RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS 

 

IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2011-03251 

 COUNSEL: NO 

 HEARING DESIRED: NO 

 

______________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: 

 

1. His DD Form 214, Armed Forces of the United States Report 
of Transfer or Discharge, be corrected to reflect his 
temporary duty (TDY) to Thailand (will be administratively 
corrected) 

 

2. His DD Form 214 be corrected to reflect his TDY to 
Vietnam. 

 

______________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: 

 

He served TDY in Thailand and Vietnam and the omission of 
these facts will affect his Veterans Administration benefits. 

 

In support of his request, the applicant submits copies of his 
DD Form 214 and several letters of appreciation. 

 

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 28 Jun 66 to 27 Jun 70. His DD Form 214 reflects a total 
of 4 years of total active service, which includes 1 year, 
6 months, and 11 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. 

______________________________________________________________ 

 

AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

HQ AFPC/DPAPP recommends denial. DPAPP states a review of the 
applicant’s master personnel records and documentation 
submitted failed to provide any documents that substantiated 
foreign service time in Vietnam; however, they did verify and 
confirm foreign service for boots on the ground at Clark Air 
Base, Republic of the Philippines, from 16 Dec 68 to 26 Jun 70 
and his TDY to Thailand in the fall of 1969. 

 

The complete DPAPP evaluation is at Exhibit C. 

 

______________________________________________________________ 

 

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: 

 

On 10 Nov 11, a copy of the Air Force evaluation was forwarded 
to the applicant for review and comment within 30 days. To 
date, a response has not been received (Exhibit D). 

 

______________________________________________________________ 

 

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 to warrant 
correcting his records to reflect service in Vietnam. We note 
the applicant’s records have been administratively corrected 
to reflect his foreign service in Thailand. Therefore, the 
only remaining issue before us is his request to document his 


foreign service in Vietnam. In this regard, 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 to warrant correcting his records to reflect 
service in Vietnam. Therefore, in the absence of evidence to 
the contrary, we find no basis to recommend granting the 
relief sought in this application. 

 

______________________________________________________________ 

 

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-2011-03251: 

 

 Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 15 Aug 11, w/atchs. 

 Exhibit B. Applicant's Master Personnel Records. 

 Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPAPP, dated 1 Nov 11 

 Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 10 Nov 11.