RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS IN THE MATTER OF: DOCKET NUMBER: BC-2011-03601 COUNSEL: NONE HEARING DESIRED: NO _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT: He be awarded the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (ACM). _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT: While stationed at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, he was part of an aircrew that continuously flew over the hostile air space of Afghanistan. He has also served over 130 hours of combat missions. In support of his request, the applicant submits documents extracted from his military personnel records. The applicant's complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A. _________________________________________________________________ STATEMENT OF FACTS: The applicant enlisted in the Regular Air Force on 13 September 2005. On 12 September 2009, the applicant was honorably released and transferred to the Air Force Reserve. He served 4 years on active duty. _________________________________________________________________ AIR FORCE EVALUATION: AFPC/DPSIDRA recommends denial. DPSIDRA states the applicant served with the 763rd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, from December 2008 to February 2009, in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. The applicant received award of the Meritorious Unit Award (MUA), the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (GWOT-E), and the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border (AFESR w/GB) for his service in Qatar. Official documentation verifying the applicant participated in 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive sorties into Afghanistan was not provided by the applicant nor located within his official military record. The supporting documentation provided by the applicant only accounts for one sortie into Afghanistan on 10 January 2009. Therefore they are unable to verify the applicant’s entitlement to the ACM. The DPSIDRA complete evaluation is at Exhibit C. _________________________________________________________________ APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION: The applicant states he was deployed to Al Udeid Air Base from 12 December 2008 until 12 February 2009. He participated in 11 combat sorties into Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In each of these combat sorties, he provided time-sensitive intelligence to ground forces either engaged in battle or about to be. The requirements state that the ACM is awarded to members who have served in Afghanistan or its contiguous air space in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM from 24 October 2004 to a Date to Be Announced. As he reads this he has met that requirement, though the paperwork goes on to say 30 consecutive days or sorties, he argues that requirement. A colleague received the ACM when he requested it after separation with only 21 combat sorties. The applicant’s complete response, with attachments, 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 timely filed. 3. Insufficient relevant evidence has been presented to demonstrate the existence of error or injustice. We took notice of the applicant’s contentions; however, the applicant has not provided any documentary evidence to substantiate his claim that he meets the criteria for the ACM. As such 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 that the applicant has not provided evidence showing his entitlement to the Afghanistan Campaign Medal (ACM). 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 the evidence presented did not demonstrate the existence of an 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 AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2011-03601 in Executive Session on 15 March 2012, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603: The following documentary evidence pertaining to AFBCMR Docket Number BC-2011-03601 was considered: Exhibit A. DD Form 149, dated 12 September 2011, w/atchs. Exhibit B. Applicant’s Master Personnel Record. Exhibit C. Letter, AFPC/DPSIDRA, dated 6 October 2011. Exhibit D. Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 28 October 2011. Exhibit E. Letter, Applicant, dated 21 November 2011, w/atchs.