and 28 March 1973, or served outside the geographical limits of South Vietnam and contributed direct combat support to Vietnam for an aggregate of 6 months. The applicant’s service in Thailand began on 2 November 1974, after the close of the inclusive period for the RVCM. The applicant is ineligible for the RVCM. DPSIDR was unable to locate an award titled Armed Forces Medal. The applicant may have referred to the Armed Forces Reserve Medal. The applicant’s records do not indicate service with reserve components. He is ineligible for the AFRM. The AFEM is awarded to members of the Armed Forces who, after 1 July 1958, participated as members of the military units in a U.S. military operation in significant numbers encounter during such participation foreign armed opposition; or are otherwise placed in such a position that hostile action by foreign armed forces was imminent even though it did not materialize. There were no operations for the AFEM that included Portugal, Turkey or Aviano, Italy. He is not eligible for the AFEM for his temporary duty assignments. During the applicant’s assignment to Thailand, there were three AFEM operations in Southeast Asia. However, there is no documentation verifying he deployed to the area of operations during his assignment. He is not eligible for the AFEM for his assignment to Thailand. The CRM is an individual award for periods of qualifying service in combat or mission ready status for direct weapons system employment. For purposes of this award, direct weapons systems employment is defined as an aircrew whose wartime mission places them into enemy territory. The applicant was not assigned as a member of an aircrew, in missile operations or in direct control of in-flight manned aircraft. He is ineligible for the award of the CRM. The applicant does not meet the criteria for the award of the Silver Hourglass, NCOPMEGR w/2OLC, VSM, RVCM, Armed Forces Medal, AFEM and the CRM. The complete DPSIDR evaluation is at Exhibit E. AFPC/DPSIDC recommends denial. The applicant requests Block 11 of his DD Form 214 be changed to reflect T42399, Master Instructor and Aircraft Electrical Superintendent. The applicant’s DD Form 214 was corrected to read 42370 Aircraft Electrical Technician, 20 years. The applicant has not submitted documentation to support a change in his AFSC or skill level. The award of the 9 skill level is awarded when the member has been a master sergeant for a minimum of 12 months, posses a 7-skill level, is recommended by a supervisor and completes the Senior NCO Academy correspondence course. After all requirements are met, an AF Form 2096, Classification or On-the-Job Training Action, a P- Series Order or PCIII generated AFSC action notice serves as the source document to award an AFSC. Additionally, the applicant requests the T-prefix be added to his AFSC. The “T”, Technical Training Instructor, is awarded and affixed to the AFSC in which duty is being performed when qualification as a technical training instructor has been demonstrated. It is retained as long as the member remains qualified. They are unable to verify an error in the applicant’s AFSC. The complete DPSIDC evaluation, with attachments, is at Exhibit F. ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: The applicant reiterated the errors on his DD Form 214. He states he did not receive one of the referenced letters and that his records should be corrected as requested. The applicant’s complete response, with attachments, is at Exhibit H. ________________________________________________________________ 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. We took notice of the available evidence of record and the applicant's complete submission, to include his response to the Air Force advisories, in judging the merits of the case; however, we agree with the opinion and recommendation of the Air Force offices of primary responsibility and adopt their rationale as the basis for our conclusion that relief beyond that already administratively granted is not warranted. Therefore, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, we find no basis to grant the relief sought in this application. ________________________________________________________________ THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT: The applicant be notified the evidence presented did not demonstrate the existence of material error or injustice; the application was denied without a personal appearance; and the application will only be reconsidered upon the submission of newly discovered relevant evidence not considered with this application. ________________________________________________________________ The following members of the Board considered BCMR Docket Number BC-2011-02834 in Executive Session on 30 August 2012, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: , Panel Chair , Member , Member The following documentary evidence pertaining to BCMR Docket Number BC-2011-02834 was considered: Exhibit A1. DD Form 149, dated 11 Jul 11, w/atchs. Exhibit A2. DD Form 149, dated 8 Sep 11, w/atchs. Exhibit A3. DD Form 149, dated 8 Oct 11, w/atchs. Exhibit A4. DD Form 149, dated 9 Oct 11, w/atchs. Exhibit A5. DD Form 149, dated 13 Oct 11, w/atchs. Exhibit A6. DD Form 149, dated 14 Oct 11, w/atchs. Exhibit A7. DD Form 149, dated 28 Oct 11, w/atchs. Exhibit A8. DD Form 149, dated 9 Nov 11, w/atchs. Exhibit A9. DD Form 149, dated 23 Feb 12, w/atchs. Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSIM, dated 7 Oct 11. Exhibit D. Letter, AFPC/DPSIT, dated 10 Jan 12. Exhibit E. Letter, AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 30 Jan 12. Exhibit F. Letter, AFPC/DPSIDC, dated 27 Feb 12, w/atchs. Exhibit G. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 12 Mar 12. Exhibit H. Letter, Applicant’s Response, undated, w/atchs. Panel Chair