RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2011-03013 COUNSEL: HEARING DESIRED: NOT INDICATED ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: His DD Form 214, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge, be corrected to reflect two military schools he attended. ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: His DD Form 214 does not show the schools he attended. He attended ordinance school at Morrison Field, Florida in 1943, engineer school at Berry Field, Nashville, Tennessee and photographic school in Calcutta Indiana. In support of his request the applicant submits a copy of his DD Form 214. The applicant’s complete submission, with attachment, is at Exhibit A. ________________________________________________________________ STATEMENT OF FACTS: The applicant enlisted in the Army Air Force on 23 December 1942. On 5 March 1946 the applicant was released from active duty with an honorable characterization of service. He served 3 years, 2 months and 5 days which included 7 months and 9 days of Foreign and/or Sea Service. Item 41 of the applicant’s DD Form 214 labeled; Service Schools Attended reflects “None.” On 23 September 2011 AFPC/DPSIT requested the applicant provide additional documentation or evidence to show completion of the courses. The applicant did not provide any proof of training. ________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSIT recommends denial. DPSIT states the applicant has not provided proof of course completion. The complete AFPC/DPSIT evaluation is at Exhibit C. ________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: He did not have copies of records of the schools he attended. He expects the military to retain those copies. He points-out that his occupational specialty was Aerial Engineer 2750 and he would not have been categorized as an aerial engineer had he not gone to that school. He noted approximate years and time of year of attendance. The applicant’s complete response 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 error or injustice warranting partial approval of the applicant’s request to update his DD Form 214 to reflect the Aerial Engineer Course. After a review of the evidence of record and the applicant’s complete submission we note that Item 30 of his DD Form 214 reflects Aerial Engineer 2750 as his military occupational specialty. We believe it is reasonable to conclude that this AFSC could have only been granted after successful completion of required military training.. As such, we find the evidence sufficient to resolve any doubt in the applicant’s favor and recommend his records be corrected as indicated below. 4. With regard to the Ordinance and Photographic schools, we conclude that no basis exits to grant favorable action on these requests, as he provides no supporting documentation to substantiate that he completed these training course. While the applicant believes it is the Air Force’s responsibility to retain copies of his training certificates, such documentation is destroyed in accordance with normal records disposition management and not maintained for over 62 years. Had the applicant applied within a timely manner, i.e., within three years of the alleged error or injustice, such documentation would still exist. However, at this extremely late date, we mush render our decision on the evidence properly brought before us. Therefore, in view of the above, and in the absence of documentary evidence indicating he completed these training courses, we find no basis upon which to recommend favorable consideration of the remainder of his requests. ________________________________________________________________ THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT: The pertinent military records of the Department of the Air Force relating to APPLICANT be corrected to show that the DD Form 214, Enlisted Record and Report of Separation Honorable Discharge, dated 23 March 1946, be amended in Item 41, Service Schools Attended, to reflect “Aerial Engineer Course”. ________________________________________________________________ The following members of the Board considered this application BC-2011-03013 in Executive Session on 27 March 2012, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: The following documentary evidence was considered: Exhibit A. DD Form 149 dated 11 May 2011, w/atchs. Exhibit B. Applicant’s Master Personnel Records. Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSIT, dated 13 December 2011. Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 22 December 2011. Exhibit E. Letter, Applicant, dated 10 January 2012.