RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2011-03067 

 COUNSEL: NO 

 HEARING DESIRED: YES 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

1. His military service record be corrected to reflect the time 
he served in Vietnam. 

 

2. He be given award entitlements for his service in Vietnam. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

He served temporary duty (TDY) in Tan Son Nhut AB, Republic of 
Vietnam for 70 days. 

 

He has been continually submitting his appeal to change his 
DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report of 
Transfer or Discharge, since 05. 

 

The Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) denied his claim of 
post-traumatic stress disorder and exposure to herbicides. The 
DVA stated the evidence of record showed he served in the 
Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam Era, therefore, exposure 
to herbicides is conceded. 

 

In support of his request, the applicant provides copies of AF 
Form 626, Temporary Duty Order – Military, a personal statement, 
his DD Form 214, and his DVA Rating Decision. 

 

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

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

STATEMENT OF FACTS: 

 

The applicant served on active duty in the Regular Air Force 
from 17 Mar 61 to 6 Mar 65 and from 30 Aug 65 to 26 Sep 66. 

 


His DD Form 214 reflects a total of 5 years and 27 days of total 
active service with 5 months and 18 days of Foreign Service. 

 

The Vietnam Service Medal (VSM), created on 8 Jul 65, is awarded 
to all service members of the Armed Forces who, between 4 Jul 65 
and 28 Mar 73, served in the following areas of Southeast Asia: 
in Vietnam and the contiguous waters and airspace; in Thailand, 
Laos or Cambodia or the airspace there over in the direct 
support of military operations in Vietnam. The specific 
eligibility criteria requires a member to be either: 

 

Attached to or regularly serving for one, or more, days 
with an organization participating in or directly supporting 
ground (military) operations, 

 

Attached to or regularly serving for one, or more, days 
aboard a naval vessel directly supporting military operations, 

 

Actually participate as a crew member in one or more aerial 
flights directly supporting military operations, or 

 

Serve on temporary duty for 30 consecutive days or 60 
nonconsecutive days, which may be waived for personnel 
participating in actual combat operations. 

 

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AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

HQ AFPC/DPAPP recommends denial of his request for service in 
Vietnam. DPAPP states they could not verify any time served 
in Vietnam; however, they did confirm boots on the ground 
foreign service at Mactan Air Base, Republic of the 
Philippines, from 8 Feb 66 to 25 Jul 66. 

 

The complete DPAPP evaluation is at Exhibit C. 

 

HQ AFPC/DPSIDR recommends denial of his request for entitlement 
to the VSM. DPSIDR states the applicant was awarded the 
National Defense Service Medal (NDSM) for honorable active 
military service during the Vietnam era of 1 Jan 61 through 
14 Aug 74. No additional entitlements could be validated for 
the applicant’s foreign service. 

 

The complete DPSIDR evaluation is at Exhibit D. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 


On 16 Dec 11, copies of the Air Force evaluations were forwarded 
to the applicant for review and comment within 30 days. To 
date, a response has not been received (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 error or injustice. We took notice 
of the applicant'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 and adopt its 
rationale as the basis for our conclusion the applicant has not 
been the victim of an error or injustice. While the applicant 
provides TDY orders for 70 days to Vietnam, we find no evidence 
that he ever completed the TDY. Therefore, in the absence of 
evidence to the contrary, we find no basis to recommend granting 
the relief sought in this application. 

 

4. The applicant's case is adequately documented and it has not 
been shown that a personal appearance with or without counsel 
will materially add to our understanding of the issues involved. 
Therefore, the request for a hearing is not favorably 
considered. 

 

________________________________________________________________ 

 

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT: 

 

The applicant be notified that the evidence presented did not 
demonstrate the existence of material error or injustice; that 
the application was denied without a personal appearance; and 
that 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 this application 
in Executive Session on 16 Feb 12, under the provisions of AFI 
36-2603: 

 



 

 

 

 

 

The following documentary evidence was considered in AFBCMR BC-
2011-03067: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 18 Jul 11, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, HQ AFPC/DPAPP dated 8 Nov 11. 

 Exhibit D. Letter, HQ AFPC/DPSIDR, dated 6 Dec 11. 

 Exhibit E. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 16 Dec 11.